This could very well be a milestone night for Cole Pickup.
The veteran forward is two points away from tying the record for all-time points in the franchise鈥檚 Grizzlies era (they were known as the Salsa until 2006). They could come tonight as the sa国际传媒 Hockey League club entertains the perennial powerhouse Penticton Vees at The Q Centre at 7 p.m.
Pickup, who has 69 goals and 83 assists over his career, is two points back of Myles Fitzgerald鈥檚 57 goals and 97 helpers for 154 points.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think it would be something I could go for at all when I started at 16,鈥� said Pickup, now 20. 鈥淎t the beginning of this year, Feser [Todd Feser, one of two educational advisers along with Butch Boucher] brought it up and it鈥檚 been something that鈥檚 been in the back of my mind.
鈥淪ure enough, I鈥檓 right there now. Hopefully, I can get two points in the next nine games, but we鈥檒l see,鈥� Pickup chuckled. 鈥淚鈥檇 rather pick up the two points against Penticton as a team stat, but individually, if two points came with it, that would be cool. I would be honoured to be up there with those names.鈥�
Pickup still has a ways to go to reach the all-time franchise (Salsa and Grizzlies) mark. Kyle Greentree owns that with 375 over 266 games played for the Salsa.
Others, such as current Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak, recorded 100 points as a member of the Salsa and then tallied 128 in his last Junior A year with the Grizzlies in 2006-07 for 228 points before heading off to the University of Denver.
And Brian McCormack is at 222 points.
鈥淵es, it鈥檚 in a Grizzlies jersey. With the Salsa, Greentree and Bozak had a couple of great seasons there,鈥� said Pickup, who has played almost twice as many games as Fitzgerald (215 to 110).
鈥淢yles had two great seasons here. I think, definitely growing up here, I was in a different role to start than I am now. Since then, I think the last two years I鈥檝e done well and I think I鈥檝e done what Dids [GM and head coach Craig Didmon] has asked me to do.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those things I didn鈥檛 think I was capable of doing, but it鈥檚 kind of come out of nowhere,鈥� said Pickup, who jumped from 21 points in both of his first two seasons at 17 and 18, to 48 points last year. He鈥檚 currently at his personal-best 61 (25 goals and 36 assists) this season. He also played five games as a 16-year-old for the Grizzlies in which he had one point.
If he plays the nine remaining regular-season games, he also ties former captain Sean Robertson for all-time games-played as in a Grizzlies uniform at 224.
鈥淚t could be a special year individually, but more importantly, I鈥檇 rather leave a legacy with winning a championship as a team,鈥� said Pickup.
He and the rest of the team are focused on tonight鈥檚 opponent, the Vees, who are in a battle for second place overall with Victoria and Chilliwack.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those games that sometimes you get too excited for,鈥� cautioned Pickup.
So before the week started the team called a captain鈥檚 meeting and tried to hunker down in preparation.
鈥淚 think it鈥檒l be a good match. If we can pull this one off, which I believe we can, we鈥檒l prove to the league that we do mean business,鈥� said Pickup.
The Vees were 33-12-1-1 entering their game in Nanaimo on Friday night, three points back of the Grizzlies (32-10-3-4), but with two games in hand.
IN THE DEN: Grizzlies forward Nathan Looysen made it official this week with his long-awaited commitment to the Brock Badgers for next season where he will study sports management with the U Sports institution based in St. Catharines, Ont.
