No word on what odds-makers might give you on Victoria Grizzlies鈥� rookie Justin Michaelian scoring the game-winner tonight at the Big Stick in Duncan, but after the first two games of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League season, it might be a good bet he comes through, again.
The Wixom, Michigan, native leads the league in that department, potting two deciding goals in back-to-back weekend wins as the 2-0 Grizzlies now turn their attention to the 1-0 Cowichan Valley Capitals tonight at 7.
The six-foot, 180-pound winger is off to a great start, playing the right side with fellow American Sage Englund at centre and veteran Nick Guiney on the left.
Michaelian popped the game-winner in the team鈥檚 debut on Friday from a bad angle that made it 2-0 in a 2-1 win over Powell River. He followed that up with the 3-on-3, second-overtime marker on a breakaway deke to his backhand in a 5-4 triumph over Alberni Valley on Saturday.
He also had an assist as he found Englund in front of the net in the first minute to get the game going against the Bulldogs.
鈥淗e started it and he finished it,鈥� said Grizzlies head coach and general manager Craig Didmon. 鈥淗e and Englund and Guiney have some nice chemistry. When we stayed out of the [penalty] box, they seemed to get going.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e sort of like the GAG line 鈥� goal-a-game line right now. It鈥檚 fun to see and it鈥檚 nice to have that kind of offence. We also have the [Tyler] Welsh line and [Lucas] Clark line that are also finding the back of the net, so it鈥檚 good.鈥�
On Saturday, Michaelian was on an odd-man rush up ice in the second OT when the Bulldogs took the missed opportunity and headed the other way. Back came Michaelian, who was on the spot when a wide shot rimmed around the boards to spring him, essentially going 600 feet in the trio of chances.
鈥淚t felt pretty good,鈥� he said of the second game-winner. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect much out of it. I was gassed at the end of my shift, so I went down and hoped for the best and, thankfully, it went in for me. I was coming back and I was hoping the kid would miss the net and we鈥檇 get a bounce out of the zone. It hopped right to me and I capitalized on the opportunity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty exciting for my first two games in the league,鈥� he said of the start. 鈥淚 want to keep my confidence up, be consistent with games every night. Try not to get too down or too high.鈥�
The 18-year-old was recruited by Didmon out of the Victory Honda hockey program in Plymouth, Michigan, about a half-hour out of Detroit, which also produced Grizzlies netminder Mitchel Benson. Didmon initially found him at a prospects camp in Park City, Utah, two years ago.
鈥淚 noticed he could shoot the puck on the fly. I thought he was ready a year ago, but I knew he was going to a nice program in Detroit,鈥� said Didmon, who coached Michaelian for the week south of the border.
鈥淭here were 64 payers there from around country for the week,鈥� recalled Michaelian, who was 17 at the time. 鈥淗e was my coach and approached me after the week and said: 鈥業鈥檇 like to have you on the Grizzlies.鈥�
鈥淚 really liked him as a coach and a guy,鈥� Michaelian said of Didmon. 鈥淗e鈥檚 made it very comfortable for me because it was a long move.鈥�
And Michaelian has made it look easy so far after a solid year at Victory Honda.
鈥淚t was a good season last year,鈥� he said of a state championship at the Tier I major midget level. The team also went on to nationals. Michaelian had 11 goals and 15 assists in 32 games for Victory Honda.
The year before, he played for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U-18 team (in Troy, Michigan), playing against Benson, who was with Victory Honda. Both Wixom and Plymouth are 30 minutes out of Detroit, where Michaelian grew up a big Red Wings and Steve Yzerman fan.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I wore No. 19, until this year,鈥� said Michaelian, who now dons No. 11.
