Go to a Victoria Grizzlies practice early and you鈥檒l see a guy in a black or green jersey skating by himself in the corner.
It鈥檚 usually Jordan Guiney. Working on his skating.
It鈥檚 a work ethic like that that has allowed him to make a successful jump from the Westshore Wolves of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League to the sa国际传媒 Hockey League.
But all that work by himself and in the summer with power skating coach Mena Westhaver is paying off for himself and the Grizzlies.
Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon has always counted on the 19-year-old Guiney to be a checker and excellent penalty killer. But this season, the Langford product has found his scoring touch. His five points (two goals and three assists) are tied for third on the team. And this is a Grizzlies team that features New York Rangers draft pick Riley Hughes and soon-to-be NHL first-round draft pick Alex Newhook, not to mention NCAA-bound winger Alex Campbell and veteran scorer Cam Thompson.
鈥淛ordan has been a pleasant surprise offensively,鈥� Didmon said after practice as the Grizzlies prepare to take on the Powell River Kings tonight at The Q Centre.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really confident now. Last year he really wanted to make sure his defensive side was looked after and that earned him a lot of ice last year just not in offensive positions. But this year he鈥檚 a veteran player, playing with more offensive players and you鈥檙e starting to see the kind of offensive skills he has and really always has had.鈥�
Guiney is also Mr. Versatility for the Grizzlies. As well as killing penalties, he has spent time centreing the Campbell brothers on the power play or checking the other team鈥檚 top players.
鈥淛ordan is a guy you can play on either wing or at centre and he鈥檚 very intelligent when it comes to the game so you can play him in any situation,鈥� added Didmon.
Guiney, whose brother Nick also played for the Grizzlies and is now playing NCAA Division III hockey at Concordia University in Wisconsin, had one goal in 46 games for the Grizzlies last season.
Oh what a difference a year makes.
鈥淕rowing up in minor hockey I was always that guy who they counted on for offence so this year I think that鈥檚 finally coming out in my game again in the BCHL,鈥� said the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Guiney.
鈥淎nd this year coach is playing me with some different guys, offensive guys, so that helps and hopefully I can keep contributing on the offensive side of things.鈥�
After a couple of losses at the recent Bauer BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack, Guiney and the Grizzlies have found their groove again, picking up wins in Nanaimo last Sunday and at Cowichan Valley on Wednesday.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 too concerned about the Showcase games because those aren鈥檛 your normal games, there鈥檚 a lot of off-ice distractions there,鈥� added Guiney.
鈥淎nd we鈥檝e had a couple bounce-back games now so I think we鈥檙e ready for a big weekend this weekend.鈥�
They鈥檒l need to be ready because tonight it鈥檚 the Island Division-leading Kings and that鈥檚 followed by a Sunday afternoon tilt with the always-tough Chilliwack Chiefs, who were 5-2 heading into tonight鈥檚 action.
The good news for the Grizzlies is, after four straight games on the road, they鈥檙e finally back home at the friendly confines of The Q Centre, where they won their only home game to date.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely been a little tough on the guys with all the road games, but really, other than the Showcase games, we鈥檝e been pretty good on the road, especially these last two games,鈥� said Didmon, whose club sits at 4-3 on the season, and is tied in points with the 4-1 Kings.
鈥淏ut at home we do a good a job of playing the 200-foot game that you need to do and we have that jump for the full 60 minutes it seems so we鈥檙e all looking forward to this weekend.鈥�
LOOSE PUCKS: The Grizzlies lost rookie centre Darwin Lakoduk to injury in the second period of Wednesday鈥檚 game against the Capitals and he鈥檚 doubtful for tonight鈥檚 contest. . . . Following the weekend home games the Grizzlies head back out on the road next weekend with games in Prince George on Friday, Salmon Arm on Saturday and West Kelowna on Sunday.
