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After a very ordinary month of October, the Victoria Grizzlies are ready to tackle November head on.
Donning their Movember blue jerseys (to help raise awareness of men鈥檚 health issues), the 10-7-2-0 sa国际传媒 Hockey League club will welcome the Merritt Centennials to The Q Centre tonight at 7 before entertaining the 13-4-1-0 Trail Smoke Eaters on Sunday afternoon in Colwood.
At 5-6 in October 鈥� with two of the setbacks in overtime 鈥� the Grizz managed to claw out 12 of 22 available points. It ended on a sour note, with two defeats on home ice last weekend. The Grizzlies were shut out 3-0 by Chilliwack before allowing a 2-0 lead to get away in a 3-2 OT loss to Salmon Arm.
鈥淔or us it鈥檚 not always measured in wins and losses, but just how we鈥檙e playing with the circumstances in front us,鈥� said general manager and head coach Craig Didmon. 鈥淲e want to have success this weekend and we have six big periods.
鈥淭his team has faced a lot of adversity. We just went through a tough time as far as schedule goes, and we鈥檙e working to get better every day.鈥�
The team needs to be better at home, where the Grizzlies are 4-2-2 (one of those wins was at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack). This month provides that opportunity, with six of nine games slated for The Q Centre.
鈥淲e need to take advantage of it and we certainly want to get the fans in the stands. We want to have a good record this month, for sure,鈥� said Didmon, who has shown a little frustration with his team鈥檚 play of late.
Victoria did take seven of eight possible points during one stretch in October. But in their past nine outings, they have collected just eight of 18 possible points.
鈥淚 like how some players played [last] weekend. Sunday, we played a good hockey game and probably deserved better,鈥� said Didmon, who drew a game misconduct to start the third period. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e a better team than our record shows.
鈥淲e have a lot of guys, returning veterans, who have had a slow start.鈥�
Jamie Rome, for one, was expected to be better. With seven goals and 15 points in 19 games, the Calgary area native knows he has more to give.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a bit of a slower start than I was expecting, but I feel good in practice where pucks are going in, and I think it鈥檚 just a matter of time,鈥� said Rome.
In Merritt the Grizzlies will face a team that is 6-10-2-0 overall, but 4-4-2 in its last 10.
