Injured Victoria Grizzlies defencemen Jake Stevens and Brett Stirling are itching to get back into the lineup, especially as the sa国际传媒 Hockey League team is stuck in a sluggish six-game losing streak.
The two blue-liners, who both turn 19 in December, are hoping their names are inserted onto the official scoresheet tonight, as the Grizzlies are home to the Island Division-leading Powell River Kings at 7 at The Q Centre.
鈥淚t鈥檚 frustrating not being able to help and watching us struggle is not a good feeling,鈥� said Stevens, who has missed the last four games due to an upper-body injury. 鈥淲e鈥檙e both eager to get back out there to help us win because we need to win, right now.鈥�
Stevens said of the two weeks he missed, the first was more about relaxing with the injury. 鈥淭his week, it鈥檚 been about getting back into the swing of things.鈥�
Thursday was set to be a full contact day in practice as he prepares his return.
Stirling, who has missed seven games due to a leg injury, was back on his skates this week and also anxious to play, although he may have to wait until Sunday afternoon鈥檚 game against Cowichan Valley.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely been tough to watch the boys go out there and battle and put everything out there and not be able to do anything about it,鈥� Stirling said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e worked hard as a team and they鈥檙e battling.
鈥淗opefully I can get back in and contribute and get some things going this weekend. I鈥檓 really itching to get back in, but we鈥檙e just taking it day-by-day.鈥�
There will be other changes tonight as the Grizzlies placed newcomers Luc Soares and Colby Livingstone on their roster. To make room, Sage Fleming returned home to California on Tuesday and Corey Iapalucci was traded eastward Thursday.
Iapalucci was sent to the English River Miners of the Superior International Junior Hockey League in Ontario for future considerations.
Both Soares and Livingstone are expected to play tonight.
Meanwhile, Stevens and Stirling have witnessed plenty of losses of late, including the most recent 2-1 overtime home defeat to Surrey. They have used the time to pick up on the finer details of the game in their first years in the league.
鈥淛ust being up there watching, that鈥檚 tough,鈥� said Stirling. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 contribute, but it is cool to see what the game is like from above. You hopefully see things that can help the team.鈥�
Stevens felt the same way.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my first year in the league, but watching has helped me think of things that I should and shouldn鈥檛 be doing,鈥� he said.
Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon would love to see both in the lineup as his team continues to struggle in the goal-scoring department. Victoria is the only club in the 17-team league to score below two goals a game, averaging just 1.82 in 11 contests. 鈥淚t鈥檚 added depth,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are opportunities that you generate from the blue-line and not having our regulars there sometimes costs us a goal here or there.
鈥淎nytime you lose two six-foot-plus defencemen, who are over 200 pounds, you lose size and strength. Bringing those guys in would be a good boost. They鈥檙e not just good defenders, but good on offence and we鈥檙e hoping they can create some more scoring chances,鈥� he added of Stevens and Stirling.
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IN THE DEN: The Grizzlies are 1-8-0-2 in 11 games, while Powell River is 9-3-0-0 鈥� Keyvan Mokhtari and Spencer Hunter are nursing injuries for Victoria and will likely sit 鈥� The game is dubbed Royal Bay High School night with $5 admission for all Royal Bay students.
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