Newfoundlander Kyle McGrath is right at home in all the snow Victoria has been smothered with the last few days.
The St. John鈥檚 product is also feeling more at home with the surging Victoria Grizzlies.
After signing with the Grizzlies in early January from his Junior B team in St. John鈥檚, the 19-year-old McGrath started slowly in the sa国际传媒 Hockey League, going pointless in his first six games. In the seven games since then, the speedy winger has collected seven points, and, after an assist in Sunday鈥檚 win over the Merritt Centennials, is riding a four-game point streak.
鈥淲e knew Kyle had lots of speed and skill when we signed him but, like most players who come new to this league, it takes a while to get used to the speed and intensity of the BCHL,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon, whose team goes into tonight鈥檚 game in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals with three wins and two shootout losses in its past five games. The Grizzlies lead the Island Division by five points over Powell River.
鈥淎nd now Kyle鈥檚 conditioning is better and his timing is there again, and you鈥檙e seeing him do the things we thought he could do.鈥�
It also doesn鈥檛 hurt that McGrath has been shifted to the Grizzlies鈥� top line with fellow Newfoundlander and BCHL leading scorer Alex Newhook, along with 2018 New York Rangers draft pick Riley Hughes.
鈥淲e shifted things around a little bit a few weeks ago with [Alex] Campbell sliding down to play with Charlie [Campbell], and [Ryan] Nolan and [Cam] Thompson anchoring another good line just to spread our offence out because teams were focusing solely on the Newhook line,鈥� Didmon said. 鈥淲e now have some depth up front and it seems to be working.鈥�
McGrath agrees.
鈥淚鈥檓 playing with two highly skilled offensive guys now, so obviously I鈥檓 getting more chances and things are starting to click now,鈥� said McGrath, who played 33 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
鈥淲ith Alex and Riley, you just kind of give them the puck and go to the net and they find you.鈥�
The Grizzlies (33-16-0-4) will need that scoring depth tonight. Less than a week ago, the Caps (16-31-5-1) rallied for a late goal to force overtime and then beat the Grizzlies in a shootout.
鈥淵ah, we kind of owe these guys from last week, but it just goes to show you that you can鈥檛 take the foot off the gas pedal,鈥� McGrath said.
鈥淚f we bring the intensity from the start and stick to our up-tempo game, we should be OK.鈥�
After tonight鈥檚 game at The Stick, the Grizzlies return home Saturday night to host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at The Q Centre.
LOOSE PUCKS: Newhook, projected to go in the first round of this summer鈥檚 NHL draft in Vancouver and headed to Boston College of the NCAA in the fall, leads the BCHL with 90 points, 15 ahead of second-place Ryan Brushett of Powell River.
