The Grizzlies 鈥� who had not lost back-to-back games this season until they slipped in that department twice this month 鈥� entertain the Capitals tonight at 7 at The Q Centre before the scene shifts to Duncan on Friday night.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the ups and downs of the season. We haven鈥檛 faced a ton of adversity this year and now we鈥檙e in that spot where the puck isn鈥檛 going our way,鈥� said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon, who has dealt with a weakened lineup due to illness.
鈥淚 thought we played a great game on Sunday and were just unlucky. On Saturday I could tell we weren鈥檛 100 per cent. We were still dealing with the bug that went through our team,鈥� Didmon said of the 4-2 and 5-3 empty-net home losses to Powell River. 鈥淚 appreciated that the guys stepped up and played, and had to get up and get back on the ice on Sunday.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to moving forward. I鈥檓 glad the race is tight 鈥� it keeps us on our toes and we鈥檒l see what we鈥檙e all about,鈥� he said of the current standings.
Victoria remains four points up on Powell River, with a game in hand. The Grizzlies are also 17 points up on Cowichan, which sits third in the Island Division of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League.
The Capitals did add two forwards with ties to Victoria at the trade deadline in acquiring local product Haydn Hopkins and former Victoria Royals forward Mitch Skapski, from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
鈥淭hey loaded up with a couple of forwards,鈥� said Didmon, who hopes to have captain Cody Van Lierop back from his long battle with mononucleosis. 鈥淭hey have a real veteran club and they will come at us with four lines and six defencemen, and they have two good goalies. It鈥檚 a tough division.鈥�
The Capitals have lost five of their six games in January.
The Grizzlies, however, have been outshot in their last five games by a 185-140 margin and in six of seven outings this month (253-215).
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we鈥檙e giving up quality shots though,鈥� offered Didmon. 鈥淭eams are trying to throw more pucks from the outside and crash [the net]. Wenatchee was one game where we were out-chanced. Even on Sunday, we hit four posts, but weren鈥檛 able to capitalize.鈥�
Wenatchee outshot Victoria 42-23 in a 4-1 loss on Jan. 7.
