Alex Newhook missed the last month of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League regular season with an injury and spent the first three games of the playoffs trying to get his timing and fitness back.
They鈥檙e back.
The BCHL rookie of the year scored two goals and added an assist on Friday night at The Q Centre to lead the Victoria Grizzlies to a 5-1 victory in Game 5 of their best-of-seven, first-round series against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. For the second straight game, the Grizzlies avoided elimination and their star rookie now has goals in two straight games after being held pointless in the first three.
鈥淚t took a few games to get back into the flow of things, but I鈥檓 feeling better now and it was another good team win and we鈥檙e not leaving again 鈥� so get ready for the next one now,鈥� said Newhook, who was eighth in league scoring with 66 points in 45 games.
Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon wasn鈥檛 too worried when Newhook was held off the scoresheet in the first three games.
鈥淲e knew it would take a few games for him to get back into the swing of things, but we鈥檙e Game 5 now and he鈥檚 looking like the Alex of old,鈥� Didmon said.
The 17-year-old from St. John鈥檚, N.L., is also the focus of the Bulldogs. Alberni is doing their best to knock Newhook off his game any chance they get, especially after he set up linemate Jamie Rome for the opening goal 3:34 into the first period and scored himself with three minutes left in the opening frame.
鈥淚t鈥檚 playoffs so it鈥檚 always going to be tight checking, so you just play through it and keep working,鈥� Newhook said.
The Grizzlies were up 3-0 after 20 minutes 鈥� Ethan Nother scored his second in as many games 鈥� but the Bulldogs refused to go quietly, scoring at the 18-minute mark of the second when Christian Simeone tipped a point shot past Grizzlies netminder Kurtis Chapman on the power play.
But 30 seconds later, Newhook struck again to send the Grizzlies on their way.
鈥淭he goal was to live another day and we managed to do that, so now we get ready for the next one,鈥� Didmon said.
Lach Hadley iced the game with a slapper from a bad angle that found its way past Bulldogs netminder John Hawthorne with just 24 seconds left in the third.
The Bulldogs again had the advantage in power plays going 1-for-7, while the Grizzlies were 0-for-5.
Chapman finished with 33 saves, while Hawthorne stopped 19 of the Grizzlies鈥� shots.
Both teams now turn their attention to tonight鈥檚 Game 6 at Weyerhaeuser Arena, where the Grizzlies won on Wednesday.
鈥淲e need to stay out of the box a little better than what we鈥檙e doing but continue to play hard, Grizzlies hockey,鈥� added Didmon.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been spreading our bench out quite a bit so the guys still have lots of energy and are looking forward to another hard-fought game.鈥�
If a seventh game is need, it will go Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Q Centre.
LOOSE PUCKS: Grizzlies forward T.J. Friedmann missed his second straight game with an injury and will be a game-time decision tonight.
