The 18-year-old rookie Victoria Grizzlies forward scored three goals and added an assist Sunday afternoon to power the sa国际传媒 Hockey League club to a 6-2 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings. The performance, in front of a crowd of 1,035 at The Q Centre, was the third time the Calgary native has recorded a multi-point game in his last seven outings. It was also the last Grizzlies game until post-Christmas, when the locals travel to Duncan to face the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Dec. 30.
鈥淗opefully, it doesn鈥檛 cool me off going back home for Christmas,鈥� said Rome, who now has 14 goals on the season, including eight in his last eight appearances.
鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to get more shots on net and the line has been playing great. We鈥檙e all sharing the puck and it鈥檚 been working well,鈥� added Rome.
Along with linemates Cam Thompson (one goal and one assist) and Lucas Clark (two helpers), the unit struck for eight points in the win, which improves Victoria鈥檚 record to 23-6-3-4 for 53 points, 10 up on Powell River in the Island Division and third overall.
鈥淪o far I鈥檝e been very pleased,鈥� said Rome, who has 24 points in 36 games. 鈥淚 love the team, the coaching and it鈥檚 a great city. Everything has gone exactly how I had hoped, so far.鈥�
It鈥檚 especially good since he missed an entire season two years ago in which he broke his jaw and in the first game back, broke his wrist, wiping out the entire year. He played last season and is starting to find his stride again and has talked to some NCAA schools of late.
鈥淗e鈥檚 getting a lot of attention from both the NHL and NCAA and you鈥檙e seeing why,鈥� Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon said of Rome. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a player who had a few injuries so he slipped through the cracks. We felt fortunate that he was available this year and he just keeps getting better.
鈥淗e鈥檚 extremely strong. He鈥檚 a big kid and he shoots on the fly well and he can skate like the wind. That line has been together all year and they wore down [Prince George鈥檚] best player [Greg] Mennear. I can鈥檛 say enough of Jamie Rome, or Clark and Thompson, for that matter.鈥�
Cole Pickup also scored and added an assist to record his third multi-point game in his last six games and leads the team with 43 points. He is currently on a six-game point streak in which he has amassed three goals and six helpers.
Marty Westhaver also scored for Victoria while goalie Tony Rehm made 44 stops as he was kept busy throughout.
Travis Schneider and Ben Poisson replied for the Spruce Kings, who were tied 1-1 midway through the first period, but trailed 3-1 and 3-2 at the intermissions. They had a great chance to tie it 3-3 on a 1:35 two-man advantage late in the second, but the Grizzlies killed that off.
A double-minor to Rome also gave P.G. a chance just 2:50 into the third. Instead, Victoria killed that off and Rome collected an assist on Thompson鈥檚 goal at 7:20 and then scored twice in a 4:55 gap.
The team was again without No. 1 goalie Matthew Galajda, who just finished playing in the World Junior A Challenge, and injured players, captain Cody Van Lierop, Tyler Welsh and Keyvan Mokhtari.
鈥淭his is a battered and bruised group and to come in and have a big third period like they did, I thought they showed [character],鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淭he penalty kills made me happy.
鈥淲e kept our composure. There were some tough calls and we got ourselves into tough positions with the 5-on-3 and the four-minute 5-on-4. The guys worked hard and then we get a goal against the flow. I was happy with the performance.鈥�
The Grizzlies will not play at home again until Jan. 12, two days after the BCHL trade deadline.
