Keep the champagne flowing and confetti dropping. The new year seems to be agreeing with both the Victoria Grizzlies (2-0 in 2016) and Cowichan Valley Capitals (3-0). But not even Guy Lombardo could play forever. Something will have to give tonight at the Stick in Duncan when the Island rivals meet in a sa国际传媒 Hockey League game.
Both teams got ready for the derby by beating up on the visiting Langley Rivermen 鈥� the Capitals 5-2 on Saturday at the Stick and the Grizzlies 5-0 on Sunday at The Q Centre.
鈥淐owichan Valley [21-14-5] is a very good club, strong in all aspects, and with good depth,鈥� said Grizzlies head coach and GM Craig Didmon.
鈥淲e鈥檝e split our previous six games. These are divisional points and so are very important as we now look ahead to the playoff race.鈥�
The Grizzlies improved their overall record to 16-20-4, three points ahead of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the battle for the final playoff spot in the Island Division. The Bulldogs defeated the Powell River Kings 6-1 in Port Alberni on Sunday.
Didmon, meanwhile, had good reviews for his own team鈥檚 recent form.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been getting good starts and following through by playing the entire 60 minutes,鈥� said the Grizzlies鈥� bench boss.
Brayden Gelsinger鈥檚 17th and 18th goals of the season 鈥� giving him five in his last two games 鈥� paced the Grizzlies over the Rivermen on Sunday.
After a scoreless first period, Grizzlies captain P.J. Conlon opened the scoring 1:38 into the second when he buried a nice feed from Cole Pickup. Then Gelsinger struck for two as the 20-year-old, who just accepted an athletic scholarship offer to Lake Superior State of the NCAA, moved into a tie for 12th in league scoring with 48 points.
Jared Virtanen and Mitch Barker finished the scoring with late power-play goals after Langley鈥檚 Matt Graham was given a five-minute major for a blow to the head of Grizzlies defenceman Chuck Bennis.
Grizzlies forward Tyler Welsh finished with three assists, while Matthew Galajda stopped 22 shots for his third shutout of the season. Galajda (14-14-0) is now fourth among BCHL goalies with a 2.33 goals-against average.
Victoria hits the ferries and the Interior after tonight in Duncan, first taking the long trek up to Prince George for a Friday night tilt with the Spruce Kings before heading down the Lower Mainland for games in Chilliwack on Saturday and Surrey on Sunday.
TRADE WINDS The BCHL trade deadline passed Sunday with Didmon just making one minor move, acquiring 19-year-old centre Braeden Cross from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League鈥檚 OCN Blizzard for future considerations. Cross had two goals and eight assists in 10 games for the Blizzard. He started the season in the Saskatchewan junior league and had seven points in 20 games for the Nipawin Hawks.
鈥淐ross brings grit and offence,鈥� said Didmon.
鈥淗e played in the [Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League] and knows some of the players on our team, who say he is a real team guy. I like where we鈥檙e at now with 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goalies.鈥�
The Capitals, meanwhile, acquired 19-year-old forward Corey Hoffman from the Prince George Spruce Kings in exchange for future considerations in its lone trade-deadline move Sunday. The native of New York state is committed to Cornell of the NCAA for the fall. Hoffman had 11 goals and 31 points this season for the Spruce Kings and now could be a handful for the rest of the Island Division down the stretch.
