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There鈥檚 good news and bad news for the Victoria Grizzlies as they get set to tangle with the Chilliwack Chiefs today at 2 p.m. at The Q Centre.
The good news is the Grizzlies are coming off a moral-boosting come-from-behind win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Friday night and are sitting atop the Island Division standings with a 6-1-2-2 record, That鈥檚 also good for third-best in the sa国际传媒 Hockey League. Only the Wenatchee Wild and Penticton Vees have more points than Victoria after the Wild beat Prince George for the fourth time this season Saturday to improve to 8-0-1-0 and Penticton beat the Merritt Centennials 4-3 in overtime to improve to 9-1.
Even more good news is that veterans Jake Stevens, Cody Van Lierop and Cole Pickup are starting to play their best hockey of the season. Stevens is coming off a three-point game in the victory over Cowichan and heading into Saturday action the Naperville, Illinois, product was tied for the league lead in points by a defenceman with three goals, nine assists for 12 points. Fellow blue-liner Van Lierop was right behind at a goal and nine assists for 10 points. And Pickup netted his eighth goal of the season Friday night and was second only to Wenatchee鈥檚 Charlie Combs (10) in that department going into Saturday.
鈥淢yself, Cody and Cole, we鈥檙e 20-year-olds and captains so we know we need to lead by example,鈥� said Stevens, who is on a seven-game point streak.
鈥淲ith a year under my belt I鈥檓 playing with a lot more confidence and the more success I have the more confidence I get, so hopefully we can keep it rolling.鈥�
But it鈥檚 not all shiny and bright around the Grizzlies鈥� den going into today鈥檚 game against a Chiefs team that beat Alberni Valley 4-3 on Saturday to improve to 6-3-1-0. The Grizzlies will be without Pickup today as he heads out on an NCAA school visit. Add in the fact veterans Nick Guiney and Brett Stirling will likely miss another game due to their lower body injuries and Victoria鈥檚 depth is about to be tested again.
GM and head coach Craig Didmon is expected to call up an affiliated player from the Victoria Cougars of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League for today鈥檚 game and speedy forward Keyvan Mohktari will return from his one-game suspension for verbal abuse of an official. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not ideal to be missing these bodies, but worrying doesn鈥檛 get you anything so we鈥檒l focus on the players we do have playing and it鈥檚 a great opportunity for other players to step up and play larger roles,鈥� Didmon said.
After today鈥檚 game, the Grizzlies will play a home-and-home set with the Capitals beginning Friday night at The Q Centre.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Nanaimo Clippers halted the Powell River Kings鈥� win streak at seven games on Saturday with a 4-2 victory.
