Just because the Victoria Grizzlies have four players ranked for the 2019 NHL draft, a rare achievement for a Junior A team, doesn鈥檛 mean that other sa国际传媒 Hockey League teams will just defer to them.
The Grizzlies found that out last week when they were slapped back rather rudely in Powell River in a 5-2, 6-1 two-game sweep by the Kings, who also swept into first place in the Island Division in the process.
鈥淓very team is going to come out hard against us and we have to be ready for that, and play a full 60 minutes, and not have the breakdowns,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
鈥淲e have to respect our opponents more and can鈥檛 take anything for granted.鈥�
That鈥檚 sound advice, especially considering the Grizzlies skate into another Island Division lion鈥檚 den tonight at Frank Crane Arena against the Nanaimo Clippers.
鈥淲e are motivated and have something to prove,鈥� said Didmon.
The enigmatic Clippers, meanwhile, have lost four consecutive games following a 10-game winning streak. It鈥檚 the successful recent Nanaimo stretch, not the current losing slide, which concerns Didmon the most heading up-Island tonight.
鈥淧utting together a 10-game winning streak is special and this is obviously a much-improved [Clippers] team from the beginning of the season,鈥� he said.
The Grizzlies (27-15-2) trail Powell River (28-16-1) by a point but have a game in hand, which they will make up tonight in the Harbour City. The Clippers are third in the Island Division at 22-22.
Grizzlies players Alex Newhook, Alex Campbell and Jeremie Bucheler took part in the CJHL Top Prospects game Tuesday night in Okotoks, Alta., a day after Central Scouting released its mid-term rankings among North American skaters for the 2019 NHL draft with Newhook ranked No. 16, Campbell No. 42, Bucheler No. 113 and Grizzlies blue-liner Carter Berger No. 181.
Newhook, Campbell and Bucheler are expected in Nanaimo tonight but Didmon said their availability to dress will depend on the amount of travel fatigue incurred during the trip back from Okotoks.
鈥淚t will be a game-time decision, depending on how they feel,鈥� said Didmon.
Following tonight鈥檚 game, the Grizzlies return home for a pair of weekend games. On Friday night they鈥檒l play host to the Cowichan Valley Capitals and on Sunday afternoon the Vernon Vipers pay a visit to The Q Centre.
