The Victoria Grizzlies will ring in the new year with their busiest stretch of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League season, playing four games over five nights, all on the road.
It starts tonight at 7 in Nanaimo against the rival Clippers at Frank Crane Arena and then moves on to Langley, Wenatchee and Surrey over the weekend.
The Island Division-leading Grizzlies (24-6-3-4) will have a target on their backs the rest of the way with the Clippers, Powell River Kings (who made a trade Monday for Edmonton Oilers prospect Matthew Cairns, who is committed to Cornell University), Cowichan Valley Capitals and Alberni Valley Bulldogs looking to move up in the standings.
鈥淚 think we have been a target all season. We just have to keep playing hard and separate ourselves from the other teams in our division. We鈥檙e ecstatic with where we鈥檙e at,鈥� goaltender Matthew Galajda said of the 2017 stretch.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just going to have to play hard and see where it goes from there. The stretch isn鈥檛 too bad,鈥� he added.
Included in that stretch is the annual trade deadline which looms Jan. 10 in which teams, especially those in the hunt, look for tweaks to take them over the top. Those out of playoff pictures will look to move older players in hopes of next season.
鈥淚 think a lot can still happen. Teams are talking, especially ones already looking to next year,鈥� said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon, who wasn鈥檛 tipping his hand one way or another.
鈥淚 guess it all depends on what is presented on our plate. I like this team, in all parts. If we need to add a player it would have to be a special player and if that comes along we鈥檒l make that tough decision.鈥�
One thing is for certain, he鈥檚 set on his goaltender and he鈥檚 also very comfortable with his defence. He could likely use another top-notch scorer.
鈥淚 think the guys will keep battling and playing hard with the trade deadline coming,鈥� said Galajda, who is also headed to Cornell next season. 鈥淭hey all know it鈥檚 a business and that coaches can do what they feel and what they need. Everyone here is going to be working hard and battling to not be traded. We have a great team and I think we can do a lot with it.鈥�
The Grizzlies also don鈥檛 want to mess with chemistry which seems to have been established after missing the post-season last year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot tighter team than last year and I think we鈥檙e capable of doing something special, for sure,鈥� added Galajda.
For now, they prepare for a wicked portion of the schedule this week before they return to play at home Jan. 12 against Nanaimo.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the tougher times and stretches of the year so it will be a challenge,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淭he guys have to get down to business, catch up with their cardio and timing on the ice. We want to continue our same level of play.鈥�
And Didmon realizes the Grizzlies will be the hunted from here on in.
鈥淓specially in our division, but we can play a lot of ways,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a tough team and a skilled team and we鈥檒l be prepared for whatever we have to face 鈥� playing Penticton two times (in February) and Wenatchee. We鈥檒l play the top teams over the stretch and we can see where we鈥檙e at.鈥�
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