They鈥檝e always had the big guns up front, like New York Rangers draft pick Riley Hughes and projected 2019 NHL draft picks Alex Newhook and Alex Campbell, but the Victoria Grizzlies are showing they can be a shut-down team as well.
The Grizzlies have allowed 21 goals in nine games, which is second only to the Prince George Spruce Kings鈥� 20 (Powell River has allowed 20 goals as well but has played one fewer game).
And any good defensive team will tell you, it takes more than a great goaltender to keep the other team from scoring, although Grizzlies veteran netminder Kurtis Chapman has been lights-out, leading the sa国际传媒 Hockey League in goals-against average at 1.85 and save percentage with .949.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been working a lot lately on our defensive-zone game and the system we want to play in our own end and the guys are really doing a good job of developing good habits in our own end,鈥� said the 20-year-old Chapman, who has played all but one period for the 6-3 Grizzlies this season.
鈥淲e know we have a very good offence but we also know that you need to play good defence, too, if you want to win games.鈥�
Chapman, who has Western Hockey League experience with Regina and Kootenay, is second in the league in minutes played with 518.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 mind playing a lot,鈥� said the Airdrie, Alta., product. 鈥淵ou start to get in a groove and you鈥檙e good play becomes habit so I鈥檓 comfortable with it and it鈥檚 been a lot of fun so far.鈥�
Chapman has played back-to-back nights a few times this year, but with the Grizzlies playing three games in three days this weekend, beginning tonight in Prince George, the veteran will likely get spelled off by rookie backup Keenan Rancier at least for one game.
鈥淲e have a lot of good forwards on this team who understand that winning hockey games means playing well at both ends of rink,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon, whose club takes a four-game winning streak into tonight鈥檚 matchup with the Spruce Kings (6-2-0-1).
鈥淏ut Kurtis has been there when needed and he鈥檚 a veteran that brings a confidence and calmness to the backend and that moves down the lineup with the defence and the forwards.鈥�
While Carter Berger, Cole Noble and Nico Somerville provide a veteran presence on the Grizzlies鈥� blue line, there are some new faces who have stepped up and fit right in. Jeremie Bucheler is a newcomer from Quebec who is committed to Northeastern of the NCAA for next season, and Brady MacDonald brings a year of junior in Ontario that has helped make life a little easier for Chapman.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fast league here so we鈥檝e been doing a good job of keeping it simple in our own end and getting the puck to the forwards as quick as possible because obviously we have a great group of forwards so the more they have the puck the better,鈥� said 18-year-old MacDonald, who hails from Dorchester, Ont., and spent last season with the Strathroy Rockets of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
鈥淎nd I think we also do a good job of rushing the puck and keeping up with the forwards and that also helps keep the puck out of our zone which is what you want.鈥�
Tonight, the Grizzlies are facing a team very much like themselves. Heading into Thursday night鈥檚 action, Spruce Kings veteran Ben Brar leads the league in goals with seven, but when needed, 19-year-old netminder Logan Neaton has been there and posts a 5-0 record and 1.95 GAA.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e quick, they鈥檙e physical and they play similar style to us,鈥� said Didmon.
鈥淏ut we鈥檒l also be playing in a real small rink that鈥檚 different than we鈥檙e used to so I expect a physical battle, but I expect us to come out and play hard because it certainly won鈥檛 be easy.鈥�
Following the game in Prince George, the Grizzlies will head south to Salmon Arm for a Saturday night contest with the Silverbacks, before facing the Warriors in West Kelowna on Sunday afternoon.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Grizzlies鈥� next home game is Oct. 12 when they play the first of a home-and-home set with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Victoria visits Alberni on Oct. 13. . . . Grizzlies captain Newhook is 10th in league scoring with 12 points in nine games. Twenty-year-old Ty Westgard of the Surrey Eagles leads the BCHL in scoring with 16 points in 10 games.
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