To borrow a term from another sport, that was a change-up.
Last year, the top Island Division seed Victoria Grizzlies fell behind 3-0 to the fourth-seed Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the first round of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League playoffs before rallying for a 4-3 series victory.
The Grizzlies did it in more streamlined fashion this time around. With the seedings identical to last year, the Grizzlies completed a 4-0 sweep of the Bulldogs on Wednesday night in Port Alberni.
鈥淥ur returning players knew they couldn鈥檛 take anything for granted and that helped us go forward in this year鈥檚 matchup against the Bulldogs,鈥� said Grizzlies head coach and GM Craig Didmon.
鈥淲e knew we had to be quick out of gate this year, that we would be very tough to come back against, if we went ahead 2-0 in the series at home.鈥�
Not that it was a stroll through Cathedral Grove. Both games in Port Alberni were one-goal affairs, with Game 3 won in overtime before the 3-2 decision in Game 4.
鈥淲e responded consistently when things didn鈥檛 go our way up there. Our response to adversity on the road was very good,鈥� said Didmon.
The Grizzlies鈥� roster includes four players ranked for the 2019 NHL draft, including projected first-rounder Alex Newhook and projected second-to third-rounder Alex Campbell.
Newhook, who led the BCHL in scoring in the regular season with 102 points, now leads playoff scoring with nine points. The native of St. John鈥檚, N.L., scored an early goal Wednesday that made Alberni Valley chase Game 4. Blue-liner Carter Berger, another of the Grizzlies projected for the NHL draft, also scored a goal at a crucial juncture in the clinching-game Wednesday.
Campbell, named BCHL player of the week after recording three goals and three assists for six points in the first two games of the series, however, suffered a broken nose. Campbell played only the first period in Game 3 in Port Alberni and did not dress for Game 4.
鈥淸Campbell] had trouble breathing,鈥� said Didmon.
Campbell will play with a full cage or shield for upcoming games. Lucky for him and the Grizzlies, that won鈥檛 be until next Friday, when the Grizzlies host Game 1 of the Island Division final against the second-seed Powell River Kings at The Q Centre. The Kings beat the Clippers 5-1 in Game 5 on Thursday night in Powell River to wrap up that series.
鈥淭he break we get until next Friday is welcome, because the playoffs become a battle of attrition,鈥� said Didmon.
And his club is more than just the pro prospects, Didmon said.
鈥淲e got scoring from more than one line,鈥� he noted.
He could have pointed to Kyle McGrath鈥檚 six points in the series and Marty Westhaver鈥檚 five.
鈥淎nd I liked how our defence contributed and how we were physical when we needed to be,鈥� added Didmon.
Meanwhile, the Cowichan Valley Capitals have suddenly become the talk of the BCHL after the Island Division fifth seeds took a stunning 3-1 series lead over the Interior Division top-seed Penticton Vees, a team with two NHL draft picks, with a 3-0 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday at the Stick in Duncan. Game 5 is Saturday night in the Okanagan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a surprise,鈥� said Didmon.
鈥淲e knew Cowichan was a good team but that鈥檚 still a 1-versus-8 matchup. But, as we learned last year, you can鈥檛 take anything for granted.鈥�
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
