Gonna Fly Now: Grizzlies 5-2 Over Kings

Remember that scene in Rocky?  You know the one.  His life is in the toilet but he wants things to change. He gets up in the dark, drinks down that cup of raw eggs and sets out alone into the cold Philadelphia streets to run alone, to try and get back in shape.  Set to a melodic piano, that famous theme starts ever so slowly but you can't quite make out the tune, not yet anyway. Ultimately the scene ends with Rocky out of breath and in pain. He is bent over and in self-disgust at the top of those steps, as he accepts the sad state of not only his fitness as a prize fighter but over his life as a whole.  That was Rocky's bottom.  And its funny because you ask most fans of that movie and they can't remember that scene, but in many ways, it was the most important moment of the film.

Well forget that scene, because that's not where the Grizzlies are at the moment, that scene is well in the past and may have happened for the team several weeks ago.  Maybe it was that 10-4 loss in Trail, maybe it was the 4-1 loss in Vernon and that long Sunday bus ride back to Victoria. Maybe that depressing scene in Rocky, at least for the Grizzlies this year, might have been that last loss in Nanaimo, that OT loss where after the game then Head Coach Brad Knight collected all the water bottles and towels himself and walked down the player's tunnel alone, for the last time. But make no mistake, somewhere, at some point, that sad scene in Rocky has already occurred in this 2014/15 Grizzlies campaign.

I was reminded of that scene again last night. In fact, I haven't told anybody this yet, but I have been hearing that piano and that famous melody in my head a lot this year as I have watched this team struggle. Later in the movie comes that even more iconic scene. It takes place after Rocky does a lot of training and work. That's the scene everybody remembers. Rocky finally reaches the top of the steps of The Philadelphia Museum of Art, the building with all those steps. Few who visit Philadelphia today pass up the chance to climb those steps known affectionately as the "Rocky Steps".  There are 72 of them in case you were interested. The top of the steps offers a commanding view of the city itself and of course,  Philadelphia City Hall. When you jog to the top of them and I have BTW (pretty sure I am not the first geek to try it), you feel pretty winded, but you always hear that music, from the song Gonna Fly Now in your ears.

You can't explain it, you just sort of hear it.

 

But I don't see the Grizzlies at the top of the steps.  Not yet anyway.  They are indeed somewhere in that movie's running montage, but definitely before the part where Rocky gets to the top of the steps. Maybe its that part of his jog where that Philadelphia street merchant, calls out to him and tosses him a piece of fruit as the hero, runs faster and faster through the city streets. "Getting strong now".

And that was the Grizzlies team I saw last night. Down 1-0 early after a Jordan Burns Power Play goal, the Grizzlies would answer quickly. On the PP themselves, it would be Matt Kennedy scoring his 12th goal of the year after a nice set up by Dane Gibson and red hot defenseman, playing forward on the night, Kevin Massy. Just three minutes later the Grizzlies would take the lead themselves and this time for good. It was Duluth Minn native, Meirs Moore with the go ahead goal after his laser beam point shot found the top of the net over the shoulder of Kings net minder, Stefan Wornig. Newcomer, forward Nick Guiney would pick up an assist on the play, recording his first ever point in the BCHL. "Won't be long now".

The second period would see that Grizzlies lead extended further just a minute into the frame with another defenseman contributing to the offense. This time it was Cody Van Lierop, scoring his 4th of the season, his goal coming via even strength after more Grizzlies slick passing by Dane Gibson and Brett Gruber. This goal would see Kings Coach Kent Lewis elect for a change in net, swapping out Wornig for veteran Brett Magnus. But slick Grizzlies passing was the story of the entire evening, as the 3rd period would see the home team do more of the same, this time scoring two more goals on the Powerplay. The first was Jake Emilio with one of his trademark left sided one timer slap-shots which beat Magnus. Then Jay Mackie doing the same late in the period on the PP with an open net available to him after a Garret Forster rebound.  That Mackie marker put the game out of reach. It was his 12th goal on the season and it came just one minute after a "too little too late goal" by Powell River forward Liam Lawson which at the time had temporarily made the score 4-2.  "Gonna Fly Now".

But 5-2 was how the game would end to the delight of the 972 fans on hand.  It was the second consecutive Grizzlies home game to see another modest bump in attendance.  This much maligned but financially vital statistic has been the source of much local media concern over the first half of the season.  But the nearly 1,000 fans who filed into the Q Centre were there to support their home team as they do every year. Plus, it all occurred on a Saturday night with the Vancouver Canucks hosting the New York Rangers on Hockey Night In Canada. On most nights that can hurt the size of the walk up crowd. But not on this night. Instead, a very loud and well attended game was what the evening held for everyone involved and all left the building properly entertained. "Getting Higher".

The Grizzlies went 3 for 6 on the PP and looked dangerous all night including when they were at even strength.  The team's PP now sits at 26.66% which is good enough for 2nd Place in league standings.  Meirs Moore, Michael Stiliadis and Jake Emilio were all game stars 1st through 3rd respectively, along with P.J. Conlon as the Fortis Energy Player of the Game.  But the real unsung hero in my view was #5 Chris Harpur who pounded bodies all night and had arguably his strongest game of the season. "Getting Higher".

So that's about how I see the Grizzlies right at the moment in mid December. They aren't at the top of the steps just yet but they are getting there, one step at a time. I was always a big fan of the theme of redemption in films, it just kind of grabs something inside me and I am not sure why. Rocky along with the 2014/15 Grizzlies are both stories of redemption and I would put this club right now somewhere around step #53 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Not a bad place to be, two weeks before Christmas."Gonna Fly Now".

And a special shout out and thanks to last year's Team Captain, Mark McLellan who joined myself and Scott Didmon in the Broadcast Booth during the Second Period Intermission to share his thoughts on the Grizzlies, hockey and his new life in the NCAA. Thanks again Mark. The Grizzlies host the Cowichan Valley Capitals at The Q Centre on Tuesday night. Don't forget it will be the club's first "Tooney Tuesday" and that means that anyone can get in as a walk-up fan for only $2.

Now if you will excuse me but its a picture perfect Sunday afternoon in Langford today. And I am not sure why, but I suddenly had a craving for a big glass of raw eggs followed by a quick jog up Mill Hill behind my house. There is a great view when you get to the top.

I won't forget my MP3 Player either, I think I know just the song. -CC

Grizzlies Mid-Season Report Card: B

General Overview:

 

After winning the Island Division Championship last year and only narrowly missing out on advancing to the Fred Page Cup, expectations were high for the Victoria Grizzlies coming into this season.  Yet it starts to become clear that the Grizzlies are a team full of contradictions.  On the one hand the team is 13-10-0-5, good for a .554 winning percentage, and in 4^th Place in the Island Division, still in contact with the division leaders, but they have let too many games slip away all year. At first glance you might say that a record like that is one of an underperforming team, especially when you consider where they were last year.  But looks can be deceiving.


Photo Credit: Christian J. Stewart

Remember that the Grizzlies have already completed two road trips into the Interior to play those statistically superior teams, a feat no other Island Division club has done thus far.  Remember also that this team lost not one, not two, but all three of its top point getters from last year. Remember too that the Grizzlies changed almost all defensemen from a year ago and lost both goalies, including LA Kings NHL draft pick, Alec Dillon to the USHL’s Tri City Storm.

 

So there is the first major contradiction. They may appear  to be underperforming to some degree, but to seasoned BCHL analysts, its pretty clear that the team has faired well considering. Remember this Grizzlies team has faced the BCHL’s runaway favorites, the Penticton Vees twice this season already. Yes they lost both games, but it was with a combined aggregate score of 6-4. And in the second game they went to Double OT and earned a point. With all that in mind, here is how I see the club at the hallway point:

 

Offence

 

When I speak of offence, I am mostly talking about forwards but not exclusively. A quality attack is usually only as good as the first pass out of the zone, so the defensemen do fall under this heading to a degree.  The Grizzlies boast four players, Gibson, Mackie, Gruber and Forster all of whom are averaging over a single point/game and there are two more players who are very close, Matt Kennedy (0.9pts/gm) and D man, Meirs Moore (0.8pts/gm).

 

Photo Credit: Christian J. Stewart

With 100 goals scored in 28 games, the team is averaging 3.57 gls/gm and on track for a goal total in the neighborhood of around 207 goals. In comparison, last year with the Fitzgerald triplets and breakout rookie forward, Jesse Schwartz, the Grizzlies scored 212 times. In 2012-2013, the team only scored 189 times. In other words, one year removed, the Grizzlies offence hasn’t missed a step and in fact is more potent that the 2012/13 squad under then first time Head Coach Bill Bestwick. Both those teams were strong in the BCHL playoffs. In short, the Triplets have been capably replaced and this team spreads scoring around its roster very well.

 

Statistics aside, the team has two very capable lines who can often score for fun when they want. The third line has changed many times, but recently has featured what I call “The Rookie Kid Line” with 16 year old Spencer Hunter centering Mitch Barker and Ayden MacDonald. The line I am really keen on however is the 4th line. I predict that this recently assembled line of P.J. Conlon, Cole Pickup and Nick Guiney will play a significant role in the playoffs as they have shown great promise so far. They are not a typical grinding 4^th line, this group can score and could move up a slot to earn 3^rd line duties.

 

Defensemen Meirs Moore, Zach Dixon, Kevin Massy and newcomer Jake Emilio have all contributed well offensively from the blue line. Moore is silky smooth and Dixon has a cannon.

 

Grade A- (Trend: Status Quo)

 

Defense:

 

The only defensemen remaining from last year’s squad is Kevin Massy. That depleted group alone should be cause for serious concern. But in September, then GM and Head Coach Brad Knight though different.  He chose to deal Victoria natives Brandon Egli (53-11-24-35) and Mitch Meek (45-1-18-19) to Vernon for 20 year old offensive D-Man Jake Emilio and former Richmond Sockeyes rookie forward, Ayden MacDonald.  It would take weeks to get a look at Emilio who arrived injured in the deal, but in time he has proven to be a capable and confident puck moving defenseman.

 

The remainder of the players on the blue line have done remarkably well considering how almost none of them really knew one and other before Main Camp in August.  Enter 20 year old Duluth Minn native and BCHL rookie, Meirs Moore, a smooth passing and skating defender who oozes confidence. The talkative, Moore has quickly become one of the key Quarterbacks on the PP along with the more subdued but hard hitting and hard shooting Zach Dixon. Chris Harpur, Cody Van Lierop and Justin Sadler round out the D Corps well, with solid stay at home play. They are all solid.

 

Photo Credit: Christian J. Stewart

 

The knock on the defense though is really an admonishment of the entire team this year, the goals scored against. At 107, it is simply too high for a team this good, a team which only averages 10.86 penalty minutes per game. That GAA is too high and represents the Grizzlies biggest challenge in the stretch run to the playoffs. The GAA has slowly been trending upward all season and this trend must change. Fire Wagon hockey games like the 8-7 OT win over Merritt may please the fans, but it won’t win anything over the long term. The 10-4 road loss to Trail was clearly unacceptable, but so too was the defensive performance they showed when they hosted Trail two weeks later, albeit winning 6-5. 

 

While goals against are obviously not entirely a function of the defensemen alone, the Grizzlies have a bad habit of scrambling in their own end when fore-check pressure is heavy and sustained.  The new coaching regime of Craig Didmon will no doubt address much of that in the coming weeks, but a holistic team approach to this problem is required.

 

Grade B (Trend: Improving)

 

Goal:

 

With the departure of 6’6” Alec Dillon in the offseason along with his heir apparent Nick Renyard, the Grizzlies literally had a big hole to fill in net. Returning from the 12/13 Season, the Grizzlies re-acquired Michael Stiliadis and then picked up 19 year-old newcomer, Sean Cleary. Cleary has shown moments of brilliance in 11 starts (3-5), especially his 15 Nov start at West Kelowna where he faced the daunting task of leading the team on the road after the aforementioned 10-4 loss the night before in Trail. In spite of the loss, Cleary was very strong and kept the team in the game late, helping earn the team’s only point during that forgettable Interior swing. Cleary needs more starts and he should get more as the team moves into the stretch run.



Photo Credit: Christian J. Stewart

 

Stiliadis (10-10) is your prototypical BCHL net minder, quiet, prefers to be out of the lime light, but works hard in practice and can be relied upon night in and night out. He is also capable of making the really big save. But Stiliadis sports a save percentage of .874 and while that is very close to his 12/13 numbers as the Grizzlies #1, his GAA this year (3.90) is almost a full goal higher than that of Cleary (3.15). Stiliadis is much better than those numbers bear and he along with the rest of the team in front of him need to bring those numbers down moving forward.

 

Grade C+ (Trend: Improving)

 

Special Teams:

 

The Grizzlies' PP lead the BCHL in efficiency for nearly the entire first half of the season. It now sits firmly in 3rd position at 25.42%, an excellent number, especially considering the departure of the Triplets who often made PK units look foolish over the last two seasons. This PP unit is simple, it doesn't get too fancy, it moves the puck very well and involves the point appropriately, never holding on to the puck too long before taking an intelligent shot on goal.

Photo Credit: Christian J. Stewart

 

The Penalty Kill (10th in BCHL) is also a sound unit, even without PK specialist Storm Wahlrab who is sidelined for the next 2-3 weeks. The PK sits at 78.33%, which is OK, but remember this year the PK boasts no less than 7 SHGF and last year the club could only muster 4 SHGF on the whole season. This unit could easily score well over 10 short handed goals before the playoffs start. And remember, when they think of the PK unit, most people forget to subtract those "Shorties" from the totals for Goals Against on the PK. That correction changes the math around significantly and it is what most coaches use to properly assess a team's PK in the pros.

 

Grade A (Trend: Improving slightly)

 

Coaching and GM Moves

 

The elephant in the room which nobody wants to acknowledge is that the Grizzlies, aside from the Vipers's quiet pre-season Head Coaching change, were the first team to change coaches.  The move was a massive shock to many, myself included. I wish Brad Knight well and he spoke well recently to local media in his departure interview, he will be back in this league one day. That said, I wasn't at the Nicola Valley Arena on 19 Oct, 2014 when the Grizzlies lost in the dying seconds in OT. I will never know what really happened after the game, but the team's Head Coach was suspended 3 games by the BCHL after that game and that fact is simply unacceptable for any Head Coach in any league.  A leader must always keep his head.  In summation, clearly things were not all well "down at the Circle K" and a regime change was inevitable.

 

Now let me preface everything I am about to say by acknowledging the fact that I don't see the team books. But simply from a business model point of view, I wasn't initially a big fan of the trade with Vernon and I am still not. I like Pete Zubersky as a hockey man, but when he came in to take over last December in the wake of Bill Bestwick's sudden departure, the team promised a return to recruiting local island talent and bringing the team closer to the Westshore community.

 

Then quick as a flash the club did two very strange things. It went out and immediately brought in a large number of off island talent.  But then it made a very strange trade moving two local products away. Those were local players who would not incur billet fees and they were traded for two out of town acquisitions who do indeed cost the club billet funds. True, Zubersky is no longer with the team, and the trade I question was a Brad Knight move. But the effect on the team budget both from new billet fees and a departure of the Egli/Meek family and friends must be felt to some degree.  To sum up, I criticise the move from a business model point of view and also because it sent a mixed message of "Say one thing, do another".

Photo Credit: Christian J. Stewart

 

Now GM and HC Craig Didmon is back, technically for the third time and already he has brought in Nick Guiney, a local JDF product. Good start. In just two games he has demonstrated an ability to right the ship and has shown the capacity to quickly restore confidence and fun on the bench and I suspect the Dressing Room. That is huge.

 

Players are smiling again and while it is only a 2-0 record under Coach Didmon, the team has already seen a modest bump in attendance.  And that last statistic, attendance, is really the most important stat of them all in many ways and could tell the tale of how this team does moving forward.

 

Grade: F (Trend: Improving significantly)

 

Summation:

 

For a change I will be brief. This team has an identity now. The Grizzlies are now officially "that team I sure hope we don't face in the playoffs."  I guarantee every Island Division team, aside from Cowichan (unlikely to make playoffs) now feels that way about the Grizzlies. Nobody wants to run into this team, which is slowly but surely improving in every area of performance and has a restored confidence throughout the entire organization.

 

If the goals against can drop even just a bit and if the scoring keeps up, the Grizzlies will catch most of the leaders in the Island Division and will likely finish well above 4th spot before the playoffs start.

 

Overall Team Grade: B (Trend: Improving) -CC

 

 

 

      

What's Old Is New Again: Grizzlies 6-0 Road Dominance Over Caps

The Victoria Grizzlies are back. If you don't believe me, just take the short drive on Saturday over the Malahat and talk to the first Duncan resident you see wearing any Capitals gear. Chances are they will tell you a story of high skill, power, speed and total hockey domination.  And the team they will be talking about isn't their beloved home team Caps, those descriptions I guarantee will be reserved for the visiting Victoria Grizzlies.

And total domination was the order of the day as the Grizzlies outshot the Capitals 20-5 and lead them by a score of 2-0 and all in the first period alone. It was a period which seemed to reflect a team which was determined to demonstrate to the coach who recruited them, the coach who developed them and the coach who returned as their boss just days ago this simple truth: that they still were the same talented players he once knew so well.

That coach, they all seemed to be trying to impress of course was none other than newly appointed GM and Head Coach, Craig Didmon. Didmon was called back into service with the surprising and rather sudden departure of Brad Knight on Sunday morning. And judging by some of the new/old coach's pregame comments, it wasn't clear to the coaching staff exactly what sort of performance they were going to see on a foggy and wet fall evening in the Cowichan Valley. There was an honest admission, that the return of the former coach might confuse some of the habits and tactics developed so far.

But by the end of the 1st period, many if not all of those questions or concerns harboured by Craig Didmon were quickly answered. In the final minute of the period, after a Meirs Moore steal and headman pass to Jay Mackie, the flashy winger streaked into the Capitals end and with a head fake and burst of speed found his line mate, Dane Gibson to his immediate left. Mackie calmly laid a picture perfect pass to the former Capital and Gibson made no mistake in burying his 10th goal of the season.

By the second period, the defensemen on the team must have gotten the idea that they too needed to remind the returning coach that they had game as well. The second period would witness no less than two back to back Grizzlies goals, both by defensemen and often set up by D-men. The first goal was by way of a solid point shot on the Powerplay by Meirs Moore from Mackie and the second off a driving at the net Cody Van Lierop as he finished off a well played, pass/shot by fellow defenseman Kevin Massy, who would impress on the night with a two assist performance to bring the Victoria native to double digits in scoring on the season.

And all the while, there confidently stood Michael Stiliadis in net, turning aside all eleven of the shots he faced over the first two frames of the game. You wouldn't know it at the time and nobody wanted to say it out loud of course, fearing superstition, but Stiliadis looked like he was more than up for the task of posting his first shutout of this 2014/15 season.

The third period was simply more of the same. More goals, this time from who else, the talented forwards. Jay Mackie and Brett Gruber would put a one sided contest from what was already well out of reach, to the type of distance from a comeback that only one-way NASA spacecraft like the Voyager II tend to experience in the cold outer reaches of the solar system. This game was probably long over in the first or second period, but Mackie and Gruber would dash any final hopes of a Cowichan comeback with their 10th and 13th respective goals on the season thus far.

And that was how the game would end at 6-0. It would occur amid a flurry of Caps fans deciding on their own to toss their Teddy Bears in absence of a Cowichan goal in the game as few in the building including yours truly had remembered that tonight was of course "Capitals Critter Toss Night". That of course is the name the Caps affix to the team's annual Christmas toy drive for local charity. And so it was, with the puck barely out of the net after the Brett Gruber goal, that fans began to shower the ice with Teddy bears, only to turn and walk out the door to face the cold dark night.

So it was a bit of a "what is old is new again" type of a night for the Victoria Grizzlies. The old coach, who is not so old, felt brand new behind the bench. And so did the team he put on the ice who dominated their opponent, on the road no less, in a most impressive win which put the Grizzlies at 12-10-0-5 and 29 points on the season, just 4 behind the Powell River Kings who sit at third in the Island Division. Michael Stiliadis recorded his first shutout of the year in an impressive performance stopping all 19 of the shots he faced.

The Grizzlies will host the Merritt Centennials at The Q Centre tomorrow night. Merritt is coming off a 3-2 comeback OT win against the Nanaimo Clippers at The Frank Crane Centre on Friday night. Game time Saturday at The Q is 7pm. -CC

Victoria Grizzlies Mid-Season Report Card

     It's hard to think we're basically at the midway point of the 2014-15 BCHL season, but with half of the season in the books, it's time to look back at what was the first half of the Victoria Grizzlies season. Head Coach / GM Brad Knight had a lot of work to do when he came into the job, and the team needed a big overhaul after the departure of the Fitzgerald triplets. The Grizzlies currently sit with a record of 11-10-4, good for 26 points and 4th in the Island Division standings. It's been and up and down season so far, but let's give the Grizzlies a report card for their efforts in the first half of the season. And yes, I'm a tough marker.

Photo Credit: Tony Burrows

Offence: B

     Coming into the season, the offence was the biggest question mark undoubtedly. With the gaps to fill with the Fitzgeralds aging out, it left those wondering who would step up and "fill the vacuum" for Victoria. Luckily, the three veteran forwards in Jay Mackie, Dane Gibson and Garrett Forster stepped up to the plate and became true leaders offensively for the Grizzlies. A good supporting cast is always helpful, and the veteran forwards have gotten just that from newcomers such as Matt Kennedy, Brett Gruber and Mitch Barker. The defence has also chipped in with potting goals, especially the Grizzlies top pair of Meirs Moore and Zach Dixon as part of a brand new defensive end. The return of Jake Emilio brought much more offence to the back end, and he's looked sharp since returning from his October injury. The Grizzlies have had patches where the offence ran dry, and they've also had stretches where they've scored at will. On the whole, the team has combined for 84 goals this season, which stands as average amongst the rest of the league. If the Grizzlies want to move up in the standings in the second half of the season, their offence will need to be more consistent.

Photo Credit: Tony Burrows

Defence: C+

     The Grizzlies came into the season with a brand new defensive unit that took a while to get clicking, but the majority of Victoria's struggles comes down to team collapses in their own end and some breakout troubles. While they've improved drastically since the beginning of the season, the Grizzlies have had times where the passes get sloppy and the feet stop moving, allowing for the opposing team take advantage. The Grizzlies have had some nice defensive efforts from forwards like Storm Wahlrab, Brett Gruber and Cole Pickup, but the Grizzlies forwards have lost too many battles down low leading to scoring chances, and most of it comes down to sheer size. If you look at the Grizzlies goals for/against differential, they currently sit at -10 on the season, which isn't ideal if they want to move up in the standings. Again, there's been patches where the Grizzlies defence has been outstanding and stretches where Victoria gets trapped in their own end for long periods of time. For the Grizzlies defence, it comes down to being more consistent as they move forward.

Photo Credit: Tony Burrows

Goaltending: A

     In this case, numbers lie. Although they both sport save percentages under .900 and goals against averages over three, the goaltending duo of Michael Stiliadis and Sean Cleary has been outstanding for the Grizzlies this season. While Stiliadis has been given the majority of the starts playing against playoff contenders, coach Knight isn't afraid to switch it up with Cleary against any opponent in the league. The Grizzlies netminders have made some highlight reel saves night in and night out and kept the Grizzlies in the game numerous times throughout the season. Between a sprawled out Stiliadis stopping a barrage of shots and Cleary diving left and right to make miraculous stops, the Grizzlies have relied on their goaltending heavily thus far. It's a common hockey code that you never blame your goaltender, but there's no sugar coating when it comes to the Grizzlies netminders, they have been the real deal this season.

Photo Credit: Tony Burrows

Overall: B-

     With a massive turnover both on and off the ice, the Victoria Grizzlies have handled their new personnel very well and in doing so have entered the mid-way point of the season with a record over .500. However, looking at the bigger picture, the Grizzlies currently sit in fourth in the Island Division and must move up in the standings if they want to make a serious push in the post season and get home ice advantage. For the Grizzlies, they should be satisfied with their position due to the amount of new faces and rust. The second half of the season brings a lot of opportunity for this Grizzlies team to make a move on the top teams in the league. There's been patches of unmatched glory, 10-goal collapses and everything in between for the Victoria Grizzlies, and the second half of the season should prove to be just as entertaining as the first half. It's been a rollercoaster season for the Victoria Grizzlies, and this rollercoaster isn't slowing down any time soon. -TB