The Value of Momentum

It was a wet and cold night going over the Malahat on Tuesday night, but that didn't seem to worry the Grizzlies who were playing in the rubber match in a season long series vs the Cowichan Valley Capitals which was tied 3-3 at the time.  In less than three hours, the Grizzlies bus would be on its return trip, this time flush with two points on the road after a commanding 7-1 win over the Capitals who frankly looked shell shocked after suffering such a significant loss a home.

The game surprised everyone, but not the first period.  In spite to a pair of penalties against the Grizzlies, shots at the end of the Period #1 were 15-5 in favour of the visitors.  The Grizzlies had plenty of chances but the key moment in the entire game for me was a curious decision by Coach Craig Didmon to use up his timeout with only 51 seconds left in the period.  After an icing call which left his charges gassed, Didmon recognised the strategic significance of what it would mean to suddenly give up a goal so late in the period after dominating it so well.



The ISC, sight of the 7-1 Grizzlies victory on Tuesday night

The timeout worked and moments later the Grizzlies and Caps retired to their respective rooms tied at 0-0 but with Victoria still enjoying the full balance of momentum.  In my humble view, it was the turning point of the contest.

Just a minute and a half into the second period, that momentum would prove vital as the Grizzlies would score off a beautiful half spin move by #17 Joey Visconti.  The Ontario native found himself parked at the right side of Cowichan goalie Storm Phaneuf's crease after a long pass from Illinois D-Man, Jake Setvens who spotted Visconti heading through the slot.  Visconti, waited out Phaneuf and fired the puck over the former QMJHL goal tender and the Grizz were in front for the first time.

Late in the period the Captain, PJ Conlon, who was +5 on the night, would score what looked like a PP goal but with time expiring on the penalty to the Caps, Brayden Gelsinger would make a beautiful cross ice pass from the slot and feed Conlon who was beavertailing for the pass at the far right of Phaneuf.  Conlon dispatched a picture perfect one-timer and suddenly it was 2-0 Grizzlies on the road versus a team who won all three of the first meetings between the two clubs.

The PG Coliseum at -11 without wind chill will host the Grizzlies Friday night

But the bigger story of the game to that point however was Matt Galajda, once again turning back shot after shot and when necessary halting play when he felt pressure.  This goalie is starting to now garner the attention of the whole league.  His GAA numbers are now in the top 3 and his win-loss record in the last two months is as good as any goalie in the league.

But it was the third period which saw what is really interesting about this year's Victoria Grizzlies.  This team is truly a team of redemption.  After suffering through the worst start in franchise history, the Grizzlies now seem to have shaken off the past and are scoring at will on most nights.  They are also defending with a fierce determination.

Saturday night will see the Grizz return to Chilliwack, site of the team's frist win of the 2015/16 season

With two more quick goals, Conlon would earn a natural hat trick early into the third period which would be his first as a Grizzly but more importantly would represent the team's second hat trick in three games after witnessing Gelsinger's 3 goal performance on Friday night versus the Kings.  The period would continue to go all Grizzlies with Pickup scoring a goal along with his three assists but only after Gelsinger (my pick for BCHL Player of the Week BTW) would score his 6th goal in three games.  The game would end with a Nick Guiney unassisted goal on a breakaway created by the Langford native who timed a wayward interception in the neutral zone perfectly.

Sunday, the Grizzlies will close out the 4 game road swing on the Olympic size surface in Surrey

The Grizzlies now get set for three big games on the road in the longest road trip of the year in Prince George, Chilliwack and Surrey.  In PG, the Grizzlies will see A/HC Tyler Matheson behind the bench for the very first time as the Acting HC with Coach Didmon back in Victoria with school teaching duties.  We will now see if this surging Grizzlies club, the only BCHL team without a defeat in the 2016 calendar year can keep this theme of redemption and its incredible momentum on the rise as the month of January reaches the midway mark.  Talk to you from the Prince George Coliseum on Friday night everybody. -CC

New Season Game 1: Nothing Shawshank About It At All

OK, straight up, this blog has nothing to do with the movie The Shawshank Redemption.  You hear me?  Nothing! 

 

But here is the strangest thing:  I recently learned that if I mention that movie even one time in my writing, my readership goes up five times its normal rate, all thanks to the magic of the internet.  Five times!  And if I can get 500 English Lit students in Germany to suddenly read about the Victoria Grizzlies, well all I can say is: Zihuatanejo. 

 

 

 

OK, now that we have established the fact that I am a complete shill, let's talk about the first game of the 2015/16 Regular Season.

 

Game 1 is in the books, a 3-2 road loss to The Cowichan Valley Capitals on Friday night at The Island Savings Centre (aka The Big Stick).   Frankly, even though it was a loss, there were a lot of positive signs for Grizzlies fans to take away from the night.

 

Oh, and BTW, if I have already lost you with my selfish Shawshank nonsense, you can watch this cool Youtube video by our amazing Video Guy Roy Antonisen (best in the BCHL) which shows the night's action and pretty much tells the whole story:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQsmC5fFqJ4

 

In the first period the Grizzlies were outshot 11-7 in what I thought was a bit of a scrambling opening frame.  At the halfway mark of the first, the Grizzlies surrendered the first goal on the night to the Capitals Matthew Hudie after he broke in on Matt Galajda.  What stung on that goal was the assist to Chris Harpur, who the Grizzlies lost in the off season in compensation for the January 10 Thomas Gobeil trade.  In spite of the Caps early lead, a late PP goal by Cole Pickup provided a window of insight into what the team may become this year.  

 

Grizzlies newcomer but long time BCHL veteran Brayden Gelsinger really got things going on the goal by moving the puck with authority and finding Pickup alone in the slot which the Langford native quickly dispatched past Storm Phaneuf, the Caps goaltender.  The Grizzlies showed that they definitely have the parts necessary to compete on the man advantage with fluid puck movement on the PP.  The point men of Brett Stirling and Jake Stevens were impressive anchoring the PP all night.  The first period ended all tied up 1-1 and things were looking pretty solid in “Grizzlies Land” while on the road on the opening night in the BCHL.

 

Photo Credit - Kevin Rothbauer - Cowichan Valley Citizen

 

The second period started even better for the Grizzlies as none other than Cole Pickup put his team ahead with a shot banked off the light blue coloured left pad of Phaneuf, still sporting his equipment from his last QMJHL club the Chicoutimi Sangenuees.  That goal was set up by a solid Grizzlies forecheck and a battle behind the Caps net which included Gelsinger again, along with new team Captain, PJ Conlon.   It was looking like Pickup might collect his first ever BCHL Hat Trick on the night, but the goals dried up pretty quick after the Grizzlies took the lead as Phaneuf started to show why he played 80 games in the QMJHL over the last four years.  With Phaneuf showing his Major Junior form in net, the Grizzlies struggled offensively in spite of a number of quality scoring chances throughout the game.

 

But the story of the night unfortunately devolved into rough and perhaps even dirty play as a number of scrums broke into fights or near fights.  Queue the turning point on the night, late in the second period after a scoring chance in the Caps crease came up empty, far away from the play a melee broke out involving Gelsinger and former Grizzlies player Mitch Meek.  Meek was playing in his first game as a Cap since he was picked up in the 2012 Supplemental Draft by this very Capitals organization. 

 

What actually occurred in the bottom of the pile may never be known, but one thing is for certain, Brayden Gelsinger needed assistance to get off the ice in order to have his right eye examined after an alleged gouging at the hands of the former Grizzly, Meek.  Meek ended up with a Match Penalty in the incident and a Game Misconduct was handed out to Gelsinger for his role in the altercation.  The upshot of it all was that the Grizzlies would be without possibly their best player on the night for the final period when the game was tied at 2-2.  Gelsinger, along with the rest of the top line of Pickup and Conlon were +1 at that point in the hockey game when he was forced to take an early shower.

 

But the hockey game would turn on its head during a Grizzlies Powerplay just three minutes into the 3^rd period when rookies Cory Iapalucci and Tyler Welsh would get caught up with each other while both players were trying to carry the puck into the offensive zone.  At that moment the Capitals crafty Adam Osczevski would steal the puck and race into the Grizzlies end taking a quick shot from the slot.  The shot was saved by Galajda but the rebound bounced clear into the open crease and Kade Kehoe sat over the gift puck with the easiest of finishes he will probably see all season.  It was a tough play, but one that will often occur early into any new season for any club with so many rookies.  In spite of a spirted attempt in the final minutes to tie the game with the net empty, the Grizzlies would come up short and the game would end 3-2.  The Grizzlies would outshoot the Caps 28-25 in the contest in front of a healthy 907 fans at the ISC.

 

All told the Grizzlies made a proper account of themselves.  I was particularly impressed with the team's ability to manage long periods of sustained puck possession in spite of only having a single left handed defenseman in the lineup with new Assistant Captain Cody Van Lierop out with an upper body injury.  Van Lierop is expected to be back in the lineup on Friday night vs the Nanaimo Clippers at the Frank Crane Arena.   

 

I also liked the look of the D men in general, the goaltending also looked fantastic and is a major improvement from last year.  The forwards I think will be fine once everybody settles into their respective systems.  This team is exiting and I see very few problems for the 2015/16 rendition of The Victoria Grizzlies.  I am already looking forward to Friday night at “The Frank” and hopefully there will be a large contingent of The Grizzlies Nation making the trip up to the mid island for the 7pm start.  Until then, I will let you go.

 

 

 

Now we will see how my Shawshank experiment works.  If it does work, the only question I have left is, what happens if in next week's blog I mention Donald Trump?  Talk to you Friday night folks. - CC 

Main Camp Report: Grizzlies Name 2015/16 Squad

With exactly one week to go before the league opener next Friday night vs The Caps at the ISC in Cowichan, the Grizzlies final roster was set Thursday morning. Yes Coach Didmon, possibly the most fecund of BCHL coaches has once again managed to replace last year's roster with what could be a team which is just as good if not better.  I won't bother to go through the specific names, because frankly it was pretty much covered in our last blog.  Hopefully I got it pretty close.  But while I am able to selfishly pat myself on my own back, I missed something pretty huge.  Over the course of watching the preseason games I began to notice something and it had nothing to do with player names or skills.  It was their ages.

Photo credit: Christian Stewart (ISN)

 Many years ago I heard a famous BCHL (and former Grizzlies coach BTW) make a pronouncement that "75% of all goals scored in the league are scored by 19 and 20 year olds".  I always promised myself that one day I would confirm that rather intriguing statement by tracking down the statistics and determining if it were actually true.  I tend to make a lot of promises to myself and not follow through.  But on this fact finding mission, I just might actually get on with it and here is why:  The 2015/16 iteration of the Victoria Grizzlies features a lineup with only 3 twenty year olds and 8 nineteen year olds. 

 

The league roster limit for twenty-year olds is set at six. The traditional wisdom is to make sure that your rosters features at least that number of seasoned BCHL gentry in your dressing room.  Is that a problem for the current Grizzlies?  I don't think so, but frankly I crunched a few numbers and it might surprise the reader to know that this year's Grizzlies have an average age of 18.5 and last year's team was a comparable 18.72, mind you that club carried its usual staple of six 20 year olds.  Last year's Fred Page Cup winners, the Penticton Vees had an average age of 17.86, with a full complement of 20 year olds.  So really I ask you again, is this really a whole lot to do about nothing?

 

That said, there can be such a thing as too many older players in the dressing room.  The up-island rival Nanaimo Clippers had eight twenty year olds still in camp this week, so they in fact have the opposite problem, too many twenty year olds.  Also, by carrying only three twenties, the Grizzlies now have the flexibility (unlike last year) to make a move with relative impunity, to add a twenty year old or two towards the January trade deadline. But its not always good news to load up with twenty year olds. 

 

I remember a former Jr.B owner once confiding to me that he owned a club many years ago which carried the league limit of eight twenty year olds and "the whole season was really just a night club on skates", so it is by no means a bad thing to be a young team hungry for hockey success.

undisclosed Jr.B Dressing Room circa (2009)

Now let's take a moment and break down this lineup and see what the Grizzlies have going for 2015/16.  The lines, at least for Week #1 will probably look something like this:

 

 

Pickup                   Gelsinger             Conlon

 

Iapalucci               Falconer               Visconti

 

Fleming                Guiney                 Peck

 

Hunter                  Welsh                   Mokhtari/Barker

 

                VanLierop          Stirling

 

                Stevens                Massy

 

                Pears/Krabben Walker

 

                                Galadja

 

                                Benson

 

One thing I really like so far is the upgrade in net.  Galadja and Benson are both solid and have been tested well so far in the pre-season, Benson facing 50 shots in a 2-1 win vs Nanaimo on Tuesday night was impressive.  This weekend's final tune up games vs Alberni Valley will no doubt give each goal tender the opportunity to play vs legitimate BCHL lineups and play behind their actual starting 6 D men, so I look forward to seeing that play out.  The trick will be for both goalies to bring down the team's dreadful goals allowed stat from last year, 210 goals against.  We leaked goals last year like the Titanic leaked water and if that improves, the team will be better, no question.  My prediction is that next to Front Office stability, goaltending will be the club's biggest improvement for 2015/16.

Photo credit: Christian Stewart (ISN)

Now for the D-Men, I will say this:  Last year the Grizzlies scored 40 goals from the blue line, which was one of the biggest goal outputs by defensemen in years.  I think that number will come down this season, at least a bit.  Frankly it just has to, 40 goals from the D Corps is just too much to ask for two years running, but here is to hoping.  What I am more happy about is the fact that Jake Stevens and Brett Stirling could end up being absolute beasts on the first two pairings.  Along with veterans Van Lierop and K-Mass my sense is that they will easily replace the departed D-men from last year, which is quite the statement of faith considering how good we were in 2014/15 in that position.  This will make life much easier for Walker, Pears and Krabben who are all BCHL ready as defensemen but will mostly see 3rd pairing duties.  My one worry though is the lack of left handed defensemen in the team, I would prefer one more.



Photo credit: Christian Stewart (ISN)

On offense, I see a bit of a mild downturn, but that is almost expected.  Again one has to remember that the 219 goals scored last year by The Grizz were the most since the 220 goals scored in 2009 and the 263 goals scored during the Jamie Benn and Tyler Bozak era of 2006/07.  No other teams have really been close.  That said, if our 4th Line of Hunter, Welsh and Mokhtari turns into what I am hoping and surprises everybody, it will be my pleasure to attach to them the mystery moniker of " THE _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _   _ _ _ LINE".  If they struggle like most rookie lines in the BCHL, no problem, I will simply delete this paragraph from the blog and never speak of my mystery "4th Line Name" ever again.  My guess is they will be fantastic.  And for those of you Poindexters who want to try and play a little Vana White on Wheel of Fortune, all I can say is "buy a vowel".

 

Until then, enjoy the rest of the pre-season and do come out and see the club on Saturday night at 7pm at Westhills Arena in Langford, BC. -CC

Numbers Never Lie: The Victoria Grizzlies Heading Into The 2015 BCHL Playoffs

I always liked math, there was some sort of honesty thing there for me I seemed to find.  Numbers are funny.  You can always count on them.  They may not always mean everything, but they almost always mean something.  On the eve of the playoffs, there are a lot of things going through my mind but most of all its the simple adage that numbers never lie.

 

I noticed a recent trend with the Grizzlies and it might not be what you think.  Everyone is of course very pleased with the team’s recent 7 game win streak. Its the longest of the year for the team and the longest current win streak in the BCHL.  When I crunched the math, I noticed that since the coaching change on 30 Nov, the Grizzlies have only lost 8 games in the “Outright Loss” column.  That is 8 losses in 32 games under Coach Didmon or exactly 25% of the time.  Under the old coaching regime, the Grizzlies were losing games via the outright loss stat at 38.46% of the time.     

 

Thus prior to December, there was almost a 40% chance that a Grizzlies game would end in a loss and not even get to OT.  Since that time, that figure has been cut almost in half.  And most of all, for large chunks of that time, the Grizzlies have been doing it without the services of Thomas Gobeil, Garrett Forster or Matt Kennedy.  Frankly, I find that astonishing. 

 

Here is a fun and  great trivia question for you: Who was the last player in BCHL history to record back to back Double OT game winning goals?  The answer is of course Kevin Massy of the Victoria Grizzlies.  Yes, "K Mass" as I like to call him is a lot of things: The Undisputed Captain of The Bus, a dominant power forward and crushing D Man, but he is now the answer to a great BCHL trivia question which I will assume could stand for a long time.  A long time.  Numbers, especially crazy numbers do that sometimes, they linger.

 

So the Grizzlies enter the 2015 BCHL Playoffs in less than 24 hours and we know who they will face, the Powell River Kings.  The Kings are team the Grizzlies haven't fared well against all year, let's be honest.  But I don't think any of that matters right now to anyone who will be wearing black on the ice tomorrow night at the Q Centre.  Nope, not with the week they've just had.  Not with these numbers.

 

The Grizzlies did have quite a week.  On Wednesday it was up to The Island Savings Centre where they dispatched the Cowichan Valley Capitals in a relatively routine performance and they even trailed 1-0 early. Chris Harpur showed flashes of his not yet fully tapped future pro talent again with a goal and a helper while Dane Gibson scored a pair and so did the resurgent Ayden MacDonald.  Most significant and sadly for Caps fans however was the signature moment of the game.  That of course was Thomas Gobeil, their former star stamping out any hope with an Empty Net goal to close out the night.  It was a seminal moment where you could actually see two hockey organizations going in two completely different directions.  But that's hockey, that's math.

 

Then on Friday night in Nanaimo, with about a minute left in the game, Gibson would set up Meirs Moore with a clutch game tying goal and keep that "8 losses in 32 games" stat safe for the time being.  Then in Double OT, Kevin Massy would remind everyone why he should shoot more, booming a one time slap shot from Team Captain Sean McBride past one of the top goalies in the entire league. The goal brought the magic number from half a game to zero for the Grizzlies to earn home ice advantage in Round 1. That was a reality which seemed impossible when Didmon took over in December.  Yes in November the math looked impossible, at least it did for me.

 

One night later, with 3 AP players in the lineup, Massy would do it again, score in Double OT, setting a BCHL record in so doing.  But not before the lightly heralded supporting cast around the club brought a packed Q Centre to its feet on numerous occasions. At times it was the quick hands of Nick Guiney stealing pucks and feeding Penalty Kill Specialist P.J. Conlon.  At other times it was Spencer Hunter doubling his season goals tally in a single game, scoring two goals, one in the North End of the rink and then a second goal in the South End.  It was the proverbial coming out party of the year for Hunter, his confidence brimming, the 14 and 15 year old girls in attendance all swooning each time the handsome winger tapped the glass in elation after his goals.  Those numbers, the  swooning numbers, they actually mean something.

 

Back to Kevin Massy.  His Double OT winner was huge and for a somewhat and perhaps unimportant but nevertheless significant footnote on the season.  It marked the Grizzlies 219th goal on the Regular Season placing the team alone in 2nd Place in the league in goals scored.  Only Nanaimo had more goals scored at 235.  Had the season gone on another week or two, the Clippers would likely have fallen behind the Grizzlies in that category as well.  And in assists, the team finished the season with a league best 392 "apples", more than even the Clippers at 378.  Maybe its not just another number.

 

Meanwhile in net Michael Stiliadis was excellent on his two nights of work as was Sean Cleary on Saturday in a game which on paper didn't mean much in terms of points, but in terms of maintaining playoff momentum, it might have meant the world. 

 

So off we go into the bright blue yonder of the Playoffs tomorrow night at the Q Centre.  There won't be a Matt Kennedy in the lineup, although every day that goes by however, his shoulder gets stronger.  In the meantime, the team is peaking at exactly the right time.  Not even in the 2000/2001 Fred Page Cup Championship Season did a Grizzlies/Salsa/Warriors franchise go into the post season this hot.  I haven't seen this once since 1991 when I first started watching the Warriors out at The JDF.

 

And that brings me to my final stat of the night, before I sign off and put the 2014/15 Regular Season officially in the books with the most important number of them all. That is the number zero.

 

There are literally now twenty two players all pulling on the same rope, night in and night out of this Grizzlies hockey club.  There are zero passengers on this hockey club.  Zero.  Everybody matters, everyone, even the 4th line players have a voice in this team and each player will have a verse or two to write in this post season.  Each know they will have a chance at "their moment" when the time comes.

 

And that in the end I think is the number Coach Didmon has been seeking all year, the number zero.  If he could get that "passenger number" to zero and get everyone to buy in to his way of playing and his system, the team could maybe pull off one of the most remarkable comeback seasons in league history.  That is of course if its true what they say about numbers.

 

You know?  How numbers never lie.

 

 

Grizzlies At The Final Turn: Four Hard Games On The Road

I always enjoy that moment in golf when you get to that portion of the round where you are at "The Final Turn on The Back Nine".  It is that moment in the round when you are farthest away from the clubhouse, usually at the 14^th Green or 15^th T-Box on most courses.  I reflect on it even more so when I am at "The Turn" while on the road.  I try and soak in both the moment, the round of golf itself and or the trip/business junket I am just about to complete.  I will often putt out on the 14^th hole and look around and say something like: “Boy this sure has been a long but very productive trip and man am I ever glad that I will be flying home tomorrow.”  That moment of solitary gratitude is usually quickly replaced by other thoughts like: “Man do I ever need to work on my short game though, I can’t hit my Sand Wedge to save my life.”

 

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

 

A couple of nights ago I was throwing some used pizza boxes into the recycling bin outside the Prince George Coliseum as the team bus was just moments away from starting its long, snow bound return trip south to Victoria.  As I looked at the bus full of happy Grizzlies players, fresh off a 6-3 dominant performance, I thought to myself, “Wow, you are actually standing on the 14^th Green for this season.”  That moment marked the absolute furthest away from home which any team in the BCHL can ever be during the season; that Victoria to Prince George trip is the longest in terms of travel distance and time and thankfully it is why the league only asks us to do it once per year.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

 

But as I threw out the last of the pizza boxes and started back to our bus, I thought about the “first 14 holes on this 2014/15 Victoria Grizzlies Season” and wondered what the final few holes would bring. It also got me thinking to what shape the team would be in by the time it got into "the clubhouse".

 

Fast forward to last night at the Weyerhaeuser Arena in Port Alberni.  It was no longer the “Philosophical 14^th Green” I suppose, but it was the end of a brutal 4 game road trip for the Grizzlies, a road trip where the general theme throughout was Murphy’s Law: “If something can go wrong, the chances are, it probably will go wrong.”

 

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

 

 

And funny enough the game started great for Victoria.  Back to back Power Play goals by Dane Gibson and Tom Gobeil had the Grizzlies firmly in the driver’s seat at The Dog Pound just 2 minutes into this “Wacky Wednesday” game as we called it last night.  Best of all, the Grizzlies seemed to be getting the bounces, at least early on. Gobeil’s first goal was certainly proof of that as the Centreman fired a shot over Bulldog’s back-up goalie Nathan Warren, only to have the puck bounce square off his back, then off the crossbar and into the net for a 2-0 Grizzlies lead.  By late in the 2^nd period, PK specialist, P.J. Conlon would set up Gobeil for his second goal on the night, a shortie to boot and the Grizzlies were up 3-1 heading into the final frame.

 

And that’s when Murphy showed up.

 

With Kevin Massy, fresh out of the box just seconds into the final frame, Mitch Makin would make the Grizzlies pay for poor D Zone coverage and it was suddenly 3-2 only twenty-two seconds into the last period.  There were still 20 minutes of hockey left to play.  And it just got worse from there in what could only be described as the Grizzlies poorest 3^rd period of the year.  Michael Stiliadis who had been rock solid all game long, suddenly was leaving juicy rebounds around and nobody appeared ready to clear the puck and the rest was history. 4-3 to the Bulldogs was how it would end in front of a very healthy 931 fans on a midweek game in the BCHL.  But worst of all, the ice surface looked significantly tilted in favour of the Bulldogs in periods #2 and #3 and that hasn’t happened since the Trail game back in mid November.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

 

Back up eight days ago as the Grizzlies started their four game road trip at the Island Savings Centre vs Cowichan Valley last week. They would ice the puck in the final minute of the game and give up a tying goal and then lose in OT.  Remember that in that game the Grizzlies were 4-4 going into the final frame. 

 

Then two nights later, with the shock and pain of that loss shaken off, the Grizzlies rolled into a packed Prospera Centre with 3,007 fans on a Friday night in Chilliwack.  They would score the first goal of the game midway through the second period on a classic Dane Gibson tip-in off a gorgeous Brett Gruber pass.  Once again you would think, the Grizzlies are flying, they will win a road game, we got this.  They went into the 3^rd period with a lead once again, this time up 1-0 and Stiliadis was looking at a possible Shutout.

 

Nope, Murphy’s Law was lurking in the rafters of that beautiful hockey building on the banks of the Fraser River.  The Grizzlies would give up 4 third period goals and end up losing 4-2.  They were outshot 13-5 in that 3^rd period.

 

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

 

Then the Grizzlies went up to Prince George on Saturday night and boom went the dynamite. They recorded a massive road win by stepping on the proverbial “throats” of the Spruce Kings and at one point in the hockey game scored 5 unanswered goals, two by Brett Gruber who ended the night at 28 goals on the season.  That was quite a performance.  You started to think, maybe those late losses in Chilliwack and Cowichan were simply anomalies.  But they were not.  It happened again last night.

 

Here is a fact which might surprise you, Victoria when leading going into 3^rd periods this season have lost no less than 7 of those hockey games. With 44 games played so far that means no less than 16% of the team's games end in losses after leading going into the final period.  And that statistic does not reflect how many losses occur when tied after two periods, trust me its a big number as well.

 

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

 

So what do we make of this?  The Grizzlies really need to bear down on team defence and support the goaltender much better down the stretch.  The goaltending also needs to improve, especially in terms of tracking the puck.  I called for this several weeks ago in my mid-season report card and it improved in December.  But surrendered 3rd period leads in Chilliwack on Friday and again last night in Alberni Valley have re-ignited that dangerous trend.

 

Is it repairable, can the team overcome this trend?  Of course they can, but time is running out on the regular season and the Grizzlies simply can't afford to keep shipping these free points to the competition, especially Island Division teams.  So the Grizzlies do make the proverbial "Final Turn" and start to head towards the clubhouse with only four holes to play.  My hope and my belief is that the Grizzlies won't reflect too much on their successes this season and what a great ride its been so far, but rather will spend a little bit more time working on the Sand Wedge. -CC

 

Preview Of Big Northern Road Trip

First of all, before I even talk about last Tuesday or even contemplate discussing the two upcoming games this weekend vs the Chilliwack Cheifs Friday and the Prince George Spruce Kings Saturday, I want to take a moment to pause here and reflect on Kyle Horesman and his family in Sechelt, BC and his extended hockey family in the Cowichan Valley Capitals.

There is no way to properly express my sadness and regret at the news which we all heard Tuesday night about the tragic passing of the Capitals Team Captain's father just the night before we faced the Caps at The Island Savings Centre on that night this week up in Duncan. A moment like that transcends the game and puts into perspective what we do in the BCHL every day.  Kyle lost the man who brought him to the rink every morning, the man who along with his mother, brought him into this world and I want to take a moment to express my sincere condolences to Kyle, his family and anyone in the Cowichan Valley Capitals in this profound period of sadness. My prayers and thoughts are with you all at this time.

While a loss, especially one in OT, is certainly painful, I must admit that I probably felt a lot different leaving the rink Tuesday night than many other Grizzlies fans did in many ways.  First of all, there were far bigger things going on in the Cowichan Valley Capitals organization that night and a hockey game, at least for this sports writer, was just what took place, it wasn't the whole story on the evening.

But look, let's face facts, its was yet another 1 goal game in a year just full of them and this time it was yet another tough heartbreaker of an OT loss.  WE have seen way too much of that this year, no question.  I wrote a blog many months ago about the fact that the Grizzlies are going to be a very different and fun team to watch come February and I still maintain that point. Heck they are a joy to watch now but the team has not yet figured out how to step on the throats of their opponents, when they have them on the ropes.  That will come in time.

The Grizzlies were chasing the Capitals all night at "The Stick" on Tuesday, let's not mince words. Yes, Brett Gruber had a beautiful Hat Trick his first of the season and first for the organization as well and yes the Grizzlies did score a Short Handed marker and looked dangerous at times but for me you could just sort of feel the moment in the rink.  This night was all about The Capitals trying to win a gutsy one for their Captain who of course was back in Sechelt, BC attending to his family.  The 650 Capitals fans who did come to the game went home happy of course but I want to make one quick point about the Capitals here before I go on to set up this weekend's action.

I said several weeks ago that I felt that the Capitals would move up and grab that final playoff spot in the Island Division standings.  People I know, many people all said I was crazy and maybe I am.  But I see trends, I see the game, I see what is happening and let me tell you this: Any team that can find a way to get a lead at home, lose that lead and then tie the game very late and eventually win it in OT, all while one of their top players, let alone, their Team Captain is away bereaving the loss of his dad, any team that can do that, can and will make the playoffs.  I know they are way down on points from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs who have a tone of games in hand on them, but remember, the Bulldogs just lost Evan Tironese to season ending shoulder surgery and that will hurt them badly down the stretch.  Mark my words, The Cowichan Valley Capitals will sneak into the playoffs on the last day of the BCHL's Regular Season and knock out the Bulldogs.

OK, enough about the other teams, let's get back to the Grizzlies.  Its a big road trip this weekend and there are two very big road games vs opponents who just happen to really be struggling at the moment and that's good for you Grizzlies fans reading this and here is why.  These games can serve as the first true look and test of "The 2014/15 Victoria Grizzlies".  We got a bit of a glimpse of them on Sunday vs the Express at The Q Centre, but make no mistake, the 22 players which you see now are now the team which is either going to win The Fred Page Cup this year and suprise everyone except me, or they are going to die trying.  This is your team.

The roster is now set and the contractual clauses which kept Tom Gobeil out of the lineup on Tuesday vs his former club are now complete.  Gobeil, who I liken to a young Mark Messier (more on that in a later blog), is full of pro talent and I expect him to make a major mark on the club this weekend.  I haven't yet seen the lineup cards for tonight yet and I don't want to say too much because I don't have all the info about some potential injuries at the moment, but I will say this: Tom Gobeil, #25 in a White Victoria Grizzlies shirt will have his coming out party on the road this weekend and I can't wait to see it.

But best of all, is what a player like Gobeil can do for the 3rd and 4th lines, along with the defensemen and goalies that I am most looking forward to seeing in Chilliwack and Prince George.  Remember, this is your team now. I suspect that he will make a potent First Line even more dangerous. The impact of that is that it will allow the "Hands Line" to see more space on the ice as the Second Line. Best of all, that will allow the Cycle Line, Line 3, Conlon, Pickup and Barker or even Guiney, even more room to play and score.  The defensive pairings which used to be able to shut down a line or two will now have 2-3 problematic offensive lines to deal with for the very first time this season.

I also think that the stronger offense will help the D-Men who let's face it have been the best 7 Defenseman in the BCHL this year bar none.  That in turn will add confidence to the goal tending pair of Stiliadis and Cleary, one of whom is nursing a lower body injury at the moment.

We actually saw glimpses of that on Sunday when Gobeil was in the lineup, but with Justin Tai in net for Coquitlam, putting up what I can only describe as maybe the best goal tending performance which the Grizzlies have faced all season, Victoria could only must 5 goals.  That won't be the case vs two struggling Mainland Division foes who are either full of injuries or full of poor recent performances or full of both.  I am picking the Grizzlies to come away with all four points this weekend so that they can return to the Island and relax for a change and maybe watch the Seahawks win their second straight NFC Championship en route to their own version of The Fred Page Cup, the Lombardi Trophy.

Talk to you Friday night at 6:45pm (PST) for the Pre-Game Show.  It should be a good one folks. -CC



 

The Fortress In The Forest

For those who have never had the pleasure of visiting Hap Parker Memorial Arena in Powell River I will do my best to describe it in a few short words. It sits tucked away in an old growth BC rain forest in the upper escarpments of the tiny town of Powell River on BC's Sunshine Coast. "The Hap" as it is known to locals was built in 1974 when the Pulp and Paper Industry was strong an the company owners had the cash on hand to build a two sheet building for local hockey and skating.

If 1974 seems like a long time ago to some, I will remind the few readers who may remember that the year's significant stories included the Patty Hurst kidnapping, Streaking, Watergate and the Vietnam War. Oh and how could I forget?

That summer while "The Hap" was being erected in Powell River, a middle-aged daredevil by the name of Evel Knievel attempted to ride a rocket sled over Idaho's Snake River Canyon. It was at the time the world's largest ever pay per view audience for a performance. I was 6 years old and I cried like a baby that day in August when my dad wouldn't take me to the $20 showing of the jump. It was being shown that day on a massive screen on the rink floor of the OHL's Ottawa 67s rink in the nation's capital. I stood on my driveway all afternoon waiting for my dad to come home so I could find out if Evil had made the jump, a stunt my father told me "would probably kill the poor bastard."

Old enough for ya?

Well after visiting the Hap Parker twice this past weekend and thrice in the last week, the Grizzlies would leave the old girl winless in four attempts on the regular season. But it provided this sports writer with a little name for The Hap which I coined on the bus ride home last night: The Fortress In The Forest. And that is precisely what "The Hap" has become to almost any Island Division team who must visit this somewhat anachronistic image of small town BC Junior Hockey. Did you know that during a recent visit to the Hap Parker this past season, The Cowichan Valley Capitals recorded their first away win in over seven seasons?  Seven seasons x 4 away games = a lot of hockey games. You may not like the building, but you sure have to respect it. The Hap truly is The Fortress In The Forest.

The Hap Parker would be the initial setting for the Grizzlies first major test of 2015, along with the team's next major series of internal changes, but what else is new?

Have you ever heard the saying that all big things in life usually come in threes? Well it was a weekend of threes for the Victoria Grizzlies. In the past three days, the Grizzlies would play three games, earn three points and make three major roster moves. If there was ever a single word to describe the past 72 hours in the Grizzlies Nation it would be the word transformative.

Friday started with the long bus trip from Victoria, to catch the 3:15 pm ferry and on to the Hap Parker where the between period intermission plan was a $50,000 give away to a lucky fan. But by game time, the promised sellout crowd proved as disappointing as the result on the night for Grizzlies fans, a 4-3 OT win tot he Kings. But it was not for a lack of effort as all in attendance would agree that the game was a very fast and competitive affair with high speed hockey being the order of the day. And so, contest #6 was in the books and the team retired to the hotel for the night. But importantly, the Grizzlies secured a single point on the night all by virtue of the OT.  Nevertheless, it was one of those games you just didn't deserve to lose.

The Grizzlies would awake Saturday on what is also known in the BCHL as Trade Deadline Day. They would awake amid a flurry of phone calls and text messages from player agents, parents and even ex-coaches all of which made the already impossibly challenging day even more difficult for all concerned. By the pre-game meal, the coaching staff had briefed the team on the details concerning the player moves which were met with respectful silence. Released and traded were Storm Whalrab and Justin Sadler respectively and joining the club was Thomas Gobeil of the Cowichan Valley Capitals. It was the most significant set of Trade Deadline Day transactions by the hockey club in recent memory. But such is the nature of Junior Hockey, its a business. And any sense of innocence felt by the remaining players was shed that drizzly day, all of which steeled the team towards the prospect of their final regular season visit to The Fortress In The Forest.

Unfortunately in spite of another excellent performance by the Grizzlies including a first ever BCHL goal by Campbell River Storm AP call-up, Tyler Welsh, the Grizzlies would fail to hold off the Kings and would loose the game 6-4. It would mark the fourth and final visit to "The Hap" until the playoffs which look everyday more and more likely to feature a Victoria vs Powell River first round matchup. A coach on the ferry later that night was heard to remark while in the heads, "It will be a long time before this team loses again."  Prophetic words indeed and much easier to say with The Fortress In The Forest in the rear view mirror.

Sunday's game was very different. It would offer a chance to return the favour to the Coquitlam Express who beat the Grizzlies in the final second of Double OT back on 19 Dec, 2014 during the Grizzlies' 3 game pre-Christmas road trip to the Lower Mainland. That heartbreaking loss was a distant memory as the Grizzlies dominated play, but not the score, due to the incredible goaltending performance by Express net minder, Chris Tai. Tai stopped all but 5 of the 43 he would face in the afternoon matinee matchup at the Q Centre on Sunday. The 5-3 Grizzlies win would mark the only home game the Q Centre for Grizzlies in this current span of  nine games from 2-23 Jan, 2015.

It was Thomas Gobeil's first game in a Grizzlies jersey and he looked very dangerous all night in the #1 Centre's role. Gobeil, while held pointless on the night, nevertheless he was involved in no less than an even twelve soild scoring chances. If not for the athletic Tai, Gobeil could have easily recorded the team's first Hat Trick of the 2014/15 season.

In conclusion, the Grizzlies find themselves in a safe but familiar place in the Island Standings looking way up at the Nanaimo Clippers who look to have disappeared with the Regular Season Island Division Title. But they are also looking down at the Alberni Valey Bulldogs and Cowichan Valley Capitals, neither of whom appear at this stage to pose any major threat to the Grizzlies position in the standings.

The question most fans are now asking is where Game 1 of the Playoffs will start for the Victoria Grizzlies. Will it be at the Q Centre or at the The Fortress In The Forest?  Either way, I suspect the series will live up to the drama an intensity of that aforementioned famous stunt attempt which took place in the year in which the iconic "Hap" was first built.

Oh and if any of you kids or players are reading this story and are wondering what ever happened to Evel Knievel on that infamous day at The Snake River Canyon in 1974. I suggest that you stand at the end of your driveway for four hours and wait for your Dad to come home and tell you himself.  That's how we got our news back in the day.

Or I suppose you can always Google it on the ride up to Cowichan Valley on Tuesday night.  I hear that the bus will probably have WiFi. -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