Depleted Grizzlies go winless on road trip
The Victoria Grizzlies knew life wasn’t going to be easy with three of their best players away at the Team Canada West selection camp in Calgary for the 2017 World Junior A Challenge, which begins this weekend in Truro, Nova Scotia. But even the Grizzlies probably didn’t figure the miserableness index would rise to this.
The latest of four consecutive losses for the Grizzlies came Sunday with a 6-2 setback in Coquitlam as the lowly Express scored five unanswered goals to win it. Coquitlam (4-22-3) moved into a last-place tie with the Cowichan Valley Capitals as the two clubs bring up the rear in the B.C. Hockey League with just 11 points each.
The Grizzlies’ next opponent is Cowichan Valley (3-22-5), which brings the lowest winning percentage in the BCHL into the Stick in Duncan on Wednesday night to face Victoria. On form, however, that game cannot be taken for granted by the Grizzlies.
“We’re missing some depth out of our lineup [six players, including injuries] while the Capitals have been playing well and they are getting better. Their recent games have all been tight,” said Grizzlies head coach Craig Didmon.
Of Victoria’s four straight losses, only two have come with goaltender Zack Rose and forwards Alex Newhook and Jamie Rome away at the Team Canada West camp.
Also, most top teams in the BCHL are dealing with their best players being absent. The Grizzlies trio are among 28 players from the BCHL invited to the Canada West camp for the Junior A worlds. Rome is headed next season to Western Michigan of the NCAA while Newhook is committed to Boston College in 2019 and is potentially a firstrounder for the 2019 NHL draft.
In Rose’s absence, and injury to Shawn Parkinson, call-up Bryce Schiebel from the Peninsula Panthers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League got the start in the Victoria crease Sunday and made 19 saves for the Grizzlies. Brock Hamm blocked 35 shots for Coquitlam.
T.J. Friedmann’s 10th goal and Justin Michaelian’s 13th, the latter on the power play, had staked Victoria to a 2-1 lead early in the second period but the depleted Grizzlies (14-13-4) could not stem the Express onslaught as Eric Linell led Coquitlam with two goals, while Alex Ambrosio had a goal and three assists.
“Coquitlam had a new head coach [former OHL and QMJHL assistant Jason Fortier replaced Barry Wolff last week] and smelled an opportunity,” said Didmon.
The loss concluded a three-game road trip that took the Grizzlies to Prince George, Vernon and Coquitlam.
“That was tough travel and a lot of kilometres, more than 2,000, and our shots didn’t have the same zip on them late in Sunday’s game,” said Didmon.
“I thought we put together nine good periods on the road but came up short. Obviously, we are not satisfied with the results. But the boys played hard, and the effort was there, but the puck luck just wasn’t.”