Grizzlies seek to gain advantage in playoffs
The B.C. Hockey League is a long way across the Pacific from Pyeongchang, but it too will be holding its version of a closing ceremony today.
The curtain falls on the 2017-18 regular season. Unlike most years, when that entails mostly meaningless games, there is a consequential season-ending match today for the Victoria Grizzlies.
The math is simple and to the point.
If the Grizzlies beat the Surrey Eagles this afternoon at 2 at the Q Centre, they will clinch first place in the Island Division and have a much easier path in the playoffs with a first-round matchup against the fourth-place Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
“It’s the most important game of the season,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
That means that at a time when many coaches rest their top players in anticipation of the playoffs, it will be all hands on deck for the Grizzlies.
“It’s an important game for us, so if you are healthy, you will dress,” said Didmon.
If the Grizzlies win today, it will relegate Powell River and Nanaimo to the second and third seeds, and set up a rugged firstround series between the Kings and Clippers.
“We’re prepared to play anybody in the playoffs,” Didmon said.
“But it would be nice to see one of two very tough teams [Powell River or Nanaimo] get rid of the other.”
As important, said Didmon, a win this afternoon will assure the Grizzlies of home-ice advantage throughout the Island Division playoffs.
Didmon, however, is not taking anything for granted when it comes to the divisional top seed: “We’ve got to take care of it [today] on the ice.”
It’s anything but a given. The Eagles are competitive and were 25-22-9 heading into Saturday night’s game in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals, the latter the lone team in the league to miss the playoffs.
The Grizzlies (31-18-8) will have to do it the rest of the way without their captain after Lucas Clark was sent home earlier this weekend for disciplinary reasons with management saying he violated team rules.