Newhook shines as Victoria ties
Alex Newhook was on a mission Saturday night at The Q Centre, and it took the hottest team in the B.C. Hockey League to keep him from capping off a big night.
Newhook had his four-game point streak snapped Friday against Cowichan Valley and that put a burr in the 16-year-old rookie’s saddle Saturday. He took it out on the Prince George Spruce Kings, scoring a highlight-reel, end-to-end goal and adding an assist to secure a valuable point for the Grizzlies in a 3-3 tie.
The Grizzlies came into the game riding a fourgame winning streak, but the team staring at them across the ice was even hotter, having rolled off seven straight victories.
Newhook’s two points give him a team-high 39 on the season, good for the rookie lead in the BCHL and puts him seventh in the overall scoring race.
His goal Saturday brought the 1,044 fans to their feet. With the Grizzlies trailing 2-1 late in the second period, Newhook took the puck behind his own goal on a power play and wheeled up the ice. After splitting a pair of Spruce Kings at the blue line, the speedy centre, who is committed to Boston College of the NCAA in the fall of 2019, cut wide on the defenceman, then cut back in front of the net and roofed a backhand past Evan DeBrouwer in the Spruce Kings’ net.
“That goal was something special,” said Grizzlies GM/coach Craig Didmon, whose club moves to 18-14-3-2. “Alex is invested in this hockey club and pours his heart into every shift. People gotta come see this kid play. He’s a treat to watch.”
Thirty seconds after Newhook’s goal, Lach Hadley converted a feed from Cole Noble to send the Grizzlies to the intermission with a 3-2 lead.
The Spruce Kings (19-10-2-4) wouldn’t go away, though. With 3:15 left in the third, Patrick Cozzie beat Grizzlies netminder Kurtis Chapman from the slot and it was off to overtime. The Grizzlies, thanks mainly to a power play in double OT, had numerous chances to win it, but DeBrouwer wouldn’t budge. Matt Doran had the other Grizzlies goal. The point keeps Victoria tied atop the Island Division with 41 points, but now with both the Powell River Kings and Nanaimo Clippers, who beat the Penticton Vees 4-2 on Saturday.
The Grizzlies players now head home for Christmas and return to practice on Jan. 31 to get ready for a home-and-home set with the Cowichan Valley Capitals beginning Jan. 2 at The Q Centre.