Grizzlies look to stay on a roll against Warriors

No need for a curtain call. They will return. But the Fab Five will put on a farewell performance today until Dec. 16.

B.C. Hockey League scoring leader Alex Newhook, New York Rangers draft-pick Riley Hughes, Alex Campbell and defencemen Jeremie Bucheler and Carter Berger combined for 20 points in the Victoria Grizzlies’s 10-6 victory over the Coquitlam Express on Friday night.

They showed in ample batches why they are headed to the Team Canada West selection camp beginning Monday in Calgary for the 2018 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge this month in Bonnyville, Alta., which will also feature Team Canada East, Russia, Czech Republic and the U.S.

The five will leave after this afternoon’s matinée at 2 p.m. against West Kelowna (17-12-1 heading into Saturday night’s game in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals).

Newhook and Campbell are cited by Central Scouting for the 2019 NHL draft, with Newhook projected for the first round and Campbell for the fourth to seventh rounds, although other draft sites have Campbell moving up as high as the third round.

As much as he liked the offensive outburst against Coquitlam, which included two goals and five assists from himself, Grizzlies captain Newhook said what most pleased him was the ability to twice rally from 4-1 and 6-4 deficits.

“That showed the character of our team,” said the native of St. John’s, Nfld.

The Fab Five is also a group that knows how to compartmentalize.

“We only focus on what’s at hand,” Newhook said.

“We are preparing for West Kelowna and then we will prepare for what’s ahead [World Junior ‘A’ Challenge].”

Especially since the Warriors beat the Grizzlies (20-9-1) in the Okanagan.

“[Warriors] are a skilled, fast team and this is a revenge match from the last time we played them,” Newhook said.

Meanwhile, more than the five could be missing for much of the next month after Grizzlies forward Cam Thompson left on Friday after receiving a hit.