In his B.C. Hockey League coaching career Bill Bestwick has experienced teams with high turnover. But this yearB次元官网网址檚 Victoria Grizzlies resemble that of an expansion team, not one that was within a win of the Coastal conference finals in 2011.

The new-look Grizzlies split the first two games at the BCHL showcase in Chilliwack last weekend, a 1-0 loss to the Coquitlam Express and a 5-4 overtime win against the Port Alberni Bulldogs. Tonight (Sept. 14) is the Grizz home-opener against the Powell River Kings.

B次元官网网址淔or a team of 17 new players, I thought they acquitted themselves well (in Chilliwack),B次元官网网址� Bestwick said. B次元官网网址淭he Coquitlam game could have been 3-3, and it could have gone either way, both goalies were great.B次元官网网址�

CoquitlamB次元官网网址檚 Cole Huggins stopped all 40 shots he faced for the shutout. VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Brady Rouleau saved 26 of 27 shots.

Rouleau, 19, won 12 games with the Cowichan Valley Capitals last year and was unlucky to be pinned with the teamB次元官网网址檚 first loss on Friday. The GrizzliesB次元官网网址� other netminder, Michael Stiliadis, an 18-year-old import from Ontario, earned the win over Port Alberni on Saturday despite letting in four goals.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not going to see many shutouts in this league,B次元官网网址� Bestwick said. B次元官网网址淭hat said, from what I saw at the showcase, there is some extremely good goaltending in the BCHL this year.B次元官网网址�

Bestwick only took over as the Grizz head coach and general manager in late June, which, by junior A hockey standards, is considered too late. Regardless, he and assistant coach-GM Craig Didmon got as busy as they could in the trading and recruiting department.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never started with a team in July,B次元官网网址� Bestwick said. B次元官网网址淏ut the expectations arenB次元官网网址檛 any less. If anything, itB次元官网网址檚 a chance to shape this group of players into our philosophy.B次元官网网址�

sports@vicnews.com