The Victoria Grizzlies have yet to lose, but theyB次元官网网址檙e fully aware their pre-season achievements wonB次元官网网址檛 mean anything when the puck drops on the regular season tonight (Sept. 9) against the Powell River Kings.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still in last place alphabetically,B次元官网网址� joked Grizzlies head coach Craig Didmon.
He did note that the excellent pre-season was a welcome change from last year, when the club stumbled to a 1-5 record, struggles which carried over into the regular season. B次元官网网址淚t certainly gives us an indication that our feet are a little more secure entering the season,B次元官网网址� he said.
Newly minted captain Cody Van Lierop agreed with his coachB次元官网网址檚 sentiments, noting that teams donB次元官网网址檛 usually play their full lineups during the exhibition season and that the Grizzlies will need to be ready for a strong Powell River team in the opener.
Van Lierop was one of two obvious candidates for the captaincy, along with veteran forward Cole Pickup.
B次元官网网址淚t was a tough one, because theyB次元官网网址檙e both really captains in the room and on the ice as well,B次元官网网址� Didmon said. Didmon and his coaching staff chose to go with Van Lierop for his ability to B次元官网网址渒eep an even keelB次元官网网址� and not B次元官网网址済et too high or too low.B次元官网网址�
The 20-year-old defenceman, entering his third season with the club, expects to lead by example. He learned itB次元官网网址檚 a captainB次元官网网址檚 job B次元官网网址渘ot to get too emotionalB次元官网网址� from watching the GrizzliesB次元官网网址� previous leaders, Dane Gibson and P.J. Conlon.
Pickup and Tyler Welsh will be full-time alternate captains while defencemen Jake Stevens and Bret Stirling will share the third B次元官网网址楢.B次元官网网址�
The strength of the Grizzlies appears to lie in their own zone, with Van Lierop at the heart of a defence core that returns four players from a year ago. Goaltender Matthew Galajda, who recently committed to play college hockey at Cornell University next season, should be among the leaders in the BCHL once again this year.
Up front, the bulk of the GrizzliesB次元官网网址� scoring hopes will rest on the shoulders of Pickup and his linemates Nathan Looysen and Tyler Welsh.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited for PickupB次元官网网址檚 line B次元官网网址� they looked great in pre-season,B次元官网网址� Didmon said. B次元官网网址淭hey can all shoot the puck, theyB次元官网网址檙e all good playmakers and theyB次元官网网址檙e all physical and win battles.B次元官网网址�
Lucas Clark will centre Keyvan Mokhtari and Jamie Rome on a line that promises to have a good combination of power and speed, while Sage Englund will be in the middle of a line that includes Nick Guiney and Justin Michaelian, that trio having showed a lot of chemistry according to Didmon.
In a stark contrast to last season, where the Grizzlies had to wait for the Victoria Shamrocks to play out the Mann Cup before settling into their home at The Q Centre, Victoria will open with four of its first five games on home ice.
Didmon prefers this home-heavy schedule to last yearB次元官网网址檚 scenario, which saw the club play its entire first month of games on the road.
B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 get good in our barn now B次元官网网址� letB次元官网网址檚 get to know this place and be a very good team at home,B次元官网网址� he said.
The puck will drop on the GrizzliesB次元官网网址� 2016-17 campaign at 7 p.m. against the Kings. TheyB次元官网网址檒l take on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tomorrow night at The Q Centre at the same start time, before travelling to Duncan on Tuesday for a date with the Cowichan Valley Capitals. For more information about the team, visit victoriagrizzlies.com.
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com
