After their road trip was unexpectedly extended by MondayB次元官网网址檚 floods, the Victoria Grizzlies were gearing up Wednesday to return to the Island on a chartered plane.

Team president Lance Black said the group has been holed up at the Penticton Lakeside Resort for four days, and with each day on the road costing the team more than $3,500 and a home game scheduled for this Friday (Nov. 19), a decision had to be made whether to wait until driving home was an option, or find another way home.

B次元官网网址淥ur main concern is the safety of our players and we are going to make sure we get home safely,B次元官网网址� Black said. B次元官网网址淥ur only way home we feel is flying, so we arranged for that.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 a costly choice however, with the charter expected to raise the cost of the trip to around $40,000, more than double the normal cost of such a road trip.

READ MORE: Atmospheric river behind record rain and flooding in Greater Victoria

But considering what many other southern B.C. flood victims are going through B次元官网网址� evacuations and destroyed homes B次元官网网址� Black said the team considers themselves fortunate to have been living so comfortably and is happily making the best of it.

B次元官网网址淭he Penticton Vees have arranged some practices for us, they have allowed us to use their dressing room and they have also done our laundry for us. They stepped up big time,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭here are a lot of people out there who are a lot more desperate than we are.B次元官网网址�

The teamB次元官网网址檚 hotel has also been accommodating of their situation, and Black said he has been approached by multiple locals while out and about who expressed concern and offered any help they could provide.

The delay has also meant more time for team bonding, with players spending plenty of time at the cinemas and hotel pool together over the past few days.

That morale boost is especially valuable, Black said B次元官网网址� the team lost three straight games before breaking out with a 6-2 road win Sunday over the Trail Smoke Eaters, and some key players have been missing.

It also isnB次元官网网址檛 expected to impact the GrizzliesB次元官网网址� schedule, as their next game is at home against the Powell River Kings on Friday. Black said the Kings intend to stay in town that night to avoid the current overnight road closures on the Malahat.

According to the BCHL website, only one game has been impacted by the flooding as of publication time, with WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 game between the Vees and Merritt Centennials listed as postponed.

READ MORE: Experts say B.C. rainstorms highlight increasing flood risks and need to prepare

READ MORE: Woman captures aerial footage of flood devastation in Abbotsford

justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
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