If you aren’t familiar with the Victoria Grizzlies this BCHL season, you’re about to be.
The Express embark to the island on a weekend swing that begins tonight in the provincial capital. The Grizzlies are ahead of Coquitlam in the standings and with three of the next four games being head-to-head with Victoria, there is still a chance to catch them for the fifth seed. Mathematics have officially ruled the Express out of home ice advantage for the opening round but these games will be supremely important for playoff prep.
With multiple scenarios for the opening round being against island teams, the ability to head over on the ferry and take care of business, no matter the barn is good practice for Coquitlam. With Nanaimo in fourth and Alberni in third, there’s a very high chance the Express will break the streak of seeing the Chiefs in the first round. Could you imagine a second-round meeting?
There has been only one prior meeting between these two sides this season, which was over at the Q Centre. That contest ended 4-2 Grizzlies after Joseph Odyniec had a third period two-goal outburst to bring the game within one before Landon Mackie sealed the deal at 18:02.
Adam Manji stopped 39 of 43 in that game so the Express will need to manage the shot totals against their net minders. Especially when as of late the Grizzlies have been a team trying to score their way out of defensive problems.
In the month of March, the Grizzlies have allowed four goals or more in every game. That is a far cry from the defensive stats they were achieving last season with the stellar play of Coquitlam local Oliver Auyeung-Ashton. This year Ashton has split duties with Owen Bresson and both goalies are around a .900 save percentage and 3.00 GAA. The Grizzlies also sport a respectable powerplay of 25% that bumps up to 27% when they are at home. The Q has been a tough barn to play in this season as Victoria sports a 16-8-1 record with the home cooking fueling them.
Both James Shannon and Jackson Krill had fantastic weekends finding their teammates a week ago in the interior. They each earned two primary assists including Krill’s highlight reel spinning pass to Cole Melady against Cranbrook. Their respective defensive games have been exceptional this season so if they continue to supplement that with enabling their teammates on the score sheet, they are multi level threats to be feared. In particular, Shannon’s faceoff work will be called upon heavily to disrupt the flow of the Grizzlies and force them to work hard to try regaining the puck from the Express.
Coquitlam only have nine road wins on the campaign so tonight and Saturday will be imperative to polishing up the road gameplan and building that postseason confidence and swagger needed to hush hostile home crowds.
Tune in for the FloHockey broadcast as Tom Wilke has the call with the opening puckdrop scheduled for 7pm PST.
– Ian Wilson
