Brian Drewry / Times Colonist
Photograph By DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST
DECEMBER 15, 2017 10:41 PM
It’s pretty much mission accomplished for Kurtis Chapman.
The veteran netminder was brought in this month to solidify the Victoria Grizzlies’ goaltending situation. And after a slow start in his first B.C. Hockey League game, Chapman has found his groove and has rolled off four straight victories, including shutting out the Cowichan Valley Capitals 5-0 on Friday night at The Q Centre.
After No. 1 goaltender Zack Rose left to play for Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Nova Scotia — where he’ll play for gold today against the U.S. — and backup Shawn Parkinson was place on injured reserve, Grizzlies GM/head coach Craig Didmon was forced to go get a veteran presence in net to hold the fort until Rose returns early in the new year. Enter Chapman from the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Calgary Mustangs.
He calmly turned aside 30 shots on Friday while his teammates continued to put pucks behind opposition goalies at a rapid pace. Carter Berger, Marty Westhaver, Cam Thompson, Ethan Nother and Jamie Rome all scored for the Grizzlies (18-14-3-1), who pushed their win streak to four games and moved into a tie with the Powell River Kings atop the Island Division.
“Kurtis is getting more comfortable with every game, because it’s a big change coming to not only a new team but a new league,” Didmon said.
Chapman’s first BCHL game was a loss at Cowichan, but he has now beaten Nanaimo, Powell River, Alberni and the Capitals.
“This was a great game,” said the 19-year-old Chapman, who hails from Airdrie, Alta.
“The guys stuck to the game plan and made my life easier, so you can’t ask for much more as a goalie.”
Chapman wasn’t too worried about his slow start.”
“I’ve adjusted to the game here now and feel more comfortable,” he said.
The Grizzlies’ offence didn’t waste any time getting to Cowichan netminder J.J. Pichette.
Berger took a nice feed from Justin Michaelian in the slot and fired a high wrister past Pichette just three minutes into the game. Four minutes after that, Westhaver deflected a point shot in.
“For us, we can’t get outworked. But if we work hard, we have the skill to do good things, and that’s what the guys did and they got rewarded for it,” said Didmon.
Goals by Thompson and Nother a minute apart with seven minutes left in the second spelled the end for Pichette as he was replaced by Parker Swanson.
The Grizzlies are back at tonight at The Q Centre when they host the Prince George Spruce Kings for their final game before the Christmas break.
LOOSE PUCKS: Rose will be on national TV today as he leads Canada West into the gold-medal game in Truro, N.S. TSN will broadcast the World Junior A Challenge final at 11 a.m. PST.
Get Your Tickets Today:
