Victoria Grizzlies News
GRIZZLIES DEAL FOR FORMER OHLERVictoria ships four players east for tough defenceman Brad Pawlowski September 05, 2009 Sharie Epp ©Times Colonist - Brad Pawlowski is the tough, experienced defenceman the Victoria Grizzlies were looking for, but he didn’t come cheap. Yesterday, with coach and interim GM Victor Gervais on the phone en route to a game against the Bulldogs in Port Alberni, the Grizzlies finalized a deal with the Trenton, Ont., Golden Hawks to bring the former Ontario Hockey League D-man to Victoria. In exchange, the Grizzlies gave up a bundle, including goaltender Alex Peck and forward Mike Hammond, both Grizz veterans, as well as forward Craig Eisenhut and defenceman Ryan Bradley. “He’s a big, big defenceman. He’s 20 years old, and he’s a man playing with boys is what I’ve been told,” Gervais said about the sixfoot-three, 220-pound Pawlowski, a native of Marathon, Ont., who spent time with the Oshawa Generals before moving to the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. “I just found we were missing a little toughness, after trading away Tyler Matheson.” As a rookie head coach, Gervais, whose team edged the Bulldogs 3-2 in overtime in a B.C. Hockey League pre-season game at the Alberni Valley Multiplex, knew he had to make roster moves. He just didn’t realize how difficult it would be telling the players. “I’ve never done it before, and it was hard, really hard telling kids they were going,” Gervais said. “It wasn’t a happy day.” Reportedly, Hammond won’t report to Trenton, but will return to the Junior B Victoria Cougars. Hammond played part of last season with the Cougars, after missing weeks of Junior A action with an injured elbow. “Mike’s a gifted hockey player. He had a tough year last year,” said Gervais, who had hoped Hammond would play in Trenton. “He could go there and light it up.” Lighting it up for the Grizzlies whenever they’ve played during the exhibition season is the trio of Dustin Mowrey, Teal Burns, and Madison Dias. Pegged to be the top line for Victoria this season, they’re the reason Gervais felt he could use someone like Pawlowski. He played two years with the Oshawa Generals, before moving to Junior A. “I need a guy to protect Mowrey, Burns, and Dias,” Gervais said. “These guys are all young kids, and they’re going to be really good in this league. I want them to play their game, and I don’t want anybody to intimidate them.” Mowrey scored to put the Grizzlies up 2-0 in the second period on Friday, after Spencer Copp had posted the lone goal of the first period in the even matchup. David Dzuirzynski got Alberni on the board in the second period, on the power play, and Robert Lindores tied it for the home team with 3:27 to play in the third. Wes Myron netted the winner with a nice second effort at 3:13 of the first OT. The Bulldogs outshot Victoria 33-31. Taking over for Peck in net yesterday was 20-yearold Richie Virtanen, the No. 2 man with the Burnaby Express last season. Virtanen played half the game, before making way for Florida-born Ben Kantor, who’s one of the prospects the Grizzlies have been eyeing. The decision-making will continue as the teams wind up their exhibition schedule today. “We’ll see where our roster lands over the next couple of days,” said Alberni Valley coach Nolan Graham, who, like Gervais, is never far from his phone these days. The Grizzlies play the Nanaimo Clippers in Sooke today, starting at 7 p.m., and the Bulldogs go up against Cowichan Valley in Duncan. The regular season begins on Friday, when the Grizzlies visit Nanaimo.
|
