Victoria Grizzlies News
GRIZZLIES CAPTAIN COMES TO RESCUEJanuary 06, 2010 Sharie Epp ©Times Colonist - The Victoria Grizzlies and Nanaimo Clippers put on a terrific display of defence in a game that stayed scoreless for 68 minutes and 43 seconds last night at Bear Mountain Arena. But it only takes one goal, and captain Jordan Heywood got it for the hometown fans at 3:43 of double overtime, to give the Grizzlies a 1-0 victory. “The guys played so hard. I would have been happy for anybody to get a goal, but to be the one that got it — that felt so great,” Heywood said. “[The goalie] poke-checked the puck away, and I tapped it over his stick. He was already committed, and I had a wide open net.” In the first period last night, the teams took nearly as many shots at each other as they did on net, starting from the opening face off when Victoria’s Greg Simpson and Nanaimo’s Nick Bell immediately threw off the gloves. The battle momentarily caught the attention of the crowd gathered around the mezzanine televisions to watch Canada and the United States in the World Junior Hockey Championship final. When the fans quietly took their seats, no PA announcement was needed to say who had won. Nanaimo took 11 minutes to register their first shot on Victoria goaltender Ryan Holfeld, and the Grizzlies weren’t a whole lot better. The scoreless period ended with five shots each and a highlight hit from Heywood, who flattened Brayden Jaw in an open-ice knockdown. Clipper Tyler Mah tried to exact a little revenge on Heywood, but the Grizzlies captain held his own in the punching department. The game started off in similar fashion to Saturday’s contest up Island, where the Grizzlies edged the Clippers 4-2, in what was a very tight game, especially considering the recent struggles in Nanaimo. Coach Bill Bestwick said their team’s one-win-10-loss record in December was probably the worst in Clippers history. “We’ve been decimated with injuries. Six of our regulars were out of uniform most of December,” Bestwick said. “We’ve competed hard, we just haven’t had the depth and the finishing touches.” “Now, we’re just trying to get every point we can.” Effort was on display for both sides yesterday, as the shots were 10-10 and the score 0-0 by the end of two periods. Alex Allan had Victoria’s best chance on a power play late in the second, and gave himself quite a talking to, after shooting the puck wide. The Grizzlies were likely all talking to themselves early in the third period, when they didn’t capitalize on a full two minutes of a two-man advantage. The trio of Clippers defencemen blocked so many shots, the puck barely got through at all to goaltender Loic Boivin. It was the Grizzlies turn to block shots to kill a penalty in overtime, as the teams played through four on-four to three-on-three OT.“ It was just tight-checking hockey,” Heywood said. The Grizzlies (21-14-2-5), in fifth place in the B.C. Hockey League Coastal Conference, are back at Bear Mountain on Saturday, against the Burnaby Express.
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