Victoria Grizzlies News

PAWLOWSKI DOING HIS PART TO KEEP GRIZZLIES ON A ROLL

PAWLOWSKI DOING HIS PART TO KEEP GRIZZLIES ON A ROLL

January 20, 2010 Sharie Epp ©Times Colonist -

Tattooed on Brad Pawlowski’s shoulder is a gruesome looking skull with missing teeth and flames and hockey sticks sticking out of various orifices. It looks intimidating, much like the guy who wears it, and that suits the six-foot-three, 220-pound Victoria Grizzlies defenceman just fine.

“I play the same role I have everywhere else, really,” said Pawlowski, ready to continue his toughguy image tonight, when the Grizzlies play host to the Nanaimo Clippers, starting at 7:15 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena.

A victory over Nanaimo would make it six straight wins for the Grizzlies, who are still riding high after Saturday’s 5-3 upset of the defending RBC Cup champion Vernon Vipers, the top team in the B.C. Hockey League.

The victory was extra special, coming on Pawlowski’s 21st birthday.

“It was a big win, and it made it a lot sweeter. It was a good birthday present, for sure,” said Pawlowski, who set the tone for the game in warm-up, chatting with the Vipers.

“I was just talking to pretty much the whole team, letting them know it was my birthday, and seeing how they were doing,” said Pawlowski, whose “innocent” remarks appeared to rile the Vipers. “It worked out perfect.

“[The victory] was a huge stepping stone for our season.”

What the Grizzlies did was keep hitting the Vipers, until the No. 2-ranked team in the country was thrown off their game. And the tactics weren’t nasty, since just three penalties were called on each side — none of them against Pawlowski. In fact, Victoria’s enforcer hasn’t even had a fight since November, and isn’t the most penalized player on the Grizzlies roster.

“I’m not a dirty player. I stick up for my team when it’s needed.”

When the Grizzlies started to falter, and the Vipers came back from a 3-0 deficit, Pawlowski was the one in the dressing room telling his teammates to settle down and re-focus.

“I just said we have to stay loose. Just calm down and keep hitting them,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to do against fast teams.”

The strategy worked, and the Grizzlies hope the attitude carries through the final 15 games of the regular season. The Clippers have been on a dreadful run of late — one win in their last 17 games — and are a desperate bunch. But if the Clippers hope to break out against the Grizzlies, they’ll have to deal with the Pawlowski, who admits his methods are most successful against the young guys.

“When they see a 20year-old with a big red beard screaming at them from the red-line, I don’t think they feel too safe.”

BEAR TRACKS: Pawlowski has nine goals and 19 assists in 35 games. … Rookie defenceman Sam Grist is doubtful for today’s game, after being knocked unconscious in a collision with Jordan Heywood at practice.