Grizzlies forward Cam Thompson and Kings’ Neil Samanski will renew the rivalry on Friday night at The Q Centre.
Photograph By DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST
Cleve Dheensaw / Times Colonist
MARCH 21, 2019 09:44 PM
A high degree of toughness and resolve is needed this time of year in hockey, especially in the midst of a tight playoff series.
Victoria Grizzlies forward Cam Thompson had five teeth lost or broken Tuesday night in Powell River in Game 4 of the second-round B.C. Hockey League series against the Kings.
“He cleaned up the blood and went right back at it,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
“You have to play with that kind of courage in the playoffs.”
The Island Division-second seed Kings won 3-2 in overtime to tie the series 2-2 heading into Friday night’s Game 5 at The Q Centre and Game 6 on Saturday night in Powell River. Game 7, if needed, will be Monday night at The Q Centre.
Didmon said Thompson will play without a full-face shield. What’s the point now? The damage is already done. As far as aesthetics go, hockey players only worry about the dentist after the season.
“Everybody’s got bumps and bruises. That’s part of it this time of year,” said Didmon.
Blue-liner Carter Berger, one of four Grizzlies projected for the 2019 NHL draft, concurred: “Everything is ramped up at playoff time. Everyone has bruises and bumps and that’s all a part of it. Those are the sacrifices you make to be out there on the ice this time of year.”
Who can best slog through the pain and fatigue usually wins at playoff time.
“We know we have offence, but we’ve also shown that gritty, physicality is a part of our team, too. In many ways, we were unlucky on Tuesday,” said Didmon.
“If we continue to play with confidence and physicality, the results will be there. It’s a best-of-three now and we still have home-ice advantage.”
The Island Division top-seed Grizzlies remain upbeat.
“There’s a certain bit of unpredictability in what essentially becomes a best-of-three, and anything can happen, but we are prepared for all eventualities that may came up the rest of the way,” said Berger.
“We still have home-ice advantage and that is huge for us because we have played well at home all year. We just need to worry about ourselves and play our game and not worry about them [Kings].”
The outstanding goaltending in the series, provided by Victoria’s Kurtis Chapman and Powell River’s Mitch Adamyk, has become a storyline.
“Both goalies have been excellent,” said Didmon.
“We have to get at their net and get those rebounds.”
The other Island Division team still alive, the upstart 16th overall seed Cowichan Valley Capitals, continue their charmed run through the post-season and are tied 2-2 with the defending BCHL-champion Wenatchee Wild in their second-round series. Game 5 is Friday night in Washington state and Game 6 Sunday night at the Stick in Duncan. Game 7, if required, will be Tuesday in Wenatchee.
BCHL NOTES: Matt Hughes has resigned his position as GM and head coach of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs after two seasons. Hughes guided the Bulldogs to fourth place in the Island Division in each of his regular seasons before being beaten by the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs both times.
The Bulldogs said they will have an announcement on a new GM and head coach “in the coming days.”
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
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