Victoria, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies (26-17-7) (4th in Coastal Conference) travel north to visit the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (26-21-3) (7th in the Coastal Conference) this evening at 7:00 PM from the Alberni Multiplex for an all important start to their final four games.
It is all hands on deck for the Grizzlies who have lost five in a row and six of their last seven, making for a troubling run of play as they head towards the postseason. For the south island team, their goal remains the same through adversity, and that is to find their top game and confidence as they head into the most important time of the year.
They hope that that confidence will be built tonight in a building where they have had their fair share of success this season as well as against a team who has had issues in the second half of the year. Victoria has owned the season series so far at four to one over the Bulldogs and that includes two victories at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Both of those have come in the second half, first on January 4th (6-3) and then February 17th (6-4). The other games in the first half of scheduling; September 27th (9-3 Victoria), October 5th (4-3 Alberni Valley) and November 8th (3-0 Victoria).
Alberni Valley is a team that has had their own share of struggles in the second half of the season but they did it in the opposite way than the Grizzlies. They kicked off the second half by losing eight in a row. They are now 7-12-2 in the second half however four of their wins have come against the lowly Powell River Kings (9-35-6). Take away their games against the Kings and they are 3-12-2 against all other opponents.
A big name to watch out for this evening will be Reegan Hiscock who leads the Grizzlies with 16 goals and 29 points in 23 games of the end portion of the campaign. He has done a ridiculous amount of damage against the Bulldogs as well, logging two hat tricks (September 27th and February 17th) while putting up a line of 8-3-11 against them in five games. The St. John’s, Newfoundland native is now tied for ninth in the BCHL with his 26 tallies.
Tonight’s game is available for free to listen on the Grizzlies Radio network on mixLR while simulcast for paid stream on floHockey.
