The Victoria Grizzlies welcomed back Craig Didmon with a 6-0 whitewash of the Cowichan Valley Capitals at the Island Savings Centre in Duncan on Friday night, giving their former bench boss a win in his first game since taking over coaching and general manager’s duties from Brad Knight.
Garrett Forster and former Capital Dane Gibson both scored their 10th goals of the season as Victoria opened up a 2-0 lead and 20-5 shots advantage after 20 minutes.
“The boys were really composed. They worked extra hard and played our game plan to a tee,” said Didmon, whose 12-10-0-5 Grizzlies shut out the hometown Capitals on their teddy bear toss night. “This is a mature, skilled group and we’ll have our success if we play like that every night.”
It was a bonus it came in his first game back.
“Regardless, I knew they were going to work hard and do their best. To have such a definitive win like that in the first game is a good sign of things to come,” he said.
Meirs Moore and Cody Van Lierop added second-period markers for the Grizz, who snapped a two-game winless skid, while the Capitals had won three of their last four coming in.
Jay Mackie added a third-period tally to go with two assists as he had a big evening for his former and now current coach. Brett Gruber closed out the scoring and Mike Stiliadis made 19 stops for the shutout, while Cowichan’s Matthew Zentner faced 35 shots.
It’s the start Victoria’s ownership group hoped for after the change was made as Knight stepped down on Sunday.
“The team needs to get back on track and win some hockey games. There’s no doubt it’s a talented roster and has the abilities to win in this league, for sure,” Grizzlies president John Wilson said of the fourth coaching change in less than a year.
“Sure, they [the fans] want some stability and the goal going into the year was stability. You can’t be ready for something like this to happen,” he added of the shuffle. “This was not in the plan, we just had to react accordingly.
“We were fortunate we had somebody with Craig’s skill level and preparation level to step in so quickly. We want stability. Craig knows that and the ownership group knows that. We want to push forward with this group and have this team win and be stable in ownership and management, and coaching moving forward. Will that help with the fans? I sure hope so.”
They’ll have a look tonight at 7 as the Merritt Centennials visit The Q Centre at 7 on teddy bear toss night as fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal to benefit Santa’s Anonymous, VGH Pediatric Ward and Child and Family Services on Wale Road (bears will also be available to purchase for $10).
The Grizzlies are also collecting new unwrapped toys in partnership with CFAX Santa’s Anonymous.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
