Grizzlies rookie goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton has just racked up three consecutive shutouts. DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST
Cleve Dheensaw
Everybody dreams of the ideal homecoming. Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton will be living it in Coquitlam. He brings over 10 periods — 206 minutes — of scoreless crease play into tonight’s game against the Express (12-8-4) in his hometown rink where he played minor hockey.
“I’ve been looking forward to going back to Coquitlam and this will be exciting because it’s my first trip back [since breaking into the B.C. Hockey League this season with Victoria],” said Auyeung-Ashton.
Although there will be plenty of family and friends on hand, the game is the thing for Auyeung-Ashton.
“I block out the noise and focus on the next save,” he said.
There are currently 163 BCHL players in the 2022-23 season, including nine on the Grizzlies, committed to NCAA Div. 1 schools. Although only a 17-year-old BCHL rookie, who backstopped the Vancouver Northeast Chiefs to the B.C. Elite League U-18 Triple-A championship last season, Auyeung-Ashton must be opening scouts’ eyes and getting close to an offer. He has been named to the Coastal Conference team for the BCHL 3-on-3 outdoor All-Star Tournament Jan. 21 in Penticton.
Auyeung-Ashton has recorded a trey of consecutive shutouts in his last three games for the Grizzlies (11-10-3), including 3-0, 5-0 and 3-0 victories over the Cowichan Valley Capitals, Alberni Valley Bulldogs and Salmon Arm Silverbacks. He has started all games in Victoria’s current five-game winning streak, allowing only three goals in that stretch. Auyeung-Ashton leads the BCHL in save percentage at .945 and shutouts with five with the second-lowest goals-against average at a downright stingy 1.81.
Auyeung-Ashton is turning into a true find but said the plaudits deserve to be spread beyond the crease.
“We play a defensive structure and our defencemen are strong and our forwards are back-checking hard,” he said.
The defence never rests is often the adage in sports of teams with strong back ends. But the reality is forwards can’t take shifts off, either, as Auyeung-Ashton alluded.
“Everybody has to buy-in. It can’t be just the defence or goaltending,” said Grizzlies head coach and GM Rylan Ferster.
“Our forwards are tracing back and back-checking.”
The defensive-minded Grizzlies conclude the road trip on Saturday in Chilliwack against the Chiefs (10-13-1) and Sunday in Langley against the Rivermen (7-16-2).
