Friday, October 9, 2015 – Submitted by Mario Annicchiarico / Times Colonist
The shuffling of lines continued for the Victoria Grizzlies on Friday, but so too did the losses.
Victoria surrendered the first goal of the game for the seventh time in 10 outings in posting a tight 3-2 setback to the host Cowichan Valley Capitals as the Grizzlies fall further down the B.C. Hockey League standings to 1-8-0-1.
The young, inexperienced club continues to have to battle back in games — a task that appears much too difficult early in this season.
An even more obvious statistic, however, is the team has been shut out in 17 of 32 periods — two being overtime sessions — as goal-scoring issues continue.
Victoria remains one of the lowest-scoring clubs in the BCHL, tallying just 19 times in 10 outings, ahead of just the Prince George Spruce Kings, who they defeated 2-1 in overtime for the Grizzlies’ only victory of the 2015-16 campaign.
Victoria will now try to snap a five-game losing streak as it plays host to the Surrey Eagles (also struggling at 2-7) tonight at 7 at The Q Centre for the Grizzlies’ third game in three nights.
Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon was much happier with the effort than the night previous when his club lost 4-2 at home to Alberni Valley.
“I thought we played a really good game. I thought we out-played them. We hit posts, got stymied out front a couple of times,” said Didmon. “Tonight I thought we had a much better effort.
“I had no qualms with the effort and we realize the process is evolving,” he added, stating it’s been a season of struggles that need to be overcome.
Matthew Hudie opened the scoring for the Capitals at 8:57 of the first period after the Grizzlies had outshot the hosts 7-1 over the first handful of minutes. Cole Pickup hit the post twice and Joey Visconti added another shot off the iron for the frustrated visitors.
The now 5-2-1-1 Capitals made it 2-0 on a power play as recently acquired Carter Cochrane doubled the lead exactly four minutes later.
Tyler Welsh cut into the lead as he recorded his first goal of the season for the Grizzlies midway through the second, but Hudie restored the two-goal lead with just 1:08 left in the middle stanza.
Welsh also collected the Grizzlies’ second goal of the night to cut it to 3-2 at 6:09 of the third, but they couldn’t buy the equallizer. Capitals goalie Storm Phaneuf turned aside Victoria captain P.J. Conlon late in the game as he made 28 saves in the win, while Mitchell Benson blocked 25.
Didmon moved big defenceman Kevin Massy up front to forward on a line with Brayden Gelsinger and Corey Iapalucci to try to change things up. He also welcomed defenceman Drayson Pears back from injury, but not fellow injured blue-liners Brett Stirling or Jake Stevens.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
