Not even seven days off was enough to cool the jets of the Victoria Grizzlies.
In fact, the extended break was just what the team needed, according to new general manager and head coach Craig Didmon.
The Grizzlies played one of their best games of the B.C. Hockey League season, picking up an impressive 5-2 victory over the Powell River Kings on Saturday night at The Q Centre.
The win, in front of an announced crowd of 972, was the Grizzlies’ third in a row, keeping them perfect under Didmon. Victoria also improves to 14-10-0-5 on the season and moves into a tie for third in the Island Division with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, just two points back of second-place Powell River (14-10-0-7).
“We needed that extra time. We got four practices in, and I needed that to get some things across,” Didmon said after watching his club outshoot the Kings 39-31.
“We needed to get to the point where the guys realize they’re a good hockey team, and tonight you saw that we are.”
Especially on the power play. Three goals with the man advantage Saturday night and the Grizzlies now have the league’s second best power play.
Meirs Moore’s power-play goal late in the first broke a 1-1 tie, and Jake Emilio and Jay Mackie tallied with the man advantage in the third to put the game out of reach.
“We worked on it on Friday and it’s just a matter of familiarity now,” Didmon said. “We can put a lot of skill out there, and when they hit their spots it’s hard to defend.”
The Grizzlies used a dominating middle period to take the wind out of the Kings’ sails. Victoria came storming out of the gate to start the second period, and just 1:37 in, Brett Gruber slid a great pass out from the corner to Cody Van Lierop and he blasted a slap shot past Kings rookie goalie Stefan Wornig to put the Grizzlies up 3-1. That spelled the end for Wornig, as Powell River head coach Kent Lewis replaced him with 20-year-old Brett Magnus. Magnus had just played the night before in a home-ice loss to Vernon.
The Kings, who were without forward Kurt Keats and defenceman Carmine Buono thanks to World Junior A Challenge duties with Team West, opened the scoring six minutes in when Jordan Burns beat Michael Stiliadis with a power-play marker of his own. Liam Lawson had the other Powell River goal, while Matt Kennedy had the Grizzlies’ opening goal.
The Grizzlies now have a quick turnover as they host the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Tuesday night at The Q Centre. And it’s the club’s first Toonie Tuesday with all tickets purchased on game-day just $2.
LOOSE PUCKS: Kings defenceman Nick Nonis is the son of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis. The 19-year-old Nonis is headed to the University of New Hampshire next season.
bdrewry@timescolonist.com
