Kurtis Chapman has clocked 132 minutes and 30 seconds of shutout play.
Photograph By DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST
Cleve Dheensaw / Times Colonist
NOVEMBER 15, 2018 06:04 PM
Just call him Mr. Shutout or Mr. Clean Sheet.
Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Kurtis Chapman has not allowed a goal in his last two B.C. Hockey League games — a 5-0 victory over the Cowichan Valley Capitals that was preceded by a 6-0 whitewashing of the Nanaimo Clippers.
It’s not as if Chapman was not peppered during those outings, despite the lopsided scorelines. The 20-year-old native of Calgary, who has played in the Western Hockey League with the Kootenay Ice, made 37 saves in the game against the Capitals and 39 in the game against the Clippers.
The last goal Chapman allowed was at 6:30 of the third period in a 5-2 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters. Since then, he has clocked 132 minutes and 30 seconds of shutout play.
Grizzlies head coach Craig Didmon said Chapman keeps an even keel and “doesn’t get too high or too low. He is a 20-year-old veteran who works hard in practice and it shows. He is in a good [head] space right now.”
Chapman’s shutout streak will be put to the test this weekend as the Island Division-leading Grizzlies (15-7-1) embark on a difficult three-game road trip beginning tonight in Coquitlam against the Express (15-7-1), Saturday in Penticton against the Interior Division-leading Vees (14-7-3) and Sunday in Vernon against the Vipers (8-8-8).
“It’s a huge weekend against three tough clubs, so our preparation this week [was] key for us,” Didmon said.
Grizzlies forward Alex Newhook, projected for the first round of the 2019 NHL draft, goes into the weekend tied for second in BCHL scoring with 35 points in 23 games. Kevin Wall of the Chilliwack Chiefs leads with 38 points. Bradley Cocca of the Merritt Centennials is tied with Newhook at 35 points. Wall and Cocca, however, both have played two more games than Newhook.
The Grizzlies return to the Island to meet the Bulldogs in Port Alberni next Friday before playing the Nanaimo Clippers the following night in the Q Centre.
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