GAME DAY: ALBERNI VALLEY AT VICTORIA; 1: 15 P.M. AT BEAR MOUNTAIN ARENA
Calling it a confidence boost and a push forward, the Victoria Grizzlies are hoping to build off their biggest win of the B.C. Hockey League season.
Squeaking past the Penticton Vees 3-2 in double overtime on Friday, it doesn't get much easier this afternoon in a battle for first place in the Island Division with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 1: 15 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena.
Heading into Saturday night play, the Bulldogs (at home against the Nanaimo Clippers, whom they crushed 7-2 on Friday) were the hottest team in the BCHL with four straight wins.
The 'Dogs obviously have a lot of bite as they lead the league in scoring with 50 goals (prior to Saturday night). The next-closest team was Penticton, with 42.
But Alberni has also surrendered the second-highest total with 51 against, behind just Trail's 59.
Victoria, on the other hand, had scored 30 and had 30 against.
"We haven't seen them since we had a chance to play them in Chilliwack," Grizzlies general manager and head coach Bill Best-wick said of the Bulldogs.
Victoria won that matchup 5-4 in overtime at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack.
"They seem to be scoring a lot. I haven't seem them play, but we'll be watching video," Bestwick said.
What the Grizzlies have to their advantage is the fact that the Bulldogs will be playing their third game in three days after their home-and-home Island Division clash with Nanaimo.
"That's the benefit of the schedule," Bestwick said.
"We get nailed on that from time to time, and everybody gets that bad luck of the draw, and we need to take advantage of that [today].
"Sometimes in those situations, you think it's going to be easy and you let a team stick around and you end up playing on your heels and not brigning your A game. We'll bring our A game [today], I'm sure.
These kids know how important that game is. It's going to set us up for a first-place showdown."
The Grizzlies had Saturday off on what they dubbed family weekend as parents have come to watch their kids play. In a nice touch, players' moms were introduced prior to Friday's win and each parent was handed a rose by their hockey-playing son.
More family events were held Saturday, and the Grizzlies should be refreshed for this afternoon's game.
"We beat [Alberni] down in Chilliwack," said Myles Fitzgerald, who had two goals in that victory including the overtime winner. "It should be fun, and if we play like we did against Penticton here, we should be able to come away with the win."
Fitzgerald, who also scored Friday's winner in double overtime, also hails from Port Alberni along with his triplet brothers Gerry and Leo, which makes today's game that much more interesting for the trio. [email protected] Twitter/tc_vicsports
