A few items to clear up from what was a wild 5-4 double-overtime Victoria Grizzlies’ victory over the stubborn Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the B.C. Hockey League playoffs on Wednesday night.
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The first is, where the heck were ya?
An announced crowd of 1,154 was on hand at The Q Centre as the Grizzlies battled back from a 3-1 series deficit, forcing Game 7.
That’s right, Game 7.
How such a pivotal matchup can attract what looked like less than 1,000 fans is beyond comprehension, at least for this Edmonton native, who grew up idolizing sports heroes and attempting to get into any big-game scenario, no matter what the level (as a kid, I used to sneak into Edmonton Eskimos games to watch back in the ‘70s).
Sitting in the press box above such a small crowd Wednesday was almost a bit of an embarrassment, to be truthful.
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What was satisfying was the fans that were there enjoyed an incredible hockey game that ended at 8:18 of the second overtime period on a Shawn McBride slapper just inside the far post of goaltender Connor LaCouvee’s blocker side.
What followed was sheer pandemonium as the roof nearly blew off the Colwood-area rink.
McBride was piled on by ecstatic teammates after the team clawed back for the win that propels the Grizzlies into the Island Division final starting Friday at 7:15 p.m. against Powell River.
“We really brought it in the third period,” McBride said afterward.
And how, out-shooting Alberni 18-5 and tying it up at 4-4 after trailing 4-1 entering the third frame.
Two goals, 26 seconds apart from Leo Fitzgerald and Jaden Schmeisser brought on a huge roar from the Grizzlies’ faithful with just 1:16 left.
It’s too bad there weren’t more fans there to witness it.
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If you had to pick a series MVP, there is little doubt it would have gone to LaCouvee, a busy Bulldogs’ netminder.
“Connor was standing on his head between the pipes and we just couldn’t get anything going in overtime,” said Alberni head coach Kevin Willison.
LaCouvee faced 63 shots on the night (23 in the overtimes) and over the seven-game series it totalled 280, an average of 40 shots a night over a span of nine evenings.
How he wasn’t named a game star is incomprehensible, but it just goes to show you the bias that team officials have when announcing stars. (Note to teams: please don’t tab it as stars selected by "media" because most media do have some sense of impartiality.)
Over the series, LaCouvee finished with a .929 save percentage as he was often bombarded by the hungry Grizzlies.
What cost the Bulldogs dearly was the inability to get the puck out of its own zone in the last two minutes of Game 7, scrambling under pressure and losing all composure while up 4-2.
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Full marks to the Grizzlies for battling back.
They looked like a finished team when Quinton Wunder stepped out of the penalty box to score at 19:31 of the second period to make it 4-1.
Grizzlies head coach Craig Didmon was ecstatic about his team’s will to win, but he certainly gave the Bulldogs praise afterward.
“We had the higher skill set, but they worked hard. No team in the league knew the Fitzgeralds (Myles, Leo and Gerry) better,” said Didmon. “I didn’t want to play them at the start of the playoffs. I was a little leery of them. I knew they would be a tough round.
“Hats off to them. That was a gutsy effort by them and too close for comfort, really.”
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As for the Grizzlies, the scoring balance finally started to show and Schmeisser, for one, has stepped up big time as the 20-year-old has now scored five goals in four games after missing Game 2 and 3 of the series.
How good has he been? Well, Schmeisser had seven goals during the regular season, so you decide.
McBride also came through at the most opportune time, like Schmeisser, bagging two in the series-clinching game, the first and the last of the night.
McBride, a local product who was skating on a line with fellow Victorians Kevin Massy and Cole Pickup, had five goals during the regular season, so has also left an impression so far.
And Pickup has flat-out been a post-season pest.
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Note to the BCHL: Cramming these series in is taking its toll on players and it may mean little to officials, it ultimately takes away from play.
Last season teams played best-of-fives through the first two rounds, crammed into a short span of time. The last three games back-to-back-to-back.
It's the same this season, only in best-of-sevens. Throw in travel in between and you have a recipe for disaster.
There has to be a better way.
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I will end with this, sources say that Janet Fitzgerald, mother of the Grizzlies’ triplets, was verbally abused by several Port Alberni fans, right in her hometown after Game 6.
Bulldogs fans grew up cheering the Fitzgeralds through their minor hockey careers, but the trio has obviously become a target in the Valley the last two years.
But to be letting out your anger and frustration on a parent, or anyone in a hockey rink for that matter, in the heat of the moment is classless and asinine.
It’s a game folks, not life or death, and you’ve obviously lost your sense of values, not to mention intelligence, by screaming at a member of your cherished community.
Think about it.
