The news was good over the weekend for the B.C. Hockey League as a brand but not so much for the Victoria Grizzlies down at the individual club level.
The BCHL will have an alumnus on the Canadian team for the second consecutive year in the world junior championship tournament. Former standout Trail Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson, taken fifth overall in the 2021 NHL draft by Columbus, was named to the Canadian roster for the 2022 world juniors from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer. That follows up former Grizzlies star forward and 2021 Canadian team silver-medallist Alex Newhook, now in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were wishing they had a bit of that Newhook magic back in a winless three-game swing through the Lower Mainland. The 4-2 setback Sunday in Surrey against the Eagles capped the lost weekend as not even rookie star Matthew Wood’s two-goal performance could save the Grizzlies from dipping below .500
That game followed a 5-3 loss to the Eagles on Friday in Surrey and 3-0 loss to the Coastal Conference-leading Rivermen in Langley on Saturday.
“It’s a tough league to play in, and this is a development process, where you have to learn from your mistakes,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
“We have the players and have to continue to work hard. We had our scoring chances on the weekend but just couldn’t seem to do enough to get the puck in.”
The Grizzlies (12-13) will try to get back on the winning track Wednesday night in Port Alberni against the Bulldogs (12-8-3).
