Three unanswered third-period goals, including a shorthanded marker scored during a four-minute penalty kill, carried the Juan de Fuca Grizzlies to a 5-3 win over Cowichan Valley on Sunday at Westhills Arena.
The win helped salvage their Island Tier 1 midget hockey league weekend, following Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Peninsula Eagles in North Saanich.
Grizzlies head coach Chris Kueber, suspended and watching from the sidelines at Westhills after receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct and game misconduct penalties at the end of the Peninsula game, said his players dug deep after Cowichan took a 3-2 lead late in the second period.
“We’re a hard-working team,” he said, noting that the flu has run rampant through the lineup in the past week. “They work for their opportunities, and like I say, we’re sick, but the guys give what they’ve got. That’s the m.o. for our team.”
With teammate Ian Ker serving a double minor for slashing, Juan de Fuca’s Brett Hattie converted a Ben Duffin pass for the 3-3 goal just over six minutes into the third period Sunday. The goal and the subsequent successful penalty kill appeared to give the Grizzlies a burst of energy. Eric Le scored from Kevin Smith five minutes later and Hattie scored an empty netter in the final minute.
Jax Leeson and Smith also scored for the Grizzlies, while Brady Thompson picked up the win in goal. Thomas Webber led the Caps with a goal and two assists.
Watching his team assessed double minor penalties for two separate checks contacting the head, and losing a player to a checking from behind call, all in the first half of Saturday’s game, had Kueber steaming at the referee by the end of the game and led to his suspension, which is under appeal. The Eagles scored three power play goals.
“We were shorthanded 14 minutes of the first half (30 minutes), and we’re the least penalized team in the league,” Kueber said, still rather upset at the scenario.
Zack Whittaker and Evan Kneip scored in the loss for the Grizzlies, who were using a few Tier 2 Juan de Fuca players due to illnesses.
“Between the flu and the Christmas break we’ve struggled a little bit getting our feet back underneath us,” Kueber said. “But it’s only a matter of time; we’re getting prepared for the end of the season playoffs.”
The Grizzlies have three road games remaining before then; Saturday against Comox Valley, Sunday against Cowichan and Jan. 21 in Port Alberni.
Nanaimo leads the league with an 8-2 record, although both losses have come at the hands of the Grizzlies.
With teams reverting back to their associations’ designations for playoffs, Juan de Fuca, Nanaimo, Saanich and Comox Valley play a Tier 1 round robin starting in February. The top two finishers will play a series to determine which team advances to the provincials in March.
Grizzlies go 2-3 at Richmond tournament
After beating Abbotsford and the Anaheim U-18 Ducks and losing by a goal to Chilliwack and the Sno-KIng Thunderbirds to finish third in their pool at the Richmond Invitational tournament during the holidays, the Grizzlies found themselves playing their nemesis Nanaimo in a consolation game Dec. 30.
The Clippers won the penalty filled contest 2-1 but were given another tough game by the Grizzlies, as has been the case each time this season.
“We were playing a lot better there than we have done lately,” Kueber said. “It’s like when we have to step it up we step it up.”
editor@goldstreamgazette.com