Tonight – Victoria Grizzlies (9-5-0-0) at Nanaimo Clippers (5-8-0-0)
7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo
Presented by the BCIHL
TICKETS
WATCH LIVE ON HOCKEYTV
Previous Meetings
Alex Newhook, Alexander Campbell and Jordan Guiney each had a goal and an assist and Kurtis Chapman stopped 27 of 28 shots as the Grizzlies beat the Clippers 5-1 in their only previous meeting on Sept. 23. Jeremie Bucheler and Jarin Sutton also chipped in with a pair of assists each for Victoria, while Ethan Scardina had the lone goal for Nanaimo.
Who’s Hot
Clippers forward Ethan Scardina comes into tonight’s game with points in three straight contests, putting up three goals and two assists over that stretch. His teammate Aiden Hansen-Bukata is also on a three-game point streak with five assists in that span. Scardina leads the team with 12 points (6-6-12) in 13 games, while Hansen-Bukata is second on the team in overall scoring and tied for seventh in the league in points by defencemen. Sammy Steele also has an assist in three straight games.
Grizzlies goalie Kurtis Chapman has a record of 8-5-0 and leads the BCHL with a .946 save percentage and also has the fifth-best goals-against average at 2.14. Victoria’s Alex Newhook and Alexander Campbell have identical scoring lines with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points each, tying them for sixth in BCHL scoring. Carter Berger leads the offence from the back end with 11 points (4-7-11), good enough for fourth in the league among blueliners.
What’s at Stake
Victoria leads the Island Division with 18 points and has a four-point cushion on the second-place Powell River Kings.
Nanaimo is fourth in the Island Division with 10 points. They’re four points clear of the last-place Cowichan Valley Capitals and only one point back of the third-place Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
From the Broadcast Booth
Nanaimo Clippers play-by-play broadcaster Dan Marshall on the previous meeting between the teams in September:
“The Grizzlies had a great game in the only other head-to-head matchup. The line of Newhook, Alexander Campbell and Riley Hughes combined for four points and Victoria got lots of help from the blueline to create offence. Jeremie Bucheler and Carter Berger were particularly good as well. Nanaimo was playing their third game in four days which was a bit of a factor in a 5-1 loss.”
Marshall on the Clippers success this month:
“The Clippers October success has been helped by the addition of five new veteran players to the roster. Dan Gatenby, Carter Stephenson, and Devon Mussio had added some much needed experience to the blueline. Stephenson and Gatenby especially have played a lot of minutes as a pair and have had a calming influence. Up front Sammy Steele and Thomas Samuelson have added to the forward depth. Steele has an assist in every game he’s played.”
Marshall on Clippers defenceman Aiden Hansen-Bukata:
“He’s a gamer, he has tremendous vision and makes a great first pass. He’s not afraid to jump up in the rush and is very responsible getting back when he does. Hansen-Bukata is very quick and he’s strong when he’s in a puck battle. He’s been playing a lot with 20-year-old Jordan Dawson. Dawson is a stay at home defenceman which gives Bukata the option to think more offensively. If Hansen-Bukata continues to develop he’ll be a sure-fire NCAA Division One d-man.”
Victoria Grizzlies play-by-play broadcast Scott Didmon on the Sept. 23 game between the Clippers and Grizzlies:
“After not scoring in his first five games of the season, Alex Newhook scored the opener and got the monkey off his back. The Grizzlies stormed the net early and scored three in the first to set the tone on the road. They had a poor outing at the Showcase prior, but played great in the bounce-back game in Nanaimo.”
Didmon on the Grizzlies lesser-known players who have impressed so far this season:
“Cam Thompson and Ryan Nolan are two 20-year-olds on an otherwise younger Grizzlies team this year. Thompson has an incredible penalty-killing patience and great hands. With any luck, he’d have three or more shorthanded goals already. Nolan is a big body and sees the ice really well. He can put fear into a defence corps when he’s on the attack. He can score and finishes his checks.”
Didmon on Grizzlies goaltender Kurtis Chapman:
“He’s been a workhorse for the Grizzlies. He’s normally not flashy, but with traffic around him he’s been forced to make some big roll-over saves and even a couple old-time pad stackers. Kurtis completes the backend with his competitive personality and never quits on sometimes-impossible back-door threats.”
ABOUT THE BCIHL
The British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League was created with the purpose of offering a venue for competitive, high-calibre hockey that’s close to home for players beyond their junior careers. The league was launched in 2006 and now includes five member teams: Selkirk College, Simon Fraser University, Trinity Western University, the University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University. This season, 25 graduates with over 2,750 games of BCHL experience are pursuing their academic and athletic goals in the BCIHL. To learn more about the BCIHL and playing opportunities for BCHL grads, visit BCIHL.ca.
