They will attempt to dodge a fifth when the Coquitlam Express, the league’s second-worst team by record (3-9-1-1), visit The Q Centre tonight at 7 against the host Grizzlies who are 7-6-1-0 overall and 3-1-1-0 at home, although one win was a BCHL Showcase game in Chilliwack.
The message from GM and head coach Craig Didmon was clear after the most recent setback, a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Captain Lucas Clark echoed the same message after the loss.
Asked point blank what he wants to see tonight from his crew, Didmon stated: “I want to see a better effort and they’re might be some different guys sitting in the stands, but I certainly want to see that better effort.”
For the second straight game the Grizzlies failed to hang on to 2-1 leads and that isn’t sitting well with the players or Didmon.
“It’s coming down to we’re coming into games too confident, [despite] having lost that many games in a row,” said captain Clark. “It’s our culture and our hockey team has to change. Now that we’ve lost this many, now it’s turned into a job. There’s no fun until we start winning games and that’s all I can say about that.”
He agreed it’s up to him and the rest of the leadership group to get the team back on track, especially at home.
“These games are a key and the overtime ones are the ones we need to win. That’s what’s going to bring fans and support, so we have to show a better effort. Once we get a lead, we need to keep it,” added Clark, who had a goal in Wednesday’s loss.
“It’s a quick bounce-back, with only one day in between,” he said of preparation for Coquitlam. “The culture [needs to be] different, preparation wise. We have a lot of talent, young talent, but it’s about our leaders to get them in the right mindset to win hockey games right now.”
As for failing to hang on to leads, Clark stated: “We get goals and once we do, we lay back and I think the pedal has to stay down. That’s what happens, we get to the third period, one bobbled puck, now we’re tied and we end up losing the game and that’s not going to happen anymore.”
Didmon also stressed the Grizzlies are in no position to take Coquitlam lightly.
“There is no free ride and we saw that on Sunday in Surrey [a 5-2 loss]. If we’re going to be overconfident for Friday, then look out, we’re in trouble. They’re all good hockey clubs,” said Didmon.
And his last message following Wednesday’s loss was also a terse one for his club.
“We got a point, but it doesn’t feel like a point. It feels like a regulation loss. There are no excuses. We needed a win and we didn’t get it, so those guys better start looking in the mirror,” he added.
IN THE DEN: The Grizzlies were without Justin Michaelian on Wednesday after he suffered a lower body injury in Sunday’s loss in Surrey. He has eight goals, one more than Jamie Rome and Ethan Nother, but 16-year-old Alex Newhook continues to lead the team in points (three goals, 13 assists), three up on Clark (4G, 9A).
