Happy New Year! It has been a long Holiday break but the team is eager and ready to get back to business. The presents have all been opened, holiday memories made, and injuries healed. What better way to kick off the second half then with a game against some conference rivals.
For the third time this season the Express and Grizzlies will do battle with the series sitting at one game a piece. Coquitlam struck first with a come-from-behind overtime victory at the Train Station before the Grizzlies got their revenge at the Q November 23rd. Both teams look a little different since then so expect a flurry of fresh faces and renewed energy tonight in the Provincial Capital.
The biggest change for the Grizzlies will be their blueline. A big piece of the puzzle left the team in early December to join Quinnipiac in the NCAA. Drew Hockley, to this day is still the second highest scorer on the Victoria side despite having left the team nearly a month ago. In his absence, management got busy and signed Garrett Frazer out of the NAHL and then acquired Evan Stastny in a trade with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Despite that bolstered D-core, Victoria had a tough month of December going 1-5 heading into the New Year. This will be a motivated team high on keeping to their resolutions.
Coquitlam had their own struggles in the final month of the calendar year but came out with a 3-2 record for December. The biggest ailment for them was their injury bug. Plenty of games featured AP talent and an absolute blender of lineup combinations. Guys were challenged to step up, and they certainly did. A couple of players in particular that had great Decembers were Cale Colwell and Max Pendy. Colwell managed three goals in those five games and Pendy did the same while also tallying an assist. There will be oodles of opportunity for players to find their place in the New Year as the Express will undoubtedly shake their lineups up once again with returning bodies and new faces alike.
Joseph Odyniec and Thomas Zocco are both back from injury, which serves as a major boost to the forward core. Odyniec is still the leading goal scorer for the Express with 13 despite being out of action since November 22nd. As for Zocco, he has been a key offensive contributor so far this campaign and has earned a selection to the BCHL Top Prospects game as a result. Leo Eperjesi has also returned as he attended the World Junior Selection Camp for team Slovakia. And the fresh face of the bunch is that of Carson McGinley. Recently acquired from the Sherwood Park Crusaders, he has 11 points in 27 games this season split between the Crusaders and Vernon Vipers. Expect the Arizona State commit to come out flying as he establishes himself with a new group.
The other big emotional boost for the team heading into tonight’s contest is the 200th career game for Andrej Kovacevic. The veteran has dazzled throughout his time in the BCHL and will be hungry to make an impression in this milestone game.
It’s shaping up to be a good one from the Q. Both teams will want to have a solid start to the New Year and get going on the right foot. Only one side can come away with the two points however, so it is up to the players to decide which version of themselves they want to bring into 2025.
Tune in on FloHockey for all the action just before 7PM PST.
FLOHOCKEY BROADCAST (Select “Away” Stream)
– Ian Wilson
