Day 1 - Grizzlies 0 - 1 Express (OT) - BCHL Showcase Prospera Place

 

 

 

Before the game the hearty band of ten Grizzlies fans arrived at Prospera Place and wow the heat in the Fraser Valley. It must have been 32/33C, takes a wee bit of getting used too. After a few ticket issues and being asked politely to leave the Rinkside Tap and Grill for not being a scout(I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, they weren't buying it) the Grizzlies came out with their snappy new white uniforms as the home team and you could feel the start of the 2012/13 season kicking in for real.

With scores of scouts from the NCAA, CIS, WHL and NHL comparing notes and assessing the two sets of players, the Grizzlies and Express battled hard puck for puck for three periods in the opening game of the showcase.

The Fitzgerald's looked lively offensively and gave the Express defence fits at times. The Kaiser, Walchuk and Lawson line crashed and banged the Express all game working hard throughout. The Hartskamp, Hahn , Skrbich line was showing some chemistry and the Powell, McLellan and Jackman  line where determined each shift they were out for. The Grizzlies forwards kept probing the Express goal creating some decent chances testing Coquitlum goalie Cole Huggins often.

DJ Jones, looked good with some surging runs forward and with fellow defensemen Urban, Thompson, Dejong, Meek and great to see Jesse Ursic back on the ice, kept the Express at bay. A nice performance from Brady Rouleau through three periods kept the Grizzlies in it.

Zach Urban, stepped up for his team in the second period, after a questionable hit from Express Capt, Mitch Nardi on Leo Fitzgearld, he would drop the gloves and after a few nice shots back and forth, Urban would get the better of his Coquitlam counterpart.

All four lines battled hard and the team played three hardworking periods of hockey.

But Credit to the Express and certainly goalie Cole Huggins who had some nice saves throughout the game and was the difference maker along with the ever dangerous Shaw, McKinney and Siemer made life difficult for the Grizzlies all games.

As things where all square after 3 periods, just a minute into the OT period Brady Shawn after a pass from Bird would finally beat Rouleau to give the Express the win in this first game of the 2012/13 BCHL season.

 

Game Thoughts Grizzlies – Only the first game of the season and a hard working performance all round with goalie Brady Rouleau, looking good on his Grizzlies debut. The Grizzlies attack put 40 shots on Huggins net, but, couldn’t make it count and went 0 for 5 on the powerplay(as did the Express). The scoring I’m sure will be addressed and for special teams it just takes a little time to get everything clicking with the amount of new players on the roster.

All in all a good, a good effort from the guys and they will be looking to go .500 in the showcase against the Bulldogs in the second rink at 11:30am.

Schmeisser and Coachman where scratches today,

 

Shots on goal – Grizzlies 40 and the Express 27    Powerplays – Grizzlies 0 for 5 and Express 0 – 5

 

Three stars of the game - * Shaw    ** Huggins(should have been first) *** Rouleau