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Bieksa, Ryan draw full house to Cowichan Capitals game

First sellout since 1994

Cowichan Valley Capitals fans packed the Cowichan Arena for the team's first sellout since 1994 on Friday night for a regular season game against the Victoria Grizzlies. Of course they were there to watch two of the BCHL's top teams in the Caps and Grizz, but there were the added incentives of it being Terry Ryan night and he, and former Vancouver Canucks defender turned Hockey Night in Canada star Kevin Bieksa were dropping the puck.

After Bieksa, sporting a new No. 3 Cowichan Valley Capitals jersey, and Ryan did the ceremonial puck drop second- and third-ranked teams in the Coastal Conference went to work, giving the 1,948 fans in attendance a show.

"The rink was packed and the kids got to meet Bieska and Ryan before the game with some words of encouragement," said Cowichan head Coach Cam Keith following the weekend's games. 

Cowichan out-shot Victoria 17-13 in the first period but it was Victoria that held the 2-1 advantage at the first intermission.

"Victoria had some puck luck early and their goalie made some big saves," Keith noted. Cowichan Valley all-star Luca Primerano scored his 12th of the year to keep the Caps close at the break.

Victoria went on a bit of a run in the second, scoring three-straight unanswered goals including a goal just one minute into play. From there the visitors made it 6-1 with a power play goal in the third period before Noah MacDonald netted his first as a Cap, playing the first 13 games of his season with the Langley Rivermen.

The final score was 6-2.

"We were disappointed with the result but felt we played well enough to win, it just wasn’t our night," Keith said.

The following night the score was closer but the Nanaimo Clippers managed to steal a victory, beating the caps by a 5-3 score.

"Nanaimo won the specialty game battle scoring two power-play goals and we went zero for three," said the coach. "They also scored a short-handed goal which ended up being the difference." 

Jack McAra and Ryan Harvey got Cowichan off to a 2-1 lead buy the first intermission but Nanaimo tied it up with a power-play goal early in the second. Captain Gavin Giesbrecht pulled the caps even with less than four minutes to play in the second period but former Cap Luke Lavery scored Nanaimo's second with the man-advantage to pull the Clippers even at three apiece headed into the third period.

Nanaimo took the lead just past the midway point in the final frame and iced it with a late empty netter.

It was the first time the Capitals have lost two in a row since mid November.

"Down the stretch we need to tighten up our special teams and take advantage of our home ice games if we want to secure home-ice advantage in the first round," Keith said.

Most of the team won't be playing games this coming weekend due to the all-star break but three Capitals will be at at All-Star Weekend in Salmon Arm.

Joining Primerano, who will dress with the Coastal Conference all-stars, are Camden Charron and Hayden Russell, who both will be playing in the prospects game. 

The Capitals next play at the Cowichan Arena on Jan. 24 when the Rivermen come to Duncan. They'll visit the Penticton Vees on Jan. 31 to wrap up the month. Both games start at 7 p.m.

Ice Chips:

Capitals add a forward

The Cowichan Valley Capitals have acquired Nicholas Beaudoin from the Sherwood Park Crusaders for a professional development fee. Beaudoin, a University of Alaska-Fairbanks commit, had nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 30 games with the Crusaders.

 

 



Sarah Simpson

About the Author: Sarah Simpson

I started my time with Black Press Media as an intern, before joining the Citizen in the summer of 2004.
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