The Cowichan Valley Capitals collected five points in three games last week, including a 4-0 shutout of the Coquitlam Express, one of the teams they are battling for playoff position.
“We had that one circled on the calendar since we came back from New Year’s,” Caps head coach Brian Passmore said of the key victory over the Express. “We did a good job getting ready for it.”
McCoy Bidewell made 35 saves to earn his first B.C. Hockey League shutout, and AP Connor Seeley scored the game-winner just a minute and 42 seconds into his second BCHL game. The Caps also got goals from Griffin Wilson — who has scored four of his six goals this season in the last three games — K.T. Walters and David Jacobs, and three assists from Massimo Sarantos Lombardi.
Bidewell’s goose egg was just part of the success that earned him BCHL First Star honours for the week. The netminder stopped 81 of 84 shots as he won both his starts, improving his save percentage to .919, the sixth-best mark in the league.
“He’s been a rock in there for us,” Passmore said. “He played well on Sunday at home, and he got the win for us last Wednesday against Alberni. They’re a high-scoring team, so to limit them to three is pretty good.”
Bidewell made 46 saves as the Caps beat the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 5-3 at the Cowichan Arena last Wednesday. Both teams scored their first goals of the night on the same penalty as Wilson had a shorthanded goal at 17:19 of the first and Alberni replied with a powerplay goal exactly a minute later. Luke Haymes scored another shorthanded goal for the Caps early in the second, then David Jacobs made it 3-1 with a powerplay goal. The Bulldogs got one back, but Wilson restored the two-goal lead with 1:14 left in the second. Matteo Turrin also found the net as the teams swapped goals in the third.
The Caps had to settle for a single point last Saturday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Bulldogs. Wilson kicked things off with another shorthanded marker, but the Bulldogs answered back, just as they did when Shane LaVelle scored on a second-period powerplay and again at even strength in the third. Alberni didn’t hold the lead in the game until overtime, when Ethan Bono completed his hat trick at the 1:24 mark. Haymes had two assists in the contest, and Evan May made 26 saves as the Caps were outshot 30-21.
“In OT, it could have gone either way,” Passmore said. “It was a point for us that we wanted, so not to get it was disappointing. We’ll put it in the rearview mirror and move on.”
The big week gave the Caps 29 points in the standings, tying them with the Powell River Kings for seventh place in the Coastal Conference, four points ahead of the Express.
The Caps played host to the Express again on Wednesday night in another huge game. After that, they won’t play again until next Friday (Feb. 25), when they visit the Victoria Grizzlies, followed by home dates with the Powell River Kings on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.
With momentum seemingly on their side, the Caps might not otherwise want a lengthy break right now, but it’s a welcome rest with several key players on the sidelines with injuries.
“We’ll take it,” Passmore said.
