Oh boy, what a week it was!
Coming off a week with a pair of heartbreaking losses to Powell River, the Caps were able to rebound and put themselves right back into the playoff picture. The Caps took 3 of 4 points from Alberni Valley, before shutting out the Coquitlam Express on super bowl Sunday.
Wednesday, February 9th saw the Alberni Valley Bulldogs roll into Duncan (for what feels like the 100th time this season) for the first leg of a home & home. A 3 point night from Griffin Wilson & another spectacular performance by Mccoy Bidewell helped end the Capitals 11 game home losing streak, winning at the Big Stick for the first time since November 6th when they bested the Penticton Vees. Special teams was a big factor in this one, as the Capitals were able to score twice on the penalty kill. Wilson (2), Haymes, Jacobs & Turrin all scored for Cowichan, while Bidewell turned aside 46/49 in the win.
Saturday the Caps travelled up island for rematch with the Bulldogs. It was a back & forth affair, with the Capitals holding a late 3rd period lead. A late goal from Alberni’s Ethan Bono would send the game to overtime, where he would score his 3rd of the night sealing the 4-3 OT victory for the Bulldogs. Lavelle and Haymes each had a 2 point night, while Evan May delivered a strong performance in net turning aside 26/30.
Super bowl Sunday brought the Coquitlam Express to town for a matchup with major playoff implications. The Capitals started strong with an early goal from affiliate player Connor Seeley and never looked back. Wilson, Walters & Jacobs (EN) would all get on the scoresheet and the Caps finished the weekend with a 4-0 victory. Lombardi had a strong game tallying 3 helpers on the night, but the real story was Mccoy Bidewell. Another strong showing in net would lead to his first BCHL shutout, turning aside all 35 shots he faced.
With the win on Sunday, the Capitals have now moved into the 8th and final playoff spot in the Coastal Conference, passing Coquitlam. The Express do have games in hand so the Caps will need to build off this week and continue to put up points. The Caps and Express will play 2 more times this season, contests which both teams will have circled on their calendar.
