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Grizzlies order up a triple shot

Fitzgerald triplets set to add speed, goals to rebuilding team
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The Victoria Grizzlies have acquired triplets Gerry

They say good things come in threes and that's just what the Victoria Grizzlies are banking on by signing the Fitzgerald triplets for the upcoming season.

Identical triplets Myles, Leo and Gerry Fitzgerald are all coming to the team from the Prince George Spruce Kings, in a multiplayer deal that will see recently acquired David London and Grizz veteran forwards Cam Lawson and Coltyn Hansen heading to Prince George.

This move comes as the Grizzlies work to rebuild under the guidance of new general manager and head coach Bill Bestwick. In July, the team announced the signing of defeceman Zach Urban as captain for the 2012/13 squad. There will be more changes to announce in the upcoming weeks as the team heads into training camp Bestwick said.

"Skill, finesse, heart, talent, determination are foundations and criteria that we take very seriously," Bestwick said. "When we measure what these three players will bring us individually and collectively, they are three of the best '93 birthdated players in the entire British Columbia Hockey League."

There were some laughs at the press conference announcing the acquisition as Bestwick, who coached the triplets before with the Nanaimo Clippers in the 2010-11 season, misidentified one of the identical siblings.

Leo Fitzgerald said that he and his brothers are excited to be joining what they see as the team to beat next season.

"I think we’ve got lots of speed, lots of skill, we've got some gritty guys, we've got almost the whole package," Leo said. "I think when we get the chemistry together we're going to be a great team.

"We bring a lot of speed. We're not the biggest guys but we can still do a little grinding, do a lot of scoring and get the teams off their games."

Inevitably questions arose about the brothers abilities playing together on the ice. They mostly brushed off references to the Sedin twins or if they had any sort of psychic connection to one another.

"From growing up playing hockey all together, from minor hockey until now, we just know how each other play and where they're at at all times," Leo said. "It's nothing to do with being psychic or knowing what they're thinking.

"I get tired of it, but I understand why they ask. We're triplets, it's pretty rare to be playing in Junior A as triplets. I think we're probably the first."

In their first two seasons in the BCHL the Fitzgerald's combined for 77 goals and 104 assists in 169 games.

Training camp for the Grizzlies begins Aug. 20 at Bear Mountain Arena, with an exhibition game at home on Friday, Aug. 24 against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.

kwells@goldstreamgazette.com