Brief: Ethan Schaeffer nets OT winner in Grizzlies round 2 opener

The Revelstoke Grizzlies had to work 60 minutes and more to earn a win in the first game of their KIJHL playoffs second round series versus the 100 Mile House Wranglers on Friday night.

Although the Grizzlies more than doubled up on shots against the Wranglers (75-35), it was a close game on the scoreboard all night.

Darian Long put the Wranglers on the board in the first, then Brendan Vulcano evened it up for the Grizzlies before the first intermission.

Kaeden Patrick makes a play inside the 100 Mile House Blue line. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

Wrangler Harley Bootsma got the only goal of the second period.

Grizzlies’ Ullar Wiatzka tied it at 2-2 halfway through the first, then Jaden Hay got the Grizzlies their first lead on the evening with five minutes left in the third. The Wranglers’ Kolby Page tied it back up less than a minute later, sending the game into overtime.

The first overtime period went scoreless, and it wasn’t until just under three minutes left in the second overtime that Grizzlies regular-season points leader Ethan Schaeffer scored an unassisted goal to give Revelstoke the first win in the best-of-seven series.

Raymond Speerbrecker rushes around the outside in third period action. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

The two teams play again tonight, Saturday, March 9 starting at 7 p.m. a the Revelstoke Forum. Games 3 and 4 are in 100 Mile on Mar. 12 and 13, and game 5, if necessary, is back at the Forum on Mar. 15.