After skating their way to victory, sweeping two teams along the way, the Revelstoke Grizzlies are the 2021/2022 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) champions; earning them a spot in the Cyclone Taylor Cup.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies won the 2021/2022 KIJHL Teck Cup Playoffs on March 31 against the Nelson Leafs, earning them the championship title for the second season in a row. On April 7, the Grizzlies begin their four-game fight for the Cyclone Taylor Cup in Delta, B.C.
“It was electric,” states Ryan Parent, Revelstoke Grizzlies general manager.
“For anybody, anywhere, who has ever been to a hockey game at any level, it was absolutely electric in the Forum this year. Front to back. We are so appreciative as an organization, and as representatives of our national sport.”
The Grizzlies swept two teams defending the championship; the Osoyoos Coyotes in the finals and the Sicamous Eagles in the semi-finals.
Icing their KIJHL opponents, the Grizzlies will represent the Kootenay and Okanagan regions at the Cyclone Taylor Cup. The Pacific Junior Hockey League’s (PJHL) Delta Ice Hawks are hosting the tournament; participating teams also include PJHL winners Langley Trappers and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) winners Peninsula Panthers.
Coach: Not just a ski hill; a hockey town
While the Grizzlies gear up for the next four games in Delta, B.C., Parent is immensely proud of the players— and the supportive fans, volunteers, sponsors and billet families that made this season possible.
“Every player, volunteer, sponsor, everybody should be immensely proud of the fact [winning the KIJHL championship],” says Parent. “It puts Revelstoke on the map, I think as a hockey town.
“Everybody might think, ‘well geez, they got a really nice ski hill’ and I get that, but Revelstoke is well-known for the support of its hockey teams throughout the province. It’s a well-known fact now.”
After facing “heartbreaking” cancellations throughout the pandemic, winning the championship is especially meaningful for the Grizzlies, Parent adds.
The Cyclone Taylor Cup will be held from April 7 until April 10 at the Lander Leisure Centre in Delta, B.C. To watch the next four games unfold, visit hockeytv.com for livestream information.
Go Grizzlies go!