The Revelstoke Grizzlies are the KIJHL Okanagan/Shuswap Conference champions after a convincing 4-1 game 7 win over the Osoyoos Coyotes at the Revelstoke Forum on Mar. 25.
Revelstoke has caught playoff fever and the temperature is rising as the Grizzlies have earned a berth in the KIJHL championships, where they’ll take on regular-season league points champs the Kimberley Dynamiters in a best of seven series.
Down 3-2 and facing elimination in their Saturday and Sunday night games, the Grizzlies poured it on with two 4-1 wins over the Coyotes.
The mood at the Forum on Sunday was celebratory after the Grizzlies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first.
Josh Irvine assisted Jordan Robertson on the first goal at 14:14.
Ryan Pereverzoff made it 2-0 at 4:28 with an unassisted goal.
The crowd hadn’t stopped cheering when Cody Flann put in the third unanswered goal 22 seconds later on a nice cross pass up close from Matt Cadden that left Osoyoos goalie Daniel Paul with little chance. The Grizzlies looked strong on the rush, generating goals and chances.
The Osoyoos Coyotes saw a little light with 27 seconds left in the second period when Hunter Johnson earned the visitors a power play goal.
The goal Matt Cadden scored the fourth and final goal at 17:11 of the third.
The visitors outshot the Grizzlies 42-29. Revelstoke goalie Giovanni Sambrielaz made several impressive saves to keep the Grizzlies in the lead, and to earn himself the first star of the game.
With the win, the Revelstoke takes the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference championship, and eliminates the last of their seven conference rivals. The Grizzlies meet their next opponents for the first time this season.
Starting in 2016-2017, the KIJHL ended inter-conference play, so the only time Okanagan/Shuswap Conference and Kootenay Conference teams play is in the KIJHL final series.
The Grizzlies now move on to face the Kootenay Conference champion Kimberley Dynamiters, who finished first in points in the KIJHL in regular season play. The Dynamiters notched up 78 points. The Grizzlies finished second in the league but first in the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference with 73 points.
If anyone’s looking to compare hockey between the conferences, these teams are the best of each. Both teams reinforced their regular season points championships with conference championships.
The KIJHL finals schedule is as follows.
Game 1: Friday, Mar. 30 in Kimberley
Game 2: Saturday, Mar. 31 in Kimberley
Game 3: Monday, Apr. 2 in Revelstoke
Game 4 Tuesday, Apr. 3 in Revelstoke
Game 5 Thursday, Apr. 5 in Kimberley
Game 6 Friday, Apr. 6 in Revelstoke
Game 7 Saturday, Apr. 8 in Kimberley
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