Returning home to the Revelstoke Forum after sustaining 3-7 (April 8) and 2-5 (April 9) losses to Grand Forks, the Grizzlies failed a last-ditch effort to claw their way back into the KIJHL's final playoff series.
The Border Bruins, up 2-0, continued to sweep Revelstoke last weekend, 5-1 Saturday and 5-2 Sunday, which culminated in Grand Fork's first Teck Cup championship victory in the franchise's 58-year history.
Dozens of Border Bruins fans made the five-hour trip from Grand Forks to support their team April 12 and 13. The team hadn't made the third round since the 1973-74 franchise, when they lost to the Cranbrook Colts, and wouldn't let this golden opportunity slip away against last year's champions.
The first period Saturday was a scoreless affair, with tight checking and both teams splitting time in the penalty box at two infractions each. But nearly eight minutes into the second, Grand Forks' Nash Wassing broke free inside the left blue line, releasing a shot from left key that pinged loudly off the right post into net.
Austin Wooley was then called for a late roughing penalty on a hit to lead Border Bruins' scorer Tyler Burke, an unfortunate break for the Grizzlies' defenceman. Within the minute, Grand Forks made a power play as Carter Price lofted a shot from the right point into traffic, where Burke deflected the puck over goalie Devin Degenstein’s shoulder for the night's winning goal.
Three minutes left in the frame, Revelstoke got the break they desperately needed when Jake Phillips-Watts passed the puck to Jett Patola, who snapped a high-wrist shot that sailed into the upper corner of Grand Forks' goal. It was a much-needed score for the Grizzlies, especially after Colton McLeod and Nathan White had fired three look-alike shots from the same spot.
Midway through the third period, Revelstoke lost the puck in the zone on the right point to the Border Bruins' Alex Edwards. He chased it into the Grizzlies' end with defenceman White in tow and dispatched a wrist shot that surprised Degenstein, sailing the puck into the upper right corner of net.
Less than five minutes left in the game, Grand Forks' Ashton Schram scooped up the puck and fed it to Theo Naidu in the exact same spot as last goal. Naidu released a replica wrist shot into the same corner of the cage for a crushing fourth goal, 20 seconds after Degenstein had laid out to stop the Border Bruins from getting the puck into right side of net.
The final dagger to Revelstoke came two minutes before the horn, on a perfect cross-crease pass from Levi Astill where Burke one-timed a snapshot into right side of net.
Grand Forks had showered Degenstein all night and kept his knee-pad blocks on point, tallying 48 shots on goal that nearly doubled Revelstoke's 25. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies consistently struggled to navigate the puck through the Border Bruins' centre defence.
Onto Sunday night, Border Bruins fans persisted at the Forum as the Grizzlies fought to keep their back-to-back championship dreams alive in a last-chance game.
The first goal came three minutes into the opening frame, Burke passing from right side of the boards to Edwards, who flipped a high-wrist shot into the side of the cage. Just 28 seconds later, Patola found White at the right point, where White launched a high-wrist shot of his own that fooled Border Bruins goalie Eric Kahl and equalized the game 1-1.
Six minutes deep, Russell Kosec passed left to Logan McCabe for a one-time snapper into Revelstoke's net. McCabe scored again seven minutes later on an assist from Burke, cementing the Border Bruins' win.
The Grizzlies stormed back on a power play in the last three minutes of the first, when Patola fired from top of the left key that bounced to the side of net, offering a rebound for Jake Neufeld to flick the puck into the cage.
Three minutes into the second, Burke swept in on the left slot to make a picture-perfect pass to Brandon Gray, who roofed the puck into the right side of net.
Just a minute into the final frame, Grand Forks pinned the final nail in Revelstoke’s championship run, on a floater shot by team captain Carter Price from right side of the blue line that sailed into net.
"It speaks volumes to the culture we have, the work ethic, and the kind of character we have on this team," Price said after Sunday's win. "I'd say around the two-month mark, we knew we had something really, really good."
Revelstoke kept things fierce by matching Grand Forks with 42 shots on goal. Kahl, however, rejected all 26 shots on net in the latter two periods. Burke, contributing three assists to the Border Bruins' victorious night, earned the Teck Cup MVP award. He wrapped up 2024-25 with 14 goals, 11 assists and four game-winners.
“I’m beyond grateful," Burke told the KIJHL. “It feels great. It feels surreal. I’m still soaking it all in. It’s cool and all, but in the end, the championship is what it’s all about.”
