It wasn’t the perfect weekend Kevin Kraus hoped for, but with two wins in three games last weekend, the Revelstoke Grizzlies are heading into the Christmas break on a winning note.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies defeated the Spokane Braves 7-0 at home on Friday, before splitting two games against the North Okanagan Knights, with a 5-4 loss on Saturday and 4-3 win on Sunday.
On Friday, the Grizzlies dominated the Braves from start to finish, outshooting the league’s only American team 44-25 and dominating on the scoreboard too.
Chevy Hantula scored twice for the Grizzlies in the win – his first multi-goal KIJHL performance – and Conrad McMillan got the shutout in the win. The Grizzlies also got goals from Spencer Samuel, Austin Donaldson, Andrew Standish, Aaron Benjaminsen and Dylan Ossman.
On Saturday, the Grizzlies hosted the Knights in a key divisional game. Unfortunately for the home team, McMillan was off his game, giving up four goals on four shots until he was replaced by Aaron Brandoli with just over five minutes left in the first. As a result, the Grizzlies found themselves trailing 4-1 after the first.
Revelstoke didn’t give up, and managed to get within one goal, but a marker by Derek Andrews at 13:13 of the third gave the Knights an insurmountable lead. A goal by Jordan Holloway with 87 seconds left gave the Grizzlies hope, but they were unable to score again with the net empty.
On Sunday, the Grizzlies travelled to Armstrong for a re-match against the Knights. Ossman scored twice and Brayden Beckley and Hantula also scored to lead the Grizzlies to a 4-3 win to close out 2012 on a high note.
The team now heads into a three-week break over the holidays. It returns to action on Friday, Jan. 4, at home against the Sicamous Eagles. When the boys return after the break they will be without league-leading goal scorer Spencer Samuel, who is moving to Alberta to close out his junior career closer to home, with the Okotoks Bison, the leading team in the Heritage Junior Hockey League.