Revelstoke Grizzlies Head Coach Ryan Parent says that his team is taking the series one game at a time.
“That’s why they have sevenn games,” said Parent by phone from Osoyoos Wednesday afternoon, “so that the team that works the hardest emerges.”
The Grizzlies lead their best-of-seven Okanagan/Shuswap Conference Final series with the Osoyoos Coyotes 2-1 after a 4-2 win in Game 3 last night.
It’s the first road trip of the series for the Grizzlies, after splitting Games 1 and 2 at the Forum Saturday and Sunday nights.
Game 4 goes tonight at 7:35 at the Osoyoos Sun Bowl.
“I think we’re going to need to be better tonight,” said Parent. “We just want to outwork them for 60 minutes.”
During a team meeting, the players and staff discussed the approach for tonight’s game, but Parent didn’t want to get into any specifics.
A rare occurence saw the Grizzlies outshot by the Coyotes last night 34-29.
The goals were scored by Josh Irvine (assist to Cody Flann), Jordan Rea (assist to David Lenzin) and a powerplay goal by Matt Cadden (assist to Joel Scrimbit and Clark Nelson).
When the Coyotes pulled their goalie in the dying minutes of the game, Revelstoke’s Sho Takai sealed the win for his team with an empty-netter (assist to Jordan Robertson).
The third period was full of penalties.
Officials handed out five minors, one double minor and 14 misconducts in the last seven minutes of the game.
The bulk of the penalties –13– went to Osoyoos. An entire Osoyoos line and three Revelstoke players were handed 10-minute misconducts with six seconds to go in the game.
“The game was already done at that point,” said Parent. “The message to our guys was to stay out of it.
“It’s a seven-game series and there should be some dislike between each team. We have a lot of respect for Osoyoos… We certainly don’t want to discredit them.”
After tonight’s Game 4, the Grizzlies are looking forward to being back in the Forum for Game 5 Friday night.
“The support has been fantastic,” said Parent. “I don’t think our team can ask for anything more. The boys know that the home crowd is behind them.”
Fans wanting to catch tonight’s away game can watch it at the River City Pub tonight.
The Kootenay Conference final between the Nelson Leafs and the Kimberley Dynamiters is currently tied at two games apiece.
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