Luke Aston’s goal 1:48 into the second period stood as the game-winner and the Revelstoke Grizzlies defeated the Columbia Valley Rockies 4-2 on home ice Friday, Sept. 15, in KIJHL pre-season action.
In the first of a home-and-home exhibition battle, the Grizzlies used four different goal scorers at the Revelstoke Forum to down the Rockies in a game where the teams combined to record a whopping 74 penalty minutes.
Revelstoke and Columbia Valley were both 1-6 on the power play.
Along with Aston, Daniel Wittenberg, Reid Ashcroft and Hudson Scrimshaw also found the back of the net for the Grizzlies.
Aston’s game-winner, power-play goal in the second period lifted Revelstoke to a 3-0 lead before Columbia Valley scored two consecutive markers, capped by Oleg Bitus’ goal early 1:44 into the final frame.
Scrimshaw replied just three minutes later to wrap up the game’s scoring.
Grizzlies goaltender Jozef Kuchaslo made 31 saves in the win.
His Rockies counterpart, Jaiden Jakubowski, was also busy in the crease, making 30 saves in the loss.
Revelstoke (3-0-2 in pre-season games) and Columbia Valley meet again Saturday night, Sept. 16, this time in Invermere.
The game marks the teams’ final pre-season affair before the regular-season schedule kicks off in early October.
Revelstoke officially starts its championship defence on Oct. 6, when they host the Rockies in a pre-season rematch.
READ MORE: Grizzlies, KIJHL reclassified as Junior A
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