The Revelstoke Grizzlies took two out of three games in a weekend home stand, rebounding from a loss on Friday to win their next two matches.
“Overall, I would say we had a good effort in all three games,” said coach Ryan Parent. “I think even the first game we competed hard. We’re starting to gain a little bit more structure in the way we play and we’re starting to get down to what might more closely resemble our roster for this year.”
On Friday, the Sicamous Eagles were in Revelstoke in a rematch of the previous weekend’s season opener. This time, it was the Eagles turn to produce a comeback win, as they scored three times in the final five minutes, including an empty netter, for a 6-4 win.
Zach Morey opened the scoring for the Grizzlies with a power play goal five minutes into the first period. In the second, the teams traded goals, with Braydon McCarthy tying the game for Sicamous before Justin Marreck put Revelstoke ahead with help from Carter Huber.
The Eagles would respond with two straight goals to take a 3-2 lead, but Steven Fiust evened the score before the period was over.
In the third, Huber scored to give Revelstoke the lead, but Sicamous would battle back, scoring twice in the span of a minute to go up 5-4, and cementing the victory with an empty-netter in the final minute.
Revelstoke outshot Sicamous 64-39 in front of 256 fans.
On Saturday, the Grizzlies faced the Chase Heat in a low-scoring, but still exciting game. Jordan Passmore scored with 5:48 left in the first to put the Heat up 1-0. After that, Chase goaltender Nic Bruyere shut the door and kept Chase in front despite his team being badly outshot.
It wasn’t until 13:53 of the third that Revelstoke was able to even the game when defenceman Zach Morey fired home a cross ice pass to send the game to overtime.
The first period of overtime solved nothing and the game looked to be heading for a tie when Fiust somehow knocked the puck into the net while crashing into Bruyere.
On Sunday, Revelstoke hosted the Grand Forks Border Bruins. The Grizzlies jumped out quickly, taking advantage of three Grand Forks’ penalties to take a 3-0 lead after one. Ryan Hozjan, Kenny Batke and Tristan Simm scored for Revelstoke.
In the second, Tyler Chavez-Leech scored to put Revelstoke up 4-0. Coleton Dawson, who played for Revelstoke last year, got one back for Grand Forks, but Bochon responded for Revelstoke to restore the Grizzlies four -goal lead.
Grand Forks would score twice in the third to make the game close, but it would end 5-3 in Revelstoke’s favour.
Following the weekend, Parent said he’s happy with the way the team is shaping up so far, and also noting they’ve been out in the community, such as volunteering with the food drive. He likes the roster he’s assembled — now it’s a matter of coaching.
“Going forward it’s going to be a matter of coaching and players being committed to the program and committed to the process,” he said.
He said he liked the team’s depth this year; 10 different players have scored goals so far. “We’re not going to be a one-trick pony,” he said. “We are a lineup that has depth right through from the first to the fourth line.”
The team is on the road this week, with a game in Chase on Wednesday, followed by matches against Kamloops and 100 Mile House on Friday and Saturday.