The Grizzlies have seen enough of the Kamloops Storm to last them a lifetime after this busy weekend. They will have to play each other at least another five times as divisional rivals this season and it looks like it’ll be ugly each time. The Storm were the shocked recipients of an eye-opener as they got to see first hand the speed, composure and skill of our new Revelstoke Grizzlies. From talking to many people around town who have seen this tough and true team play, the word is people are now calling them a classy, hard-working team that truly represents Revelstoke. What are you waiting for? Soon, there won’t be seats left in the Forum. Trust me.

The Storm came to the Forum on Saturday, Oct. 3. It wasn’t the most fluid or pretty game I’ve ever seen, but it was still a nail-biter down to the overtime period. ‘Speedy Khanzales’ (Faiz Khan) was on his game all night, despite getting hit with some cheap shots, getting hauled down a few times on partial breakaways and being slew-footed behind the Kamloops net. He got my first star of the game, just for his composure and character.

The first and second periods of this game saw a lot of Storm sticks up in the air and in the faces of the Grizzlies. The Storm played an overly aggressive, chippy game, relying on pinning the Grizz wherever possible. They definitely got some cheap shots in that maybe should have been called. Some early, punishing hits by Trevor Esau, Brad Freidrich, and Dayton Martens were the Grizzlies’ immediate responses. One highlight was Captain Lucas Blinkhorn coming to the defence of Faiz Khan who looked like he’d been injured behind the Storm’s net. Blinkhorn was ejected for fighting with the Storm’s Brady Fuller, but this seemed to spark the team.

There was no scoring in the game until the third period when, unfortunately, Reid Blinkhorn was sent to the box -- after he and the rest of the Grizzlies had had enough of the Storm’s shenanigans. The Storm’s Taylor Stuart was able to tap in a loose puck past the sprawling Grizzlies’ Justin Goritz on the ensuing power play. ‘JG’ played a great game and was positionally sound all night. Team youngster Jakob Reichert played a great third period. After some dipsy-doodling, he scored top right shelf on Will Frolek of the Storm. With the game now tied and both teams unable to bury the biscuit by the end of the third, overtime gave the fans a peek at the new KIJHL overtime format. Coach Pont explained, “The new rule for the first overtime is 4-4 hockey; then it goes to 3-3. There are no shootouts this year, so if there’s no score, the game ends in a tie.” (We both preferred a good shootout though.)

The overtime winner wasn’t a pretty one. Caleb Roy threaded a hard shot through some traffic and after a mad scramble in front, the puck wound up in the Kamloops’ net. (Though I swear these eagle-eyes saw Faiz Khan bury the game winning goal, it was credited to Josh McKissock). What did he say about it after the game? “As long as the team wins,” Khan stated nonchalantly. That’s right Revelstoke -- this is the type of heart and character we’ve been waiting for and the kind of player coach Troy Mick is developing for all of us to enjoy firsthand.

Barely, 12 hours later, on Sunday, Oct. 4, the Grizzlies travelled to Kamloops to face the Storm again. The Grizzlies walked all over the Storm in what finally ended as an 11-2 whipping. The game had some ugly moments, including Kamloops’ head coach Greg Hawgood being ejected from the match. The Grizzlies punished the Storm with 62 shots on net, five power play markers, and according to coach Mick, sticking to the game plan. “We were the more disciplined team and we can’t worry about the way other teams play,” he said. “We can only control what we do and that’s to be prepared to play 60 minutes a game and let our play do the talking for us on the ice and on the scoreboard.”

Coach Mick says the game allowed the Grizzlies to show some of their potential. “It was again a chippy, ugly game, but we managed to stay out of that stuff, played between the whistles, and used our team’s speed to our advantage. Especially on the Olympic ice surface -- it showcased what our guys do best, attack and use their speed.”

Caleb Roy had a four-point night and fellow veteran Brad Irving posted three. Riley Spraggs chocked up four points, and Bruce Silvera and Jordan Bledsoe each notched two goals. Dayton Martens picked up his first goal of the year and third star status while showing his inner bull in a china shop. He’s truthfully one major reason the fans are streaming into the Forum. Apparently, the ‘beast was unleashed’ in Kamloops on Sunday. Martens took three shots to the face and then went kamikaze on a poor, unnamed Kamloops player. (Penalties were not up on the KIJHL website before going to print). Coach Mick had this to say about his burgeoning alternate captain Martens, “His reputation is true. He plays huge for us every game, but he’s also the first to help out with anything on this team. In the community he’s good with kids, and he will always stand up for his team-mates. He really does hurt guys when he hits them. But is he more than just a tough guy? We think so and I see him as future captain material.”

This team is simply outstanding -- well coached, well managed, well-intentioned and composed. They fired over 100 shots on both Kamloops’ goalies all weekend, potted 13 goals in less than twenty-four hours, and electrified our town again as they are now tied for first place overall in the KIJHL as of Sunday. The Grizz have a two-game away stand against the Princeton Posse. The next Grizzlies’ home game is Friday, Oct. 16 against the improving North Okanagan Knights. Good luck Grizz and we’re proud of you! So what are you waiting for? Tell a friend and get down to the Forum on the 16th!