The Revelstoke Grizzlies took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Kimberley Dynamiters in the KIJHL final on Tuesday.
After splitting with Kimberley in the first two games of the league final, the Grizzlies shut out the Dynamiters 5-0 in back-to-back games in Revelstoke Monday and Tuesday.
Penalties early in the second stung the Nitros and they were not able to recover. Grizzlies Ethan Schaeffer scored on the power play, and carried the momentum adding two more goals from Ryan Pereverzoff and Ullar Wiatzka before the period was out.
“We shot ourselves in the foot in the period by not sticking to our defensive zone system.” Dynamiters head coach and GM Derek Stuart told the Kimberley Bulletin. “Two of their first three goals were scored from spots where we are supposed to have a guy.
“They are an opportunistic team, and made us pay for those mistakes. After that, it was an even game.”
Former Dynamiter Nathan Bailer, who played 11 games at the start of the season with Kimberley, added two more in the third for the 5-0 final.
The series now returns to Kimberley for a decisive Game 5 on Thursday at the Kimberley Civic Centre.
Stuart kept his answer simple for what the team needs to do in Game 5: “We need to score a goal.”
Revelstoke goalie Liam McGarva has been the difference stopping 29 shots for the shutout on Tuesday, after a 38-save performance in the 5-0 win on Monday night.
Brett Andersen made 27 saves in net for Kimberley.
The Nitros will look to stay alive as they head back to Kimberley to play in front of the home crowd.
The puck drop is at 7 p.m. Game 6 is scheduled for Saturday if necessary.