Monday night was more about the process than the result for the North Okanagan Knights.
Head coach Sylvain Leone said his team’s 4-0 loss to the host Revelstoke Grizzlies in Game 1 of their first-round Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff series doesn’t reflect how hard his team competed.
“We deserved a better fate than what we got,” said Leone, of the lopsided score. “If we play the same way (in Game 2), there’s no way it’s the same score.
“It was our best effort against them this year. After last night, the guys know they can compete with them.”
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series went Tuesday night at the forum. The action comes to Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong for Games 3 and 4, Thursday and Friday night respectively. If necessary, Game 5 (Revelstoke), Game 6 (Armstrong) and Game 7 (Revelstoke) would go Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Revelstoke’s Tory Caldwell recorded 39 stops for the shutout, while Knights’ tender Chris Hurry made 35 saves in the loss.
“It was a strange one. We had (a lot of) shots in the second period and score,” said Leone. “(Caldwell) did a great job on pucks down low, but we also missed some key chances from the slot.”
The Grizzlies opened the scoring with Bruce Silvera’s powerplay marker late in the first period.Brendan Urban and Dylan Rota, scoring with six seconds remaining in the second, made 3-0 after 40 minutes. Devin Gelowitz completed the offence midway through the third period.
