The home of Hockeyville 2016 is getting more action.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies will face the 100 Mile House Wranglers in a Junior B hockey exhibition game Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Pat Duke Memorial Arena in Lumby.
The Grizzlies are coached by Ryan Parent and boast Vernon products Nick Higgs, Michael Lenoury and Jordan Rea (led Dawson Creek Canucks with 19 goals and 36 points in just 24 North West Junior Hockey League games last year).
“I live halfway between Lumby and Vernon and I wanted to give fans out here a chance to see some Junior hockey in their hometown arena,” said Parent.
“People are really excited about Lumby hosting Hockeyville 2016 and this was a good chance to add some more hockey to the mix.”
General Admission to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League tilt at Pat Duke Memorial Arena will be $10. All minor hockey players wearing their team jersey will receive a discount at the door. Faceoff is 7 p.m.
The Wranglers topped the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference Doug Birks Division last season at 33-12-3-4, while the Grizzlies were fourth at 22-25-2-3.
The Grizzlies’ roster will likely be tweaked before the game in Lumby. In addition to d-men Higgs and Lenoury and forward Rea, Revy has ‘99-born F Harley Bootsma of Salmon Arm (played Major Midget in Kamloops last year)
The Norman triplets – Broden, Kael and Dace – played Major Midget for the Vancouver Thunderbirds last year and go 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds.
The triplets were born July 27, 1999 and were enrolled in the Prince of Wales Secondary P.E. hockey program. Each averaged about five pounds at birth.
Broden is the oldest, by five minutes. He’s a left-shooting right winger who writes with his right hand. Kael is the second oldest, by two minutes. He’s a left-shooting D who also writes with his right hand. Dace is the youngest. He’s a right-shooting left winger who writes with his left hand. The Normans are also nationally-carded rugby talent for their Walesmen high school team.
Returnees include forwards Tommy Bodtker and Ryan Pereverzoff, both of Kelowna, and Ullar Wiatzka of Revelstoke, who carry ‘98 passports and 17-year-old F Raphael Bassot, acquired from the Summerland Steam and goalie G Trevor Dilauro, 18, of Huntington Beach, Calif.
“We’re still waiting to hear on a couple more kids who are at Junior A camps,” said Parent. “This year we looked to add size in our recruitment process. Last year I felt we had speed and skill but lacked a size component.
“We will be a team with a good mix of skill, speed and physicality. The focus of our program is to move players on to the next level and be one of the top teams in the KIJHL consistently. Playing in what is a very competitive division of the KIJHL, last year I felt any of the top-four teams in our division could have went the distance.”
Vernon’s Kenny Batke was captain in Revelstoke last year. The towering d-man earned a scholarship with the Trinity Western Spartans in Langley.
Meanwhile, the KIJHL North Okanagan Knights have veteran centre Jack Berger back in camp after he was a late cut of the national champion West Kelowna Warriors.
Head coach/GM Bryant Perrier says he and assistant coach Graham Watkins will trim the roster with exit meetings Saturday. The Knights visit the Sicamous Eagles tonight and then get the weekend off.
Daniel Paul, who played 41 games for the Knights last year, is one of three goalies in the West Kelowna crease battle. He is slated to play versus the Merritt Centennials tonight.
As of Thursday, the Knights had four goalies, nine dee and 16 forwards.