Photos courtesy of the Revelstoke Grizzlies | Robert Marsh
Revelstoke Grizzlies rookie Brandon Kasdorf takes the top honour in the Hot in the KI after racking up 11 points in three games.
The Rosemary, Alta., product opened the weekend by assisting on the game-winning goal against the Kamloops Storm (7-3 final), while finishing with three points. Against the Chase Heat (a 6-1 win), Kasdorf had a goal and four points, earning the game star. In the final game of the weekend, a 4-3 win over the 100 Mile House Wranglers, Kasdorf setup Brenden Vulcano, to help put the Grizzlies up 4-2. He finished with a goal and four points.
“I feel like my play is improving and my game is getting stronger, but if it wasn’t for my teammates, this achievement wouldn’t have been possible,” says Kasdorf.
The five-foot-11, 165 pound forward has 15 goals and 43 points in 38 games. He is second in Grizzlies scoring.
Read – Hot in the KI (ending Jan. 19)
The second star is Kandorf’s teammate, defenceman Matt Cadden. The Revelstoke native collected six points in two games, including netting the game-winning goal, and adding three assists against the Storm. Against the Heat, Cadden netted two goals.
“We have been playing well as a team and I was able to jump into the play when opportunity arose,” says Cadden.
He credited confidence with the puck for his strong performance.
Cadden leads the Grizzlies defenceman in scoring with 32 points in 37 games. He’s already matched last season’s output in seven fewer games.
The third star goes to Princeton Posse goalie Scott Bird, who earned two wins against 100 Mile House and Summerland. He turned aside 58 of 62 shots for a 1.88 goals against average and .935 save percentage.
“I felt like they were an important four points that we needed to compete and battle for to close the gap between us and Kelowna,” says Bird. “All I wanted to do was my part to give the Posse a chance to win and I felt like I did that to add two more in the win column.”
Since joining the Posse, Bird says he has been able to elevate his game.
“Being in a new environment that gives me every tool that I need to succeed, makes me feel like I am more comfortable and confident to play and excel at my style of play,” says Bird, who has six wins in eight games, along with one shutout and a 1.83 goals against average with .932 save percentage. “Letting me focus and develop on more personal goals like stretching nightly and staying strong in the gym. With that in mind, it makes it easy to translate into on-ice success.”
