Revelstoke and Merritt…

The relationship between the Revelstoke Grizzlies and the Merritt Centennials has quickly intensified into a premier KIJHL rivalry, fueled by back-to-back playoff meetings following Merritt’s transition from the BCHL in 2024. As they enter Game 3 of their 2026 best-of-seven series, the narrative is one of a “rematch with a physical edge”; the Grizzlies eliminated the Centennials in five games during the 2025 postseason, a defeat that prompted Merritt to intentionally “get bigger” in the off-season to match Revelstoke’s notorious grit. While Revelstoke entered this year as the top seed in the Bill Ohlhausen Division, the gap has narrowed significantly, evidenced by their 5–4 overtime thriller in Game 1 and a series of high-penalty regular-season matchups. As the series shifts to the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena for Game 3, the Centennials are leaning on their home-ice “battle culture” to disrupt the Grizzlies’ momentum, turning a once-unbalanced pairing into a heavyweight fight where every “dive” into the corners is a test of Merritt’s revamped physical identity against Revelstoke’s championship experience.