The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has released its 2022-23 regular season schedule, which begins on Friday, September 23rd with 18 of the league’s 20 teams in action.
All KIJHL teams will play a 44-game regular season that includes six games each against divisional rivals, two games against teams from the alternate division within the same conference, and one game against each team from the alternate conference. For inter-conference play, Okanagan Conference clubs will host opponents from one division in the Kootenay Conference while traveling to the other division, and vice versa:
- Teams in the Doug Birks division host teams from the Neil Murdoch division
- Teams in the Eddie Mountain division host teams from the Doug Birks division
- Teams in the Neil Murdoch division host teams from the Bill Ohlhausen division
- Teams in the Bill Ohlhausen division host teams from the Eddie Mountain division
The KIJHL will observe a holiday break from December 19-27 with games resuming December 28th and the regular season concluding on Saturday, February 11th. The KIJHL playoffs begin on Friday, February 17th when 16 teams begin their quest for the Teck Cup, with an expanded timeframe that will allow for each series to take place over 12 days.
The 2023 Cyclone Taylor Cup will be hosted by the Revelstoke Grizzlies beginning Thursday, April 13th, 2023.
Key games on the schedule include a rematch of the 2022 Teck Cup Finals on Friday, October 7th when the Grizzlies and Nelson Leafs meet in Revelstoke. A pair of former assistant coaches will make their head coaching debuts when Brandon Switzer’s Creston Valley Thunder Cats host Castlegar on September 23rd and one night later, when Adam DiBella and his Leafs host Princeton. A third debut occurs on September 23rd when former Border Bruins head coach Emery Olauson steps behind the Columbia Valley Rockies bench for the first time for a home match-up against Kimberley. And the Princeton Posse will mark the home opener of their 20th KIJHL season when the 100 Mile House Wranglers visit on September 30th.
The Spokane Braves are scheduled to play their first KIJHL regular season game since February 2020 when they host Osoyoos Coyotes on September 23rd to begin their long-awaited 50th season. The league is continuing to monitor circumstances around the Canada-U.S. border and will provide updates.
For ticket information, visiting your local KIJHL’s team website. As always, fans who are unable to attend games in person can catch all the action live online with a HockeyTV subscription.
