The second round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Teck Cup playoffs begins tomorrow.
Below is a preview of each series.
Kootenay Conference
Neil Murdoch Division
 Grand Forks Border Bruins (1) |
 Beaver Valley Nitehawks (2) |
Season Series: Border Bruins won 4-1-1.
Series storyline: Both teams have been amongst the best in the KIJHL all season with the Border Bruins finishing first overall. The Border Bruins will be looking to advance to the Kootenay Conference championship for the first time under head coach-general manager Dave Hnatiuk. The Nitehawks look to return to the Kootenay Conference championship, which they lost in last season to the Fernie Ghostriders. In goal, the Border Bruins used both goalies – Jasper Tait and Eric Kahl – in their sweep of the Castlegar Rebels, while the Nitehawks leaned on Connor Stojan – the Neil Murdoch Division’s Top Goalie.
Players to watch: Keenan Holland netted three goals, including a winner, and two assists for the Border Bruins. He’s continued his strong offensive play from the regular season. Roan Crowe, who had nine goals in 34 games for the Nitehawks during the regular season, has four goals, including a winner.
Eddie Mountain Division
 Kimberley Dynamiters (1) |
 Columbia Valley Rockies (3) |
Season Series: Tied 3-3-0.
Storylines: Last season, the Rockies stunned the Dynamiters with their first round series win. The Dynamiters likely haven’t forgotten that and will be looking to return the favour. The Rockies power-play is something to watch. It was lethal in the first round going 5-for-12 for 41.7 per cent. Carter Velker has two of them, and they are game-winners.
Players to Watch: Danik Reeves, the Dynamiters rookie, had eight points in their series against the Creston Valley Thunder Cats. Goalie Hunter Arntsen was key to the Rockies’ first round sweep and posted a 2.75 goals against average with a .923 save percentage.
Okanagan Conference
Bill Ohlhausen Division
 Princeton Posse (1) |
 Revelstoke Grizzlies (2) |
Season Series: Posse won 4-1-0.
Storylines: This is a rematch of the last two Okanagan Conference Finals, which the teams split. The Posse defeated the Sicamous Eagles with top goal scorer Matthew Langdon limited to one game. Carson Hebert stepped up and scored four goals. Grizzlies forward Colton McLeod is once again making an impact – seven points in five games. He’s known for producing as he had 20 points in 31 games from his two previous playoff runs. He could be a factor in this series. When it comes to special teams between these two, the power-play may be a non-factor. The penalty-killing units for both have been excellent – 90.9 per cent for Revelstoke and 88.9 per cent for Princeton.
Players to Watch: Could this be a series about the goalies? Posse goalie Blake Sittler put up stingy numbers against the Eagles to earn three wins – a 1.26 GAA and a .955 SP. Ryder Ponto has been great in his first playoff run – a 1.50 GAA with a .952 SP to earn four wins.
Doug Birks Division
 100 Mile House Wranglers (1) |
 Kamloops Storm (2) |
Season Series: Wranglers won 5-1-0.
Storylines: Will this be another series in which the goalies take the spotlight? Tyson Endall was a big factor in the Wranglers advancing to the second round and continuing their turnaround season. Endall had a 37-save shutout performance in overtime against the Williams Lake Mustangs that led to a Top Goalie selection. He had a 1.63 GAA with a .954 SP. Storm goalie Brenner Fyfe was a key reason for his team sweeping the Quesnel River Rush. He posted a strong 1.89 GAA with .954 SP.
Players to Watch: Wranglers captain Ethan Davey had a great series against the Mustangs with four goals – two winners. Fyfe as mentioned above, but Luca D’Amore was stellar for the Storm with two of his four goals being winners and he had seven points in the first round.
