Puck drops on KIJHL Final between Beaver Valley and Kelowna Wednesday in Fruitvale
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The dates have been released and Wednesday, March 28 has been designated as the opening night in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Final.
Surprising Kelowna Chiefs hope to keep their post-season upset streak alive as the Okanagan Conference champs travel to Fruitvale to meet the KIJHL best regular season team, Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
The Hawks have to enter the series as the odds-on favourite after dispatching two of the KIJHL’s top five regular season teams in Castlegar Rebels (tied for second overall) and Fernie Ghostriders (fifth overall).
Beaver Valley boasts the Three-Headed Monster of Ryan Edwards, rookie Craig Martin and Chris Derochie as an offensive threat the Chiefs must shut down.
However, during the Fernie series, won in five games by the Hawks, Beaver Valley received scoring from other sources as the Riders keyed on the Big Line for most of the series.
In goal, the Hawks have two backstoppers, that have bought into a rotation formula instituted by the coaching staff, that would be starters on any other Junior B team in the province in Mike Vlanich and Zach Perehudoff.
After surrendering six goals in game two against Fernie, Vlanich and Perehudoff, thanks in part to some shutdown defence, held the Riders to four goals in the final three games — all Beaver Valley wins.
In Kelowna, the Chiefs have rode the leadership from veterans Landon Andrusiak and Dane Rupert to first knock off defending KIJHL champion Osoyoos Coyotes in six games before completely shutting down Princeton Posse and Sicamous Eagles each in five.
Kelowna finished fourth in the Okanagan Division with a 26-22-0-4 record.
Both Rupert and Adrusiak are tied for third in KIJHL playoff scoring with 27 points.
While the Hawks have rotated goalies to keep them both fresh, Kelowna has rode the netminding of Tyler O’Donnell, who has played in 14 of the Chiefs 16 playoff games.
Game two of the series goes Thursday at the Fruitvale Arena before the series shifts back to Rutland for games three and four, Saturday and Sunday.
If necessary, the remaining three games will be played Tuesday (April 3) in Beaver Valley and Wednesday (April 4) in the Okanagan.
Game seven is set for Friday, April 6) in Fruitvale.
KIJHL Final
Best-of-seven
Kelowna Chiefs vs Beaver Valley Nitehawks
Wednesday, March 28
Kelowna at Beaver Valley, 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 29
Kelowna at Beaver Valley, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 31
Beaver Valley at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 1
Beaver Valley at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 3
Kelowna at Beaver Valley, 7 p.m., if necessary
Wednesday, April 4
Beaver Valley at Kelowna, 7 p.m., if necessary
Friday, April 6
Kelowna at Beaver Valley, 7 p.m., if necessary
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