The Kimberley Dynamiters first-round playoff schedule has been finalized… sort of.
One way or another, KIJHL playoff hockey is set to return to the Kimberley Civic Centre with Game 1 of the division semifinal slated for Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.
With two games remaining in the KIJHL regular season, the Dynamiters (39-7-0-4) will finish atop the Eddie Mountain Division and Kootenay Conference with home-ice advantage for the opening three rounds of the post-season.
What remains to be determined is the Dynamiters’ first-round opponent and that impacts the rest of the schedule.
The Columbia Valley Rockies (29-21-0-0) and Fernie Ghostriders (27-19-0-4) continue to battle it out for third and fourth place in the division, each with 58 points in the standings and two games remaining in the regular season.
The Rockies close out the campaign with a pair of games against the division’s second-place Creston Valley Thunder Cats (31-14-2-2). The division rivals meet Friday at Invermere before finishing the season Saturday at Creston.
The Ghostriders wrap up the slate by visiting the Beaver Valley Nitehawks (33-11-3-3) Friday before hosting the Dynamiters in Sparwood on Saturday.
The Dynamiters conclude the KIJHL regular season by hosting the Golden Rockets (5-42-1-3) Friday before heading to Sparwood Saturday.
Dynamiters tentative first-round playoff schedule
If versus Fernie Ghostriders:Game 1 - Feb. 23 at Kimberley Civic CentreGame 2 - Feb. 24 at Fernie Memorial ArenaGame 3 - Feb. 26 at Kimberley Civic CentreGame 4 - Feb. 27 at Fernie Memorial ArenaGame 5* - Feb. 29 at Kimberley Civic CentreGame 6* - March 1 at Fernie Memorial ArenaGame 7* - March 3 at Kimberley Civic Centre
If versus Columbia Valley Rockies:Game 1 - Feb. 23 at Kimberley Civic CentreGame 2 - Feb. 25 at Eddie Mountain Mem. ArenaGame 3 - Feb. 26 at Kimberley Civic CentreGame 4 - Feb. 27 at Eddie Mountain Mem. ArenaGame 5* - Feb. 29 at Kimberley Civic CentreGame 6* - March 1 at Eddie Mountain Mem. ArenaGame 7* - March 3 at Kimberley Civic Centre* = if necessary
All games at Kimberley Civic Centre start at 7 p.m.; all road games start at 7:30 p.m.