Chiefs host Steam to start playoffs tonight

Fortunately for the Summerland Steam and Princeton Posse, the playoffs are a whole new season.

The Steam and Posse both got dominated in the regular season by their first-round Okanagan Division playoff opponents — Kelowna Chiefs and Osoyoos Coyotes, respectively.

Everyone will start on even footing tonight as the eight Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (best-of-seven) playoff series get going.

Summerland travels to the Rutland Arena to take on the Chiefs in Games 1 and 2 tonight and Saturday. The series shifts to the Summerland for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

The Chiefs charged back in the final month of the season to overhaul the Steam by one point for second place and home-ice advantage in the first-round series. Kelowna beat Summerland three times in February by a stunning combined score of 29-8.

Overall, Kelowna won five of the eight games over the Steam by a combined 44-26.

Summerland won two games in overtime and Kelowna one.

In winning its fourth straight Okanagan Division pennant, Osoyoos finished 28 points ahead of fourthplace Princeton.

Osoyoos won seven of the eight head-tohead matchups, including one in overtime, outscoring the Posse 36-14.

Games 1 and 2 go tonight and Saturday at 7:35 p.m. at the Sun Bowl Arena before the teams convene in Princeton for Games 3 and 4 Monday and Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Games 5 to 7 of both series, all if necessary, would be played on consecutive nights from March 1-3 with Osoyoos and Kelowna having the extra home game.

The other six first-round series also get going tonight with Kamloops at Revelstoke, and 100 Mile House at Chase in the Doug Birks Division; Fernie at Kimberley, and Columbia Valley at Creston Valley in the Eddie Mountain Division, and Grand Forks at Nelson, and Beaver Valley at Castlegar in the Neil Murdoch Division. For game times, visit kijhl.ca.