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Sicamous Eagles, Chase Heat confirm KIJHL playoff partners

Eagles will face Revelstoke and Chase will take on Kamloops in opening round of post-season starting Feb. 22
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KIJHL playoffs start Feb. 22.

With a date against the Revelstoke Grizzlies confirmed in the first round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Sicamous Eagles have four games to prep for the post-season.

The preparation didn’t get off to a good start as the Eagles gave up three first-period goals Saturday in a 4-0 loss to the regular-season league champion Coyotes in Osoyoos Feb. 12.

Ethan Floris (shorthanded), Ethan McKinley (powerplay) and Kole Giesbrecht scored just over five minutes apart to give Osoyoos the 3-0 bulge. Alex Ochitwa finished off the scoring 57 seconds after the ice clean in the second period.

Kenny Gerow made 20 saves to earn the shutout while Gage Reimer stopped 36 in a losing effort.

Revelstoke clinched first place in the Doug Birks Division with a 2-1 overtime win Saturday in 100 Mile House over the Wranglers, while the second-place Kamloops Storm were losing 6-4 to the Heat in Chase in what was a first-round playoff preview between the two Trans-Canada Highway rivals.

The hometown Heat erased a 3-1 deficit after 20 minutes with four unanswered second-period goals and five straight markers overall.

Mikkel Hrechka opened the scoring for Chase 35 seconds after the national anthem before the Storm exploded for three consecutive goals.

Hrechka, Matteo Bordin, Garrett Martin and Brayden Haskell, with the eventual game-winner at 19:10, scored in the middle frame and Trevor Kennedy made it 6-3 Chase at 18:11 of the third period.

Roderic May stopped 25 Storm shots to earn the win in goal while starter Colton Phillips-Watts, pulled in second period, and Cody Creasy combined to make 20 saves for Kamloops.

The league playoffs begin Feb. 22.

READ MORE: 2 goals in 21 seconds help Sicamous Eagles defeat Princeton Posse 6-3

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