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KIJHL playoff season cancelled

Junior B league ends season during division finals series
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PLAYOFF ACTION The Summerland Steam and the Princeton Posse faced each other in Junior B hockey playoff action. The Posse won the best of seven series to go on to face the Kelowna Chiefs. However, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s post season has now been cancelled. (Black Press file photo)

In the midst of hockey playoff action, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has cancelled the remainder of its 2019 to 2020 post season as well as the 2020 Cyclone Taylor Cup.

The announcement was made March 13, after the Junior B league was advised by Hockey Canada and B.C. Hockey that the hockey season would not resume at a later date.

A day earlier, the league had announced that the playoffs would be suspended indefinitely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“This decision was made with the health and safety of our players, coaches, volunteers, billets and fans as the sole consideration,” a statement from the league reads. “We share your disappointment at this news, and thank all those who contributed to an exciting and entertaining 2019 to 2020 hockey season.”

As a result of this decision, the division finals between the Princeton Posse and the Kelowna Chiefs has been cancelled.

Each team had won one game in the best of seven series.

Princeton had been ranked in second place in the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference: Bill Ohlhausen Division in the regular season and Kelowna had been ranked in first place.

In the division semifinals, the Posse defeated the third place Summerland Steam in four games to win the best of seven series, while the Chiefs defeated the fourth place North Okanagan Knights to win their division semifinal series.

Other playoff series had also been cut short.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies and the 100 Mile House Wranglers had each won one game in their best of seven division finals in the Okanagan/Shuswap Confrence: Doug Birks Division.

In the Kootenay Conference: Eddie Mountain Division, the Kimberley Dynamiters were leading the Columbia Valley Rockets with two wins in their playoff series.

In the Kootenay Conference: Neil Murdoch Division, the Nelson Leafs had won twice against the Beaver Valley Nighthawks.

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