KIJHL News
League structure changes announced for 2026-27 KIJHL season
While the playoffs continue in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) the league is in the midst of major changes that could affect all of its...
Former Kelowna Chief Luke Kalenuik loses battle with cancer
The Kelowna Chiefs are mourning the loss of one of their own. Luke Kalenuik, 28, who played with the Kelowna KIJHL franchise for two seasons from 2014 to 2016,...
Kamloops Storm awaiting second round matchup in KIJHL playoffs
A 3-2 overtime win Tuesday night gave the Kamloops Storm the series-clinching victory they needed to sweep the Quesnel River Rush and punch their ticket to the...
Home ice was no advantage as Leafs and Rebels fall in four to KIJHL playoff opponents
The links await for the Leafs and the Rebels as the two Highway 3A neighbours fell in four straight games to their first round KIJHL opponents Tuesday night....
Home field advantage doesn’t pan out for Leafs in third loss of opening playoff round
The Leafs and the Rebels are both on the ropes in their respective first round KIJHL playoff series with one chance left to extend the season. Three games in to...
Inability to solve Nitehawks, Border Bruins haunts Leafs and Rebels in first round
The song remained the same for the Nelson Leafs and the Castlegar Rebels in the second games of their first round KIJHL playoff series. One night after dropping...
KIJHL playoffs open as expected for Leafs and Rebels on road
The KIJHL playoffs started like the regular season went for the Nelson Leafs, with another loss to the Beaver Valley Nitehawks. The Nitehawks dominated the...
Kamloops Storm set to take on Quesnel River Rush in 2025 KIJHL playoffs
Matt Kolle is expecting a war. The 2024-25 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs get underway this weekend, with the second seed Kamloops Storm...
Leafs, Rebels face unbeaten opponents in first round of junior A playoffs
An uphill climb is staring some teams in the face on the eve of the junior A journey which is the KIJHL playoffs, including local favourites the Nelson Leafs...
BCHC and BC Hockey announce details for the 2025 Mowat Cup
The British Columbia Hockey Conference (BCHC) and BC Hockey have announced details for the 2025 Mowat Cup that will determine the Junior A Tier 2 champion. For...
Leafs fall into playoffs with shutout victory in Spokane
The Nelson Leafs opened the scoring and finished the scoring, as well as adding all of the goals in between, as the Heritage city club took to the road and...
Despite scoring first, Leafs surrender leads in pair of KIJHL losses
Although the Nelson Leafs have clinched a KIJHL playoff berth the club is limping into the post season after having dropped a pair of games on the weekend. The...
Winning streak continues for Leafs at home with win over Osoyoos
The Nelson Leafs continued to turn the season around and added another ‘w’ to the win column on Saturday night, pushing a win streak to four games....
Castlegar native Evin assumes head coach duties for KIJHL Rebels
Alex Evin is excited to be back on a bench after a two-month break, that was long enough for him. The Castlegar native spent eight years with the BCHL’s...
Leafs defenceman named one of three stars for the week in KIJHL
The Nelson Leafs might be sliding in the KIJHL standings but one of their defensemen isn’t. Memphis Burgeson has been named one of the three stars for the...
Merritt Centennials pull off dramatic comeback to beat Osoyoos
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Merritt Centennials 4, Osoyoos Coyotes 3 The Merritt Centennials started their three-game stretch this week with a nail-biting win...
Last-place Braves beat Leafs on road on strength of three power play goals
The Nelson Leafs returned to their losing ways after breaking their eight-game losing streak, dropping a 6-2 road game to the last place Spokane Chiefs. The...
Leafs rise over adversity in slump and gain first win in nine games
The drought is over. The Nelson Leafs have ended their winless skid at eight games with a 4-2 win over division rival Castlegar Rebels on Friday night in...
Leafs tighten up on defence but still drop two more weekend games
Two more games and two more losses for the Nelson Leafs on the weekend. The bleeding might not have stopped but it has slowed for the KIJHL club that has now...
Gap closes between Leafs, Rebels as Nelson side continues to slide
The gap between the third place Nelson Leafs and the fourth place Castlegar Rebels is closing after the Heritage city club dropped two more games on the...