The Storm's Round 1 Matchup is set

Image Credit: Alex Beckett/Fallsway Marketing & Media

The Kamloops Storm are officially locked into their first round matchup.

After finishing third in the KIJHL regular season with 66 points, just behind Revelstoke and tied with Beaver Valley, the Storm waited to see who would claim the final playoff spot and earn the right to face them.

It came down to the final night. Four teams entered the evening fighting for that last berth. Chase had the toughest path with just one game remaining, while 100 Mile House, Osoyoos, and Sicamous each had two chances to punch their ticket. In the end, Chase handled its business, winning its lone game, while the other three teams dropped both of theirs. That result sets up yet another postseason chapter between Kamloops and Chase.

It is a matchup that has become familiar over the past decade. The Storm have historically had the upper hand in the series and swept the season set this year, winning all six meetings between the two clubs. Kamloops finished the regular season with 66 points compared to Chase’s 29.

Still, this is playoff hockey. Chase made a strong push over the final months of the season to secure its spot and will not be taken lightly. Momentum matters this time of year, and the Heat proved they can rise in high pressure situations.

Offensively, the Storm are led by Noah Paulsen, who finished the regular season with 62 points and has been a consistent driver all year. For Chase, Shiva Singh has been a key piece, recording 43 points and providing the offensive spark the Heat will lean on in the series.

Storm leading scorer Paulsen understands the challenge ahead.

“We’re confident in our abilities as a team and know what our end goal is, but we also know that playoff matchups can be a whole different animal. We’ll focus on taking it one game at a time.”

Game 1 and Game 2 are set for March 6 and 7 at McArthur Island Arena as the Storm look to defend home ice and start their playoff run on the right foot.