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Schedule released

UPDATE: Vipers find out their first round foe

Feb 23, 2020 | 5:42 PM

Round 1 schedule between Vernon Vipers and Wenatchee Wild:

Saturday Feb. 29 – 7:05 p.m. @ Wenatchee
Sunday March 1 – 7:05 p.m. @ Wenatchee
Tuesday March 3 – 7 p.m. @ Vernon
Wednesday March 4 – 7 p.m. @ Vernon
Friday March 6 – 7:05 p.m. – if necessary @ Wenatchee
Sunday March 8 – 2 p.m. – if necessary @ Vernon
Tuesday March 10 – 7 p.m. – if necessary @ Wenatchee

Feb. 23

It will be the Vernon Vipers and the Wenatchee Wild in round one of the B.C. Hockey League playoffs.

The regular season came to an end Sunday with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks edging the Merritt Centennials 3-2 at the Shaw Centre, giving the Sbacks 65 points and third place in the Interior Division.

The Wild also had 65 points and finished fourth and the Vipers were fifth with 64 points after dropping both games to West Kelowna this weekend by scores of 6-4 and 6-5 (shootout).

Vernon’s record was 30-24-2-2.

The dates for the Vipers-Wild series still have to be confirmed, but it’s believed it will start Saturday in the Washington state city.

Penticton will play West Kelowna in round one, Trail will meet Prince George, and Salmon Arm will take on Victoria.

The first round will consist of eight best-of-seven series in the Interior, Island and Mainland Divisions. Teams have the option to choose a 2-2-1-1-1 format or a 2-3-2 based on what works best for both sides.

A change for this year sees the two wildcard seeds re-seeded in the Interior Division based on point totals. That means the Victoria Grizzlies slot in as the number-six seed, the Prince George Spruce Kings are the seventh seed and the West Kelowna Warriors are number eight. As usual, the Interior will also re-seed after the first round.

See below for the matchups and the full schedule for each series.

Interior Division Playoffs

#1 Penticton Vees vs. #8 West Kelowna Warriors

Game 1: Thursday, Feb. 27 – 7 p.m. – South Okanagan Events Centre (Penticton)
Game 2: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – South Okanagan Events Centre
Game 3: Sunday, Mar. 1 – 3 p.m. – Royal LePage Place (West Kelowna)
Game 4: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – Royal LePage Place
Game 5: Wednesday, Mar. 4 – 7 p.m. – South Okanagan Events Centre*
Game 6: Saturday, Mar. 7 – 7 p.m. – Royal LePage Place*
Game 7: Monday, Mar. 9 – 7 p.m. – South Okanagan Events Centre*

#2 Trail Smoke Eaters vs. #7 Prince George Spruce Kings

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – Cominco Arena (Trail)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 29 – 7 p.m. – Cominco Arena
Game 3: Monday, Mar. 2 – 7 p.m. – Rolling Mix Concrete Arena (Prince George)
Game 4: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – Rolling Mix Concrete Arena
Game 5: Thursday, Mar. 5 – 7 p.m. – Rolling Mix Concrete Arena*
Game 6: Saturday, Mar. 7 – 7 p.m. – Cominco Arena*
Game 7: Sunday, Mar. 8 – 7 p.m. – Cominco Arena*

#3 Salmon Arm Silverbacks vs. #7 Victoria Grizzlies

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – Shaw Centre (Salmon Arm)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 29 – 7 p.m. – Shaw Centre
Game 3: Monday, Mar. 2 – 7 p.m. – The Q Centre (Victoria)
Game 4: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – The Q Centre
Game 5: Thursday, Mar. 5 – 7 p.m. – Shaw Centre*
Game 6: Saturday, Mar. 7 – 7 p.m. – The Q Centre*
Game 7: Monday, Mar. 9 – 7 p.m. – Shaw Centre*

#4 Wenatchee Wild vs. #5 Vernon Vipers

Game 1: Saturday, Feb. 29 – 7:05 p.m. – Town Toyota Center (Wenatchee)
Game 2: Sunday, Mar. 1 – 7:05 p.m. – Town Toyota Center
Game 3: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – Kal Tire Place (Vernon)
Game 4: Wednesday, Mar. 4 – 7 p.m. – Kal Tire Place
Game 5: Friday, Mar. 6 – 7:05 p.m. – Town Toyota Center*
Game 6: Sunday, Mar. 8 – 2 p.m. – Kal Tire Place*
Game 7: Tuesday, Mar. 10 – 7:05 p.m. – Town Toyota Center*

Island Division Playoffs

#1 Nanaimo Clippers vs. #4 Alberni Valley Bulldogs

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – Frank Crane Arena (Nanaimo)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 29 – 7 p.m. – Frank Crane Arena
Game 3: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – Weyerhaeuser Arena (Alberni Valley)
Game 4: Thursday, Mar. 5 – 7 p.m. – Weyerhaeuser Arena
Game 5: Friday, Mar. 6 – 7 p.m. – Frank Crane Arena*
Game 6: Monday, Mar. 9 – 7 p.m. – Weyerhaeuser Arena*
Game 7: Wednesday, Mar. 11 – 7 p.m. – Frank Crane Arena*

#2 Cowichan Valley Capitals vs. #3 Powell River Kings

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – Cowichan Community Centre (Cowichan Valley)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 29 – 7 p.m. – Cowichan Community Centre
Game 3: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – Hap Parker Arena (Powell River)
Game 4: Wednesday, Mar. 4 – 7 p.m. – Hap Parker Arena
Game 5: Friday, Mar. 6 – 7 p.m. – Cowichan Community Centre*
Game 6: Saturday, Mar. 7 – 7 p.m. – Hap Parker Arena*
Game 7: Monday, Mar. 9 – 7 p.m. – Cowichan Community Centre*

Mainland Division Playoffs

#1 Coquitlam Express vs. #4 Langley Rivermen

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre (Coquitlam)
Game 2: Sunday, Mar. 1 – 7 p.m. – Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre
Game 3: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7:15 p.m. – George Preston Arena (Langley)
Game 4: Wednesday, Mar. 4 – 7:15 p.m. – George Preston Arena
Game 5: Friday, Mar. 6 – 7:15 p.m. – Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre*
Game 6: Saturday, Mar. 7 – 7:15 p.m. – George Preston Arena*
Game 7: Monday, Mar. 9 – 7:15 p.m. – Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre*

#2 Chilliwack Chiefs vs. #3 Surrey Eagles

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. – Chilliwack Coliseum (Chilliwack)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 29 – 7 p.m. – Chilliwack Coliseum
Game 3: Monday, Mar. 2 – 7:30 p.m. – South Surrey Arena (Surrey)
Game 4: Tuesday, Mar. 3 – 7 p.m. – South Surrey Arena
Game 5: Thursday, Mar. 5 – 7 p.m. – Chilliwack Coliseum*
Game 6: Saturday, Mar. 7 – 7 p.m. – South Surrey Arena*
Game 7: Sunday, Mar. 8 – 6 p.m. – Chilliwack Coliseum*

*If necessary

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