The second round of the KIJHL Playoffs kick off this weekend and in Beaver Valley, for the third straight season, the Neil Murdoch will be decided between Grand Forks and the Nitehawks.
Series Schedule against Grand Forks:
Game 1 | March 20th @ 7pm – Beaver Valley Arena
Game 2 | March 21st @ 7pm – Beaver Valley Arena
Game 3 | March 24th @ 7pm – Jack Goddard Arena – Grand Forks
Game 4 | March 25th @ 7pm – Jack Goddard Arena – Grand Forks
*Game 5 | March 27th @ 7pm – Beaver Valley Arena
*Game 6 | March 28th @ 7pm – Jack Goddard Arena – Grand Forks
*Game 7 | March 30th @ 7pm – Beaver Valley Arena
As is the case around the KIJHL, it’s the top two teams of the division going head to head for a spot in the conference finals. For the Hawks, they’ll look to flip the script and knock off the reigning KIJHL champions after the Border Bruins took the series last year in the second round, after the Hawks won the initial meeting in 2023/24. Both teams come in having swept their first round series. The Hawks took the season series against the Bruins, winning four of the six games, outscoring the Bruins 28-19 in the season series. Home ice played a factor in the series, the Hawks were the only team to win on the road, winning 6-1 in Grand Forks on the final day of the season. Through the first round the Hawks dispatched the Spokane Braves in four straight. Brady Magarrell leads the team and the league with eight goals in four games, scoring two in each of the games through the first round. Despite Magarrell’s eight goals, Maddox Gandha was the standout performer for the Hawks, scoring four goals himself, with three of those being game winning goals and very timely goals for the Hawks. In the first round the Hawks depth scoring was on display and as they head into the next series against the Bruins, that could be a key determining factor.
Nitehawks Leading Scorers:
Magarrell (8-1-9)
Gandha (4-1-5)
Noseworthy (1-4-5)
Robertson (1-4-5)
Leenders (3-1-4)
For the Border Bruins and the defending KIJHL Champions, It’s business as usual as they line up against the Hawks for the third straight season in the Neil Murdoch Division Finals. The Bruins dispatched the Castlegar Rebels in four games as well. Both teams come in rested, but there will be no doubting both teams will be up for this one. The Bruins allowed just six goals in the first round, while scoring 24 goals in their four game series and unsurprisingly, the Bruins averaged 33% on the powerplay in the first round, up from their season pace of 26%. Both teams through the season series had a higher average than that of their overall season totals, and special teams will undoubtedly be a factor in this series. For the Bruins, Thomas Samborski’s been their man, playing all four games against the Rebels, posting a 1.50 GAA and a 0.941 SV%. While a high scoring season series against the Hawks has been uncharacteristic for the Bruins netminder. He did post one of his four shutouts of the season against the Hawks in a 1-0 nailbitter back in December. The Bruins know they come into hostile territory for game 1 and managing the highs and lows of the opening minutes will be key, as well as not dropping off through 60 minutes, something that Coach Hnatiuk said earlier this season was evident in the games against the Hawks.
Bruins Leading Scorers:
Boyle (4-3-7)
Tellefson (5-1-6)
Astill (3-3-6)
Schram (4-1-5)
Paterson (1-3-4)
It all kicks off tonight at the ‘Hawks Nest’ as the Hawks will look to dethrone the Border Bruins as their Neil Murdoch Rivalry reignites for a third straight post season. Bring the noise Beaver Valley! It’s round two of the KIJHL Playoffs! Get your tickets at the door or at https://www.bvnitehawks.ca/tickets. Can’t make it to the game? Watch all the action on FloHockey with Ben Phillips and John Coutts starting at 6:50pm!
