The B.C. Hockey League has announced the schedule for the Cowichan Valley Capitals’ second-round playoff series against the Wenatchee Wild.
The series will have a 2-2-1-1-1 format identical to the Caps’ first-round series against the Penticton Vees.
The teams will meet at Wenatchee’s Town Toyota Centre this Friday and Saturday, then at the Cowichan Arena next Tuesday and Wednesday (March 19 and 20). If further games are required, they will take place in Wenatchee on March 22, in Duncan on March 24, and in Wenatchee again on March 26.
All games will start at 7:05 p.m.
The Wild are the defending BCHL champions, and were the third seed in the Interior Division going into the 2019 playoffs, beating the West Kelowna Warriors 4-3 in the first round. With both Penticton and Merritt eliminated in the first round, the Wild are the highest remaining seed left.
“As a buddy of mine said the other day, sometimes you wrestle alligators,” Capitals head coach Mike Vandekamp said after Monday’s series-clinching win over Penticton. “And this is gonna be another alligator to wrestle.”
The Wild swept the season series with Cowichan but the Caps’ improvement over the course of the season was clear as Wenatchee prevailed 8-1 in their own rink on Oct. 26, then won 4-3 in Duncan on Feb. 8.
The winner of the Cowichan-Wenatchee series will face either the Trail Smoke Eaters or Vernon Vipers in the Interior Division final. The Powell River Kings and Victoria Grizzlies are squaring off for the Island Division banner starting this week, while the Prince George Spruce Kings and Chilliwack Chiefs are contesting the Mainland Division title.