The KIJHL fires up for another busy weekend in the Eddie Mountain Division, as the majority of local teams will be travelling with just a handful of games remaining in the regular season.
The Fernie Ghostriders officially opened the weekend schedule on Thursday, taking on the Grand Forks Border Bruins and battling to a 4-4 tie. Although Fernie would score three goals in the opening period, the Border Bruins gradually clawed their way back into the game, eventually forcing overtime with a late third-period goal, although neither team would be able to find the game-winner. Fernie continues their road trip Friday in Castlegar, as they faceoff with the Rebels at 7:00 pm PST.
Opening their weekend road trip, the Kimberley Dynamiters take on the Grand Forks Border Bruins at 7:00 pm PST on Friday before travelling south of the border on Saturday for a 7:00 pm PST meeting with the Spokane Braves.
At home this weekend, the Golden Rockets will look to fight their way back into the playoff picture, as the team will first host the Columbia Valley Rockies at 7:30 pm MST on Friday before a 2:00 pm MST matchup on Sunday versus the Kelowna Chiefs. The Columbia Valley Rockies also host the Chiefs this weekend, dropping the puck at 7:00 pm MST on Saturday from Invermere’s Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena.
The Creston Valley Thunder Cats will split their time at home and on the road as they host Kelowna at 7:30 pm MST on Friday at Johnny Bucyk Arena before hopping on the bus Saturday to eventually take on the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in Fruitvale at 7:00 pm MST.
Kimberley, Fernie, and Columbia Valley have all secured a berth in the KIJHL playoffs, while Creston and Golden jostle for the final spot in the Eddie Mountain Division. Golden has a big mountain to climb however, as the team is two games up on Creston but sits nine points back of the Thunder Cats. The Rockets will need to snap their six-game losing skid immediately if they have any chance of stealing the final playoff spot.
Eddie Mountain Division Standings
| TEAM | GP | W | L | T | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | DIFF | STR |
| yx Kimberley Dynamiters | 43 | 35 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 72 | 170 | 100 | 70 | W1 |
| x Fernie Ghostriders | 44 | 28 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 60 | 186 | 132 | 54 | T1 |
| x Columbia Valley Rockies | 43 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 50 | 149 | 126 | 23 | W3 |
| Creston Valley Thunder Cats | 41 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 44 | 139 | 157 | -18 | W1 |
| Golden Rockets | 43 | 16 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 137 | 159 | -22 | L6 |
y = Clinched Division, x = Clinched Playoff Spot