The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has delayed the start of its season to Nov. 13 when it plans to run a 30-game campaign with three teams opting out and no fans in the stands.

The Junior B league announced Thursday it would move forward with just 17 teams competing after the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, 100 Mile House Wranglers and Spokane Braves decided to take the season off.

KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois said the Canada-United States border closure keeps Spokane from taking part, while the COVID-19 pandemicsa国际传媒檚 financial impact on teams was a factor in Beaver Valley and 100 Mile House deciding to sit out the season.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e playing hockey,sa国际传媒� said Dubois. sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 the good news and hopefully things in the province here improve to the point where some of the restrictions in place now can ease up over the course of the season and wesa国际传媒檒l get fans.sa国际传媒�

Dubois said the absence of three teams plus provincial restrictions on the number of players who can compete will change the KIJHLsa国际传媒檚 structure of five teams playing in four divisions.

Instead, the league will have two cohorts of four teams and three cohorts of three teams playing each other. Dubois said the league is planning to have teams change opponents during the Christmas break and at the end of January following a required 14-day quarantine break.

sa国际传媒淚t wonsa国际传媒檛 be the divisional play that teams are used to,sa国际传媒� said Dubois, who added the league is still working on a schedule set to be released Sept. 25. The regular season will end Feb. 26, 2021, to be followed by playoffs.

The KIJHL was among the sports leagues that had to when B.C. entered its pandemic lockdown. The league typically starts its regular season in early September, but had planned for an Oct. 2 start this year.

Dubois said the league has told teams to plan for no fans in the stands this season, but hesa国际传媒檚 hopeful that provincial restrictions ease to allow for it at some point.

sa国际传媒淭he big thing for us is wesa国际传媒檇 really like to be in a position to get fans back in our rinks,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淥bviously wesa国际传媒檙e hoping not to play a full year in front of empty buildings but thatsa国际传媒檚 up to everybody in terms of how that goes over the next few months.sa国际传媒�

If those fans do return, Dubois said they will likely notice small changes to the on-ice action.

Crackdowns on scrums around the nets, officials who steer clear of players and measures to prevent fights are being considered by BC Hockey and Hockey Canada, according to Dubois.

Meanwhile, if a player or team staff member tests positive for COVID-19 then tests would be administered to everyone within that teamsa国际传媒檚 cohort. Dubois said a positive test would also shut down the cohort for 14 days without a negative tests.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 one where itsa国际传媒檚 not a decision wesa国际传媒檙e making,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淲e will follow the guidance of the province and the regional health authority.sa国际传媒�

| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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