In a best of seven series between the Rush and the Kamloops Storm, the Rush faced defeat in all four games played. Every game was a hard-fought match but the Rush kept coming up short.
On March 4, the Rush had their final game against the Storm and it was a nail biter.
The first period saw the Storm get two goals and protect their net from the Rush. But the home team started to bounce back in the second period. Less than 30 seconds in Richard Burden, who had his final season in the KIJHL, got the Rush's first goal with an assist from Reece Unrau and Isaiah Bagri. The second goal came from Gage Parrell and assisted by Ian George and Warren Roberts-Lee.
Things were tense as both teams fought hard throughout the third period but didn't get a single goal, meaning the game went to overtime. By the time overtime began, the Rush had 51 shots on net while Kamloops had 24.
There are no shootouts in playoffs at the KI meaning the game would have 20-minute overtime periods until someone got the puck in a net. It looked like the Rush would be battling to a second overtime period but with just over five minutes left, a shot, a bounce and a rebound had the puck slip by River Rush goalie Kyan Gray.
Kamloops celebrating their victory in the game, and the series, as Rush players stayed on the ice taking a moment to reflect on the end of the season and for some, their hockey careers.
As players were ready and left the ice one-by-one, they were greeted by a group of fans, friends and family who cheered them on as they went into the team's change room.
Seven of the Rush players had their last games in the league before aging out. Captain Bennett Kuhnlein, Christian Rapp, Richard Burden, Cash Anderson, Warren Roberts-Lee, Kaden Ernst and Mathias Reha are all moving on from the KIJHL.
The Storm will have to get past another Cariboo team as they'll be facing the 100 Mile House Wranglers in the next round of playoffs.
