Storm aiming to ‘dominate’ Game 3 of KIJHL series against Wranglers, expecting physicality
Mar 17, 2025 | 3:08 PM
Marty Hastings
KAMLOOPS — Hayden Selin of the Kamloops Storm is expecting physicality to ratchet up in Game 3 of the Doug Birks Division final, which gets underway at 7 p.m. on Monday (March 17) at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.
The best-of-seven series featuring Kamloops and the 100 Mile House Wranglers is tied at one game apiece.
“They play a rough game, but it’s nothing we can’t handle,” said Selin, who has six assists in six playoff games. “We can match the physicality for sure and we’ll bring it to them tonight.
“You see the same team as many times as you do, it starts to boil. It’s going to be a rough game. I can tell that.”
Diego Cazac of the Wranglers scored shorthanded in double-overtime on Saturday (March 15), the goal securing a 5-4 victory in Game 2 and a weekend split with the visiting Storm.
“It looked like we didn’t play our best-ever game, but they played one of their best games,” Storm forward Luke Rothfos said on Monday. “If we can step up a little bit today, I’m thinking we can dominate them.”
Kamloops earned a 5-3 victory on Friday in Game 1 and held a 4-3 lead heading into the third period in Game 2 before the Wranglers cued the comeback.
“Both games could have gone either way,” Storm head coach Andrew Fisher said. “We’re happy to get the split. Obviously, though, to lose that second one in overtime, it would have been nice coming home two-nothing, but I’m happy with the way we played for the most part. A few lapses here and there we’ll need to tighten up, but as far as the weekend overall, pretty happy with it.”
Storm goaltender Brenner Fyfe was named the Birks Division netminder of the season and his strong play continues in the post-season, with 107 saves in two games.
Rothfos leads the club in post-season scoring with nine points, including four goals, in six games.
“It’s going to be pretty loud I bet,” Rothfos said of the Game 3 atmosphere on Mac Isle. “If we take advantage and use the big ice surface, we can dominate them.”
