Storm playing games in Quesnel to test KIJHL expansion

Nov 17, 2017 | 1:05 PM

QUESNEL — The Kamloops Storm play two home games on the road this weekend.

The Storm will host the 100 Mile House Wranglers tonight and the North Okanagan Knights tomorrow night, with both games in Quesnel.

Quesnel had applied for an expansion franchise earlier this year, but was turned down at the time.

Barry Dewar of the Storm is one of the league owners who has supported expansion to the Central and North Cariboo.

The stands at the West Fraser Centre in Quesnel are expected to be full for the two weekend games — the first of six games the Storm will play at the new Quesnel arena this season to showcase the interest in junior hockey.

Kamloops Storm assistant general manager Matt Kolle is leading the charge for a Quesnel expansion team in the KIJHL.

“There’s actually a real excitement”, says Kolle, “to add teams in Quesnel and Williams Lake.  It adds another arm to the league.”

Kolle says his bid for expansion is ready for resubmittal after seeing how the games go this weekend.

“I feel very good about our bid — and our communities will to have hockey back in the community —- ticket sales are coming off big”