The Quesnel River Rush are a Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. They are set to compete in the Interior Division in the British Columbia Hockey Conference (BCHC) beginning in the 2026–27 season after playing in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). The team plays its home games at the 1,300-seat West Fraser Centre. Before moving to Quesnel in 2024, the team was based in Armstrong, British Columbia and was known as the North Okanagan Knights.

History

The Knights joined the KIJHL in 2009, but finished dead-last in the Okanagan Division with a record of 11–35–0–4, missing the playoffs. In 2010–11, the Knights joined the new Doug Birks Division, but finished last again, losing 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs to Revelstoke. For 2011–12, the Knights improved to third place in the Doug Birks Division, with a record of 35–16–0–1, before losing to Kamloops in the first round of the playoffs. The following year the Knights won the Doug Birks Division for the first time, and reached the league championship series, losing in six games to Castlegar. For 2013–14, the Knights were moved to the Okanagan Division, following the relocation of the Okanagan Division's Penticton Lakers to 100 Mile House. They finished fourth in their new division, but defeated the division champions Summerland Steam in seven games in the first round, before losing to Osoyoos. In 2014–15, the Knights struggled immensely, finishing with a record of 6–41–1–4, and failed to make the playoffs. The following year, the Knights compiled a 14-30-3-0-5 record, finishing fourth in the Okanagan Division. They lost, 0–4, to Osoyoos in the first round.

The North Okanagan Knights relocated to Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada in April 2024.

On April 20, 2026, the River Rush were named as one of 22 teams joining the BCHC, leaving the KIJHL with the remaining 12 teams.

Season-by-season record

North Okanagan Knights

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, PTS = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Season <abbr title="Games Played">GP</abbr title> <abbr title="Wins">W</abbr title> <abbr title="Losses">L</abbr title> <abbr title="Ties">T</abbr title> <abbr title="Overtime Losses">OTL</abbr title> <abbr title="Points">PTS</abbr title> <abbr title="Goals For">GF</abbr title> <abbr title="Goals Against">GA</abbr title> Finish Playoffs 2009-10 50 11 35 0 4 26 149 250 7th of 7, Okanagan15th of 17, KIJHL Did not qualify 2010–11 50 18 30 1 1 38 146 198 4th of 4, Doug Birks14th of 18, KIJHL Lost Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Grizzlies) 2011-12 52 35 16 0 1 71 202 165 3rd of 5, Doug Birks7th of 20, KIJHL Lost Division Semifinals, 3-4 (Storm) 2012-13 52 34 14 2 2 72 214 149 1st of 5, Doug Birks4th of 20, KIJHL Lost in Finals, 1-4 (Rebels) 2013-14 52 24 26 0 2 50 168 195 4th of 5, Okanagan12th of 20, KIJHL Lost division finals, 1-4 (Coyotes) 2014-15 52 6 41 1 4 17 93 235 5th of 5, Okanagan20th of 20, KIJHL Did not qualify 2015-16 52 14 30 3 5 36 116 159 4th of 5, Okanagan16th of 20, KIJHL Lost Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Coyotes) 2016-17 47 15 29 2 1 33 119 167 4th of 5 Okanagan15th of 20 - KIJHL Lost Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Coyotes) 2017-18 47 14 26 3 4 35 110 174 5th of 5 Okanagan16th of 20 - KIJHL Did not qualify 2018-19 49 16 33 0 0 32 129 197 5th of 5 Okanagan17th of 20, KIJHL Did not qualify 2019-20 49 13 30 1 5 32 110 174 4th of 5 Bill Ohlhausen18th of 20, KIJHL Lost Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Chiefs) 2020–21 3 0 2 0 1 1 10 17 Remaining season cancelled due to COVID-19 2021–22 42 10 25 0 7 27 106 166 5th of 5 Bill Ohlhausen17th of 19, KIJHL Did not qualify 2022–23 44 22 16 0 6 50 143 144 3rd of 5 Bill Ohlhausen13th of 19, KIJHL Won Division Semifinals, 4-1 (Coyotes)Lost division finals 1-4 (Posse) 2023–24 44 18 20 0 6 42 123 158 2nd of 5, Bill Ohlhausen13th of 20, KIJHL Won Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Coyotes)Lost Division finals 3-4 (Posse)Quensel River Rush2024-25 44 19 19 3 3 44 167 186 3rd of 5 Doug Burks Div7th of 11 O/S Conf12th of 21 -KIJHL Lost Div Semis, 0-4 (Storm)

Playoffs

Records as of March 18, 2024.KIJHL.ca, Playoff Bracket 2011–2012. KIJHL.ca, Past KIJHL League Champions.

SeasonDivision SemifinalsDivision FinalsConference FinalsKIJHL Championship2009–10Did not qualify2010-11L, 1–4, Revelstoke———2011-12L, 3–4, Kamloops———2012-13W, 4–1, KamloopsW, 4–0, SicamousW, 4–3, OsoyoosL, 1–4, Castlegar2013-14W, 4–3, SummerlandL, 1–4, Osoyoos——2014-15Did not qualify2015-16L, 0–4, Osoyoos———2016-17L, 0–4, Osoyoos———2017-18Did not qualify2018-19Did not qualify2019-20L, 1–4, Kelowna———2020-21Playoffs cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic2021-22Did not qualify2022-23W, 4–1, OsoyoosL, 1-4, Princeton——2023-24W, 4–0, OsoyoosL, 3-4, Princeton——Quesnel River Rush2024-25L, 0–4, Kamloops———

References

Sources

External links

Official website of the KIJHL Official website of the Quesnel River Rush