The Cranbrook Midget Ice will be welcoming B.C. for the next week.

The club is hosting the Tier II provincials at the Rec Plex from Sunday to Wednesday.

The Ice are currently in the midst of league playoffs as well. They lost 2-1 to Brooks last night, meaning the series will be decided starting 12:15 p.m. Saturday at the Rec Plex.

Manager Graham Abbott said that, while the Ice were playing better in December, they have a genuine shot at taking top spot in the province.

“We’ve never played any of these teams, but I think in the last few years this is one of the better Tier II teams they’ve fielded in Cranbrook,” he said.

The Ice won the AAA provincials at home in 2006 by beating Ridge Meadows 3-2 in double overtime. They hope to repeat as champions at Tier II this time.

“We know who’s coming, but we don’t know what any of those teams are like,” said Abbott. “They all play within their zones and across the province. They’re going to be good teams, but you can’t look at it and say: who are you going to beat? I don’t know.”

A good chunk of the Ice roster had a bit of seasoning at the junior B level this year, playing as affiliates with the Kimberley Dynamiters.

Frank Abbott, Jordan Revie, Austin Richter, Connor McLuckie, Connor Anderson, Connor Kutzner and Riley Stishenko all skated with the Nitros.

“Some got a couple more games than others, but for the most part we were really, really happy with the young guys that came up,” said Dynamiters’ head coach and general manager Kevin MacKay.

“The thing with affiliates is their adrenaline is going and they’re going to be excited to play, so they go 110 miles an hour, which is great. Now, for those guys to stick (in junior B) next year, they have to do that consistently over time.”

Abbott said the experience was a valuable one for the players.

“I went to a few of the games. It was interesting, because Kevin MacKay played the midget AP kids as a line, and they really didn’t look out of place,” he said. “They’re going up against bigger kids, but speed-wise and skill-wise, not much difference.”

Abbott said he could see a difference in their confidence upon returning to the Ice.

“They’re going into the corner and battling with 19- and 20-year-olds who are just bigger,” he said.

They’ll be up against kids their own age at provincials. Cranbrook’s first game will be 4 p.m. against Quesnel.

It will be immediately followed by the opening ceremonies at 7 p.m.