Preseason Finale: Kings Host Storm in Finale Before Opening Night

Sunday, August 30 — 6:30 PM — Comox Valley Sports Centre

The Glacier Kings close out the preseason against the Campbell River Storm. Comox Valley hosts Campbell River Sunday night in a finale that doubles as the last tune-up before both teams open the regular season next week, and after Friday’s chippy 2-0 win up the Island Highway, there’s a little extra on this one.

A Series of Its Own

Unusually, this entire preseason has been a two-team affair for the Storm — with no other exhibition games on their schedule, Sunday will be just their second game of the preseason, and both have come against Comox Valley. For the Kings, it’s the third and final tune-up, with a very different feel to the results so far:

• Aug. 26 — at Port Alberni: Lost 5-4 in regulation
• Aug. 28 — at Campbell River: Won 2-0, behind two goals from Mikhalchuk and a 35-save shutout from Ganoung

Picking Up Where Friday Left Off

Friday’s game got progressively more physical as it went, with a major and game misconduct to Lefebvre, a wild stretch of penalties in the third period, and 10-minute misconducts handed out to both benches inside the final four minutes. None of it showed up on the scoreboard, but it’s the kind of game that tends to carry an edge into the rematch, especially with the Storm looking to salvage something out of a short, two-game preseason before the real thing starts.

Between the Pipes: Still an Open Question

Don’t expect to see the same look in goal that Friday’s shutout might suggest. With this being preseason, coaches are still getting looks at their full goaltending depth before rosters lock in. Ganoung backstopped Friday’s win, but the more likely starter Sunday is Marek Fisher, who got the call in the Aug. 26 loss at Port Alberni and was thrown to the wolves a bit in the process: 53 shots faced, 48 saves, for a .906 save percentage in a game his team lost 5-4. That’s a heavy workload for an opening night of the preseason, and a much different test than the one Ganoung saw in the tighter, more defensive game Friday.

Either way, whoever’s in net Sunday is auditioning for a real role heading into next week, not just protecting a lead.

Fuller Lineups, Final Looks

With final roster decisions closing in before the Sept. 5 opener, expect both benches to lean heavier on the players expected to stick than they may have earlier in camp. Preseason finales are often where bubble players get their last real chance to make a case and where coaching staffs get their final read on line combinations before things start to matter in the standings.

For the Kings, it’s also a chance to build on Friday’s response: a team that lost a high-event game in Port Alberni and answered with a road shutout has options heading into the regular season, and a strong final impression at home Sunday would be a good way to carry that momentum into September.

The Basics

• Comox Valley Glacier Kings vs. Campbell River Storm
• Sunday, August 30, 2026 — 6:30 PM
• Comox Valley Sports Centre
• Preseason finale for both teams

Missed Friday’s game? [Read our recap of the Kings’ 2-0 win in Campbell River.]