Crucial CIHL battles ahead as Luckies and Steelheads close the gap on the River Kings

It looks as if there will be some tough battles in the CIHL over the next few weeks. The Houston Luckies took three of four points from the league-leading Terrace River Kings, closing the gap between first and second place teams to only five points. However the Luckies have a critical three games in hand over the Kings. Houston won 5-3 Saturday and the teams tied 4-4 Sunday. Meanwhile, the charging Smithers Steelheads, who took all four points from two road games in Kitimat against the Ice Demons, pulled themselves into a tie for second place with the Luckies, upping their points total to 14. Steelhead edged the Demons 4-3 Saturday and doubled them 6-3 Sunday. Smithers and Houston will have a single game on Grey Cup weekend in Smithers with sole possession of second place at stake. A win by either team, would put them within reach of the Kings, with both with games in hand. The Steelheads still have four games in hand over the River Kings after this weekend’s action and the two teams will meet in a double header on the Dec. 3-4 weekend. With a 6-1-2 record, the Steelheads, after only nine games, are well positioned to make a run at first place, depending on the outcome of next week’s home game against Houston. The widening split between western teams and eastern teams in the CIHL could look a lot worse by the end of the Dec. 3-4 weekend when the Ice Demons travel to 100 Mile House for a double header, right after the Bears host the Mackenzie Moose Nov. 26 and 27. The Moose also will have an at-home pair against Williams Lake Stampeders on Dec. 3-4. And, there will be plenty more hockey in mid-December as well, with Houston visiting Williams Lake on the Dec. 10-11 weekend and Mackenzie traveling for their first pair of games in Kitimat in two years on the busy Dec. 17-18 weekend. Also in action that same weekend will be the Houston Luckies hosting 100 Mile House and Smithers hosting the Bears from 100 Mile House. Some major changes in league alignment can take place before the Xmas break.