Houston Luckies closing gap on the Terrace River Kings

With an overpowering 5-0 win against the Smithers Steelheads in Smithers on Saturday night, the Houston Luckies served notice that they don’t plan to give up top spot in the Central Interior Hockey League too easily. The two points took the Luckies to within three points of idle, but league leading Terrace River Kings, but the River Kings have played two more games than the Luckies. Terrace has bragging rights with 19 points from 13 games. But Houston, at 16 points from 11 games played, are well within reach of the Kings. However, these two teams don’t play again head to head until the last two games of the season in Terrace when the Luckies make their final road trip, January 28 and 29. Meanwhile, the set-back was only the Steelheads second loss of the season and stalled the Smithers' fish at 14 points, two behind Houston, but with the added advantage of one extra game in hand still having only played 10 games. The showdown for the Steelheads and the River Kings comes this coming weekend in Terrace, where the Kings will host Smithers for a Saturday night and Sunday afternoon game. Mean while down closer to the bottom of the league the 100 Mile House Bears and the Mackenzie Moose were battling for points in 100 Mile. On Saturday night the Moose showed some bus legs and lost a goal-fest 8-5, with an empty net goal by the Bears making the game final score look a little more clear-cut than it was. The following day however, a more rested Moose took the game to the Bears, who may have been celebrating only their third win of the season later on Saturday, with the Moose hitting for an 8-3 victory over the Bears. The Bears, with only nine games played, are now only three points behind the Kitimat Ice Demons, and will be looking for an opportunity to stick it to the Demons Saturday, as they climb off the bus after the long road trip. Demons, who can’t afford other loss if they are to stay in playoff contention while Smithers, Houston and Terrace battle it out, will be taking a strong squad to 100 Mile. Williams Lake Stampeders will also be making a long trip in to Mackenzie and the Moose can be expected to be ready for the rodeo-town team, as they are also looking up the league and see the Demons in range. But the toughest action of the weekend can be expected in Terraces where the rested Kings, still smarting from two road losses in Houston, will be looking for a friendlier reception from their own fans as they host third place Smithers Steelheads for a pair of games, Saturday and Sunday. When all is said and done by Monday, the 12 points available this weekend in the six games in Terrace, 100 Mile House and Mackenzie, will tell a lot about who is going to finish where by Christmas. Scoring race also tightens up Just as the league race is tightening up, the shooters at the top of the scoring race are also turning over, due to idle weekends. Terrace’s Darcy Allison, who did not play, stayed out in front by a mere two points, with eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points, while Houston’s Derek Dinelle and MacKenzie’s Jerry Bessette moved closer, tying for second with 22 points each. While Dinelle has a big edge in assists with 15, against his seven goals, Bessette is the league top goal-scorer, with 14 goals and eight assists. Both moved ahead of last week’s second place scorer forward, Mario Desjardins of Terrace, with 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points. Terrace was idle on the weekend. Watch next week for Players of the Month of November, selected by CIHL statistician, Dave Turford.