HOUSTON LUCKIES ARE LIGHTNING CUP CHAMPIONS, WITH TWO GAMES TO GO

The Houston Luckies, with two games left in their schedule, became Lighting Cup and CIHL regular season champions, when the Terrace River Kings lost 7-2 to their old nemesis, the Kitimat Ice Demons last Saturday night in Kitimat. The River Kings did not play their best hockey of the season and despite coming out of the first period tied 2-2, were unable to muster any additional offense for the rest of the game. They were behind 5-2 at the end of the second period and despite a more determined effort in the third, gave up another two goals for the final score of 7-2. The loss takes the edge off the two remaining games for Terrace as the Kings entertain the Luckies on Saturday and Sunday to wind up the regular season. The Lightning Cup, emblematic of the CIHL regular season championship, will be on hand in Terrace this week-end Sunday and will be presented to the Houston Luckies, who have won the league title for the first time in the past four seasons. Luckies, however, were playoff champions in 200203 and hosted the Coy Cup in Houston in the 2003-04 season. However, despite the fact that the Luckies have won the league title, which team plays which in the February playoffs will remain a mystery, likely until Sunday afternoon. There are numerous combinations possible, as four games involving the Kings, the Luckies, the Mackenzie Moose and the Smithers Steelheads, can radically change the finishing positions of the top four teams., Only the Ice Demons, with 25 points, have concluded their season. So they will have to wait and see how the battles get resolved. Two away wins for the Luckies however, would leave the playoff pairings as Houston v Terrace and Smithers v Kitimat, with the travel arrangements to be determined by the finishing spots. In the CIHL the top-place team plays the fourth place team, but the top team travels to the lower placed team’s rink for one game. Then two, if necessary, at home give the top team the home ice advantage. So Feb. 4 will see the third place finisher host the second place finisher for one game and the fourth place finisher will host the Luckies with game 2 and 3 going Feb. 11 and 12, if necessary. 100 MILE HOUSE BEARS TAKE ANOTHER POUNDING The 100 Mile House Bears again lived up to their obligations by making the long trip to Smithers on the weekend for their last two games of the season. The team was only able to muster less than 10 players and went down to two more high-score defeats, 14-1 Saturday and 17-4 Sunday, as the Steelheads ensured themselves of the four points they needed from the week-end. Although 100 Mile House have given up a total of 107 goals in their last seven games in the season, the club has to be thanked for not throwing in the towel and failing to show up for games, even with the high cost of travel in a losing season. It remains to be seen through the summer months if the two far-eastern teams in the league, the Williams Lake Stampeders and the Bears will be able to muster better, more competitive teams for the coming season. Williams Lake has already begun preparations and has been encouraged by its better performance in the last couple of games. With the likely addition of the AA Omenica Ice, from Vanderhoof-Fort St. James in 2006-07, the CIHL has the possibility of growing, if these teams can find the means to re-organize in a competitive manner. A return to action by the Burns Lake Braves could also be anticipated, raising the possibility of two divisions, less travel, yet allowing the CIHL to maintain long-standing local rivalries like Houston and Burns Lake. We certainly hope to see it happen, as both clubs have a long history.

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