CIHL playoff pairings go to the final games

CIHL pairings for the 2007 playoffs won’t be known until the final games are played this weekend. The first place finishes are known, barring a melt-down by the Williams Lake Stampeders. With two games against the 100 Mile House Bears in the friendly confines of the Williams Lake arena, it looks very much like then Stampeders have cemented first place overall, although the Kitimat Ice Demons, with only one away game left against the Terrace River Kings, can finish within two points. The Demons will hope for an unlikely win by the Bears on the road, but Demons squandered what could be an important point in the second game of their double header against the Hazelton Wolverines, tying the Sunday game 4-4 after decimating the ‘Rines 7-3 Saturday night. Both games were penalty-filled affairs. The Houston Luckies with two wins over the Omenica Ice, 10-7 in Burns Lake Friday and 4-1 Sunday at home in Houston, moved ahead of the Smithers Steelheads by two points after they tied the Steelheads 5-5 in a Saturday night game in Houston. So Houston assured themselves of a playoff spot, but where is the question? Now the Steelheads will have to win against the Luckies on Saturday in Smithers to survive the cut – and both teams will be watching for scores from the two tilts between the Mackenzie Moose and the Ice in Vanderhoof and Fraser Lake. A combination of a Houston win and two wins by the slumping Omenica Ice, would see Ice edge the Steelheads on wins. A loss in either game will see the first-year Ice eliminated from the playoffs. Ice were doing well, with lots of games in hand until the Stampeders took all four points in their round-robin finale last weekend (Jan. 13-14). Smithers with a win and any loss by Omenica could slip into the formula for the playoffs. The Mackenzie Moose faced off against the 100 Mile House Braves, with a depleted bench on Saturday and tied 2-2, but with more players available Sunday, managed a more predictable 7-3 win. The Moose now have 16 points and two wins against the Ice, will bring them into a tie...so they'll be wondering about the point they let slip away Satutrday.