The Williams Lake Stampeders, leaders of the CIHL East Division all season long celebrated their regular season championship with the presentation of the Lightening Cup on ice, after their 10-3 victory over local rivals, the 100 Mile House Bears, Saturday.
The Lightening Cup goes to the regular season champions in the CIHL. The Stampeders actually found themselves in a total-points tie with West Division leaders, the Kitimat Ice Demons, which also earned a 33-point finish in league play, Saturday, with a 7-2 win over the Terrace River Kings.
But, even with its final game left to play, the Stampeders were title-winners by virtue of their 16 wins and a tie, compared with just 15 wins and three ties, by Kitimat. Stampeders lost their final game, 7-6 to the Bears. But it had no bearing on the league championship.
Demons lost only twice in the season, but a tie against Hazelton Wolverines in their second last game, probably haunts Demons players.
Stamps also claimed the regular season scoring title, won by Francis Johnson, whose 28 goals and 27 assists for 55 points was two ahead of line-mate Wilfred Robbins, who totaled 53 points from 26 goals and 27assists on the season.
Williams Lake, with 128 goals in their 20 game season, was the most prolific scoring machine, with the Demons in second place with 119 goals for. Demons were better defensively allowing only 61 goals, best in the league, against the Stamps 75 goals allowed.
Thus, Ice Demons goaltenders finished the season with top goals against average, Jamie Moran at 2.53 GAA from eight games and Brett Vilness with a 3.05 GAA from 11 games.
Terrace River Kings were also team penalty kings with a total of 778 minutes, four ahead of the Hazelton Wolverines. Omenica Ice, with 517 minutes in the box was the least penalized team in the league. Hazelton’s Trevor Morrison, with 116 minutes edged Kitimat’s Terry Whelan at 111 minutes, for the individual “bad boy” title.