Houston too much for Stamps, as Luckies tighten standings in CIHL East Division while Kitimat cements lead in West

The Houston Luckies opened up the scramble for play-off spots in the CIHL East Division with a scrappy 7-4 victory over the Williams Lake Stampeders on home ice Saturday night. An empty net goal assured the Luckies of victory in what had been a back and forth game, with the lead changing hands more than once Despite bus legs from the long trip north, the Stamps took a two goal lead in the first period, but the lead didn't hold up through the second, as the Luckies went to the second intermission with a 3-2 lead. They added a single early in the third, but the Stampeders came back with two quick answers to tie the affair at 4-4. Luckies played without prolific scorer Blair LeFebvre. John Marren and Dave Jellett added safeties for the Luckies in the third as they came back strongly and when Stampeders pulled their goaltender late, Nathan Morry finished it off for Luckies with an empty net goal for a 7-4 final that probably reflected Houston's strength at home. The Saturday win carried Houston into a tie in points with Stamps, Saturday night, both six points behind the idle Omenica Ice. But Houston, with the uneven schedule had five games in hand on the Ice and two on the Stamps. Inr the Sunday game the Luckies were their usual tough to beat, hard-hitting selves. This game wound up tied 4-4 and went to a shootout, proving these teams are well matched. Luckies took the shootout 2-1 for the 5-4 victory Sunday. The victory put Luckies within reach of the Ice, two points back, with a total 14 points and still four games in hand. The Sramps earned one point from the shootout loss and are now five points back of the Ice but have two games in hand on Omenica. In other games, in a cross division meeting, the east division 100 Mile House Bears recorded their first victory of the season, over equally challenged west division Hazelton Wolverines. It was a rare road win for the Bears, who had three points from shootout losses prior to this meeting of the division cellar-dwellers. We have no details on scorers in the game. On Sunday, however, the Bears may have been celebrating Hazelton hospitality a bit too much because the Wolverines came back for a 4-0 victory for the team's first ever shutout win. Bears continue to stand at 5 points in the east, while Wolverines have four points in the west division. Scorers for Hazelton (thanks to James) were Ken Johnson (Matt Wolfendon), Ryan Muldoe (Mitch Hobenscheid), Mitch Marshall (shorthanded breakaway) and Matt Wolfenden (Skye Jones) into an empty net. There was one fight in the game. In a one-game West Division meeting the Kitimat Ice Demons had too much speed and finish for the Terrace River Kings, winning 4-3 in a game that had some surprising elements to it. Terrace was out-hot 44-16 and Kings goalie Burny Carlson played well in net despite one lapse that saw him out of the net for a goal than pinballed in off the sideboards on a clearance by Demons' defenseman, Mike Fisk. Kitimat goals were scored by Kory Finn ((Terry Whelan), Geoff Morgan (Craig Hewitson, Ian Coleman), Fisk (Paul Plant, Derek Wakita) and Craig Hewitson, (Geoff Morgan, Ian Coleman). Terrace had goals from Steve Cullis (Bill Fritsen, Dustin Quezada), Chris Brown (Steve Cullis, Calen Findlay) and Nate Macnamara (Rich Clair). Carlson had plenty of work in the Terrace goal, and played one of his best games of the season, while Brett Vilness in the Demons net, made the saves he needed for the win in a quiet night for a goaltender.

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