Kitimat Ice Demons take CIHL championship and Coy Cup Provincial championship with two wins over Houston

The Kitimat Ice Demons, trailing one game in the best of three Central Interior Hockey League playoffs, used home ice advantage to come roaring back to win twice, 4-3, in overtime, Saturday night and 3-1 Sunday afternoon, to with the league title for the fourth year in succession. As a bonus, they took the Coy Cup, the B.C. men’s AA provincial championship, for the third time in a four year term. It was costly, injury-wise, as stellar defenseman, Jeff Mildenberger, was lost late in Saturday’s game with a broken foot, captain Gerard Baldo, played with a broken finger Sunday, and forward Daniel Mayer had to leave Sunday’s game early in the first period, with a twisted knee. Demons moved David Venman into Mildenberger’s spot on defense and injured centre, Craig Hewitson, who sustained a head injury in the final game of the semi-final series, and was forced to miss the first two games against Houston, suited up Sunday and was instrumental in winning the draw directly to Terry Whelan who beat Don Kenzle, screened by Hewitson for the 3-1 insurance goal that sealed the victory. For the Ice Demons, and head coach Mike Steponavicius, the comeback was the culmination of a tough season which saw the Demons win the league regular season championship in January for the third time in six seasons in the CIHL. League president, Rose Ruffell was on hand to present the Kal Tire CIHL championship trophy to Baldo, followed by the Coy Cup. The BCAHA senior championship, was cancelled in Terrace next week, and senior hockey director, Bob James decided the trophy, the oldest in B.C., should go also to the winner of the CIHL championship. On Saturday, with the memory of the previous week’s opening game 6-3 loss still fresh, and facing elimination, the Ice Demons took advantage of their speed and the space on the big ice at Tamitik arena to carry a 3-2 lead into the third period, courtesy of goals by Robb Lafferty (Terry Whelan, Jeff Mildenberger), Kory Finn (Gerard Baldo, Chris Vilness) and Jared Revel (Terry Whelan, Ian Coleman), but like last week, it didn’t hold up. Referee Corey Martins of Vanderhoof, called two penalties on the Demons mid-way through the period, allowing Houston to equalize on a five-on-three power play, on a goal by Blair Lefebvre, who lifted a Derek Dinelle rebound over Kitimat goal tender Jamie Moran. The equalizer came on top of earlier Houston goals by Dan MacQueen (Glen Kelley, Dave Jellett) and Jason Bassani (Jon Marren, Blair Dinelle). However, nine minutes into the first overtime period, centre Derek Wakita, a tireless fore-checker, became the Kitimat hero for 1600 fans, when he bounced the winning goal into the net behind Kenzle, off the skates of Houston captain, Alonzo Slaney. On Sunday, the Ice Demons played a very disciplined and speedier game and never trailed after Brent Mailloux (David Venman, Terry Whelan) scored seven minutes into the second period. Although Houston got that goal back, three minutes later, on a goal by Blair Dinelle (Derek Dinelle, Jon Marren) after a goalmouth skirmish, when the Kitimat defense had difficulty clearing the puck from the side of its own net. But Houston again trailed, 2-1, at the end of the second period when Jared Revel restored the Kitimat lead assisted by Brent Mailloux and Jeff Baker, with 5.08 remaining in the period. Demons were out-shooting and out-playing the tiring Luckies throughout the third and earned the winning goal, Whelan from Hewitson, at the 9.56 mark of the period. From that point Jamie Moran repulsed a fairly energetic Houston attack for about five minutes, before the visitors finally ran into penalty trouble late in the period earning three two minute penalties for cross checking and roughing twice, to allow the Demons to coast to the win. Kitimat’s Paul Plant, a hard-skating, hard hitting defenseman, was named CIHL playoff MVP. The addition of Plante’s name to the four-year old trophy, makes him the third Demon on the trophy, with previous winners Craig Hewitson and Jeff Mildenberger. It was won last year by Williams Lake Stampeder, Francis Johnson, although his team lost the championship final to the Ice