Demons and Steelheads cement positions on top off both CIHL regional divisions

In a light schedule of only two games, the predictable results allowed the Kitimat Ice Demons to firmly cement their position on top of the West Division if the CIHL with a well-played but short-handed 5-4 win over the third place Prince Rupert Rampage while the on-rushing Smithers Steelheads vaulted ahead of both the Houston Luckies and the Williams Lake Stampeders by demolishing an extremely shorthanded Omineca Ice team by a score of 9-1. The Steelheads carry a two games in hand advantage over the Stampeders, whom they meet in a double header this weekend in Williams Lake. They also have a four point lead over the idle Luckies, but both teams have 10 games behind them in the season. The coming weekend will see a showdown meeting in the Stampede city as Williams Lake will need at worst, a split to retain any possibility of finishing in first place in the division. The slipping Omineca Ice will take their show on the road again this weekend, going up against the Houston Luckies, who have been nursing their wounds for a couple of weeks and will hope no rust has settled in as they will want to beat down the Ice, now just two points behind, but having played two more games. The Ice will need a supreme effort through the rest of the schedule to get any home ice advantage in the playoffs. Meanwhile things will remain interesting in the Western Division as well as Terrace hosts Kitimat in a re-scheduled game. Another in by Kitimat should end any possibility of the River Kings finishing better than second. Third and fourth places in the Division will be at stake as the winless Hazelton Wolverines will be a desperate bunch as they play a double header over the only team in the Division that they could still catch, the rookie Prince Rupert Rampage. But the Rampage’s improved performance against the Ice Demons last weekend will have encouraged the team, which has only one win and one point from a shootout loss. The two teams will meet Saturday and Sunday in the tight confines of Hazelton arena and the Rampage will host the Wolverines Christmas week. Kitimat and Terrace have a long simmering rivalry that has been all Kitimat for several years and the Kings will be trying to stop the bleeding and get another couple of markers in the win column. The uneven schedule has kept comparisons of goal-scoring reasonably meaningless, but goals-against is often a good indicator of success. Ice Demons have given up only 36 goals in 14 games. The closest team in this category is the Steelheads who have allowed 35 goals, but have played four less games than the Demons.