Eastern Division teams take both ends of double headers in Kitimat and Terrace but fans see great Saturday shoot-out

The Smithers Steelheads and Omineca Ice traveled west for cross division games with the West Division’s top two teams, the Kitimat Ice Demons and the Terrace River Kings and surprised everybody by winning all four games and escaping back east with eight points between them. The Smithers Steelheads, who have been enjoying some early season on-ice success won an exciting 8-7 shoot-out on Saturday night, then completed a winning weekend with a surprise Sunday 4-1 win in a game where the Kitimat Ice Demons seemed to control, but could not score. In Terrace, the Omenica Ice edged the River Kings 6-5 in a close one on Saturday and followed up with a 4-2 win on Sunday. In Kitimat it was the first time in a long time the Ice Demons have lost both ends of a regular season double header on home ice. On Saturday, 1000 fans saw a rousing shooting gallery, especially in the second period, as Demons went from being 4-1 ahead to 6-4 behind in a matter of only a few minutes. Ice Demons’ lapses contributed mightily to the Smithers recovery in the second period as a total of 10 pucks found the back of the net one of the highest scoring periods overall in Demons history. Many of the goals were scored by two pretty potent power plays. The Ice Demons started slowly but held a 2-0 lead going to the second intermission on goals by Craig Hewitson (Terry Whelan, Blaine Markwart) at the 13 minute marks of the period, and Andre Baldo (Jeff Mildenberger, Paul Plante) with six minutes left. The Demons scored first in the second period, a goal by Terry Whelan (Craig Hewitson, Doug Wilson) with just under two minutes played. Smithers, desperate for a goal to get back in the game, were rewarded a minute later, when Tyler Pederson held on to a back pass from Randall Groot and deked Brett Vilness in the crease to slip home the first goal for the Steelheads. Things still looked pretty normal as the Demons came right back within a minute to make it 4-1 with a nice goal by Derek Wakita, (Doug Wilson, Gerard Baldo). Wakita lifted the rebound cleanly into the back of the net. Then the wheels fell off the Demons’ train – as the Steelheads roared back with fine unanswered goals in a five minute span, which left the Demons reeling and behind by two - 6-4. Steelheads goals came from Tyler Pederson (Tyler Koldyck, Eric Smith) at 5.06 in the period, Ian Smith (Tyler Koldyck, Tyler Pederson, at 7.31, Randall Groot, just 13 seconds later, (Darnell Calfa, Ian Smith), then Dallas Anderson (Ian Smith, Nathan Skubovious) at 9.11, and Ian Smith, (Colin Lloyd) at 12.35. To give credit to the Ice Demons, who played shorthanded five of three and the four on three for much of the goals flurry, they came back to answer the bell quickly with two goals by Nick Markowski (Terry Whelan, Jeff Mildenberger) and Greg Sabey (Braden Hanson, Trent Bossence). The two teams went to the dressing rooms, tied at 6-6. Buoyed by that, the Demons came out hard, out-shooting the Steelheads by a wide margin, 20 to six, in the third period. However, all of the effort seemed to be going for naught as the Steelheads, playing some sound “Katie, bar the door hockey,” finally stole a puck with about six minutes to go and Colin Lloyd snapped home a shot over Brett Vilness’s shoulder to restore the lead for the Steelheads at 7-6. Demons again proved they wouldn’t go away. The hard end to end play degenerated for the Demons as Kitimat assistant captain, Craig Hewitson was called for a hit from behind on Randall Groot, with just 2.52 remaining. Smithers’ Darnell Calfa, however responded to the hit, cross checking Hewitson across the face, breaking his stick and both men were given game misconducts, by referee Darrn Meeds. Demon’s efforts to get the tying goal seemed to be frustrated with just 52 seconds left when Paul Plante took a two minute penalty for slashing with just 52 second left...but the Demons turned it to their advantage as Jeff Mildenberger carried the puck up ice and Ian Coleman converted with a shorthanded goal to tie the game with only 12 seconds left. So the game went to a shootout and Randall Groot for Smithers and Blaine Markwart for Kitimat extended the tension. Then Matt Arnold for Smithers gave the Steelheads the edge on the second shot, scoring on Vilness. Terry Whelan then missed the net, but Brett Vilness stopped Ian Smith and the game rested in the hands of Derek Wakita, Kitimat’s last of three shooters. Wakita also put the puck past the upright and Smithers players poured off the bench to congratulate goaltender Jamie Deba. On Sunday, the Ice Demons played a very complete game, but seemed deserted by any puck luck around the Smithers net as Deba, the posts and the blocking defenders did a great job in protecting the net. There was no scoring in the first and an unfortunate stick break in the hands of Scott McGregor allowed Tyler Pederson a high shot in alone on Vilness to give Smithers a lead they never surrendered. A power play goal on a rebound gave Smithers an insurance goal by Mike Verticcio (Colin Lloyd, Randall Groot), with Jeff Baker in the box for roughing. Smithers got the first goal of the third period from Darryl Young, (Russel Blanchard) against the flow of the play, which was all one way until the goal by Young at 3.38 in the period. Although the Ice Demons exerted every effort after that in the third period and got one back, on a power play of their own, at 13.32 of the period by Craig Hewitson (Jeff Baker, Ian Coleman) Smithers were determined not to allow this one to slip away and dashed the Ice Demons hopes of another comeback by scoring exactly one minute later on an unassisted goal by Darryl Young. They then efficiently defended the goal, chipping out clearances and blocking shots till the final whistle. The shoot-out loss was the first for the Demons this season and the loss on home ice Sunday was a first in two seasons. The single point left the Demons well out front in the league as a whole with 19 points after 12 games. Closest are the Houston Luckies with 12 points, closely followed by the Stampeders and Steelheads, in the east division, with 11 and 10 points respectively. The Ice Demons’ next game will be against the Terrace River Kings, for the first time this season. Terrace lost both ends of a double header on home ice on the weekend, losing 6-5 Saturday and 4-2 Sunday.