Ice Demons dominate Wolverines and Luckies Shut out Stamps in CIHL opening home games

The Kitimat Ice Demons, minus some top scoring talent, took re-shuffled lines into Hazelton Saturday night -- but after a good two-way first period, the visitors dominated the tiring Wolverines in the second and third frames to take an 8-4 victory. A 7-1 lead with 10 minutes left in the third was more indicative of the play, overall. The two points stretched their lead on top of the West Division of the CIHL to five points over the idle Prince Rupert Rampage. In Houston, the Luckies caught the Williams Lake Stampeders with tired bus legs and administered a workmanlike 5-0 beating in front of an appreciative opening night crowd in the Claude Parrish arena. In Hazelton, the Wolverines started off aggressively, with some hard hitting in the tight confines of the small Hazelton rink. The Demons were guilty of a few giveaways as they got used to the dimensions. But two short-handed goals six minutes apart, by Jeff Mildenberger (Derek Wakita) and Pal Plante (Doug Wilson) put the Demons ahead to stay. Demons ‘tender Brett Vilness and Cody Smith for the Wolverines both looked good and promised a good goaltending battle after Matt Kerr got the Wolverines on the board with three minutes remaining in the first. But the Demons tightened up their defense in the second and stepped up the offense, resulting in a 5-1 lead at the end of the period, as Demons launched 22 shots against only six by Wolves. Goals were scored by Chris Vilness (Jeff Baker, Derek Wakita), Jeff Mildenberger, who combined well with Jeremy Brady who sent him in clean on Smith, who had no chance. Then Vilness got his second goal, assisted by Mildenberger and Steve Venman. Wolverines only had six shots in a penalty filled period, which included a fight between Demons Greg Sabey and Wolverines d-man, Mervin Skulsh, who blindsided Sabey with a head shot, but wound up getting the worst of the exchange with the Demons very big winger. There was a second fight in the period when Ian Coleman got in the only punches in a grab-waltz with Al Tolmie. The teams played a bit more even hockey and split six goals in the third period after Steve Venman (Mildenberger) and Jeff Baker (Trent Bossence) made it 7-1. Somehow Adam Buick got credit for Baker’s goal on the score sheet. With seven minutes left in the game Wolverines’ Matthew Kerr put a high boarding cross check on Derek Wakita and found himself engaged in a pretty spirited scrap with Demons’ defender Adam Buick, who eventually pummeled Kerr to the ice. A two man power play allowed the Wolverines three seconds to score and Eric Sargent put the puck behind Vilness and the encouraged home team got a second quick goal from Stu Barnes to make it 7-3 but Terry Whelan got that back for the Demons (assisted by Gerard Baldo). Mitch Hobensheid finished the scoring at 8-4 with a nice tap-in out of the air from Sky Jones. In Demons next game they’ll have the opportunity to spoil opening night net Saturday, Oct. 11 for the new Prince Rupert Rampage. That will be a crowded arena according to the Prince Rupert exec. In Houston, the only other Saturday night CIHL game Saturday night, the Luckies got goals from Mike MacKay (Alonzo Slaney), John Marren (Jeff Lloyd and Blair Dinelle), MacKay again, unassisted, Slaney (Dinelle) and Jeff Lloyd Marren and Anderson) in a 5-0 crowd pleaser over the Williams Lake Stampeders. There was one fight between Jason Wright and Kyle Crump. The Stamps after the long bus ride didn’t seem to have it in any department. Former Lucky Brent McIsaac, a Stamps uniform, got a jeering “welcome back” from the full house. The two sides met again Sunday afternoon. The two sides met again Sunday afternoon, but this time it was the Stampeders who employed a lot of speed to get past the Luckies 5-2 for the first win of the season for Williams Lake – at an absolutely necessary time. Details to come ... Before the game the Luckies paid deserved tribute to forms Houston and CIHL president, Bill Blacklock, who dies earlier this year. Luckies will present a new club trophy in his name. In other CIHL games coming up this weekend, the Terrace River Kings will get their first action of the season hosting the Wolverines and the winless Stampeders will find the road no more inviting in Vanderhoof when they have a one-game match up with the Omineca Ice.