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River Kings claim CIHL playoff crown

Fans were treated to two thrillers during the weekend between the Williams Lake Stampeders and the Terrace River Kings.
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Williams Lake Stampeders forward Dylan Richardson gets hauled down on a breakaway during overtime of game three in the Central Interior Hockey League playoff final for a penalty shot on Terrace River Kings’ netminder Patrick Leal.

It wasn’t a fairy tale ending, but fans were treated to two thrillers during the weekend between the Williams Lake Stampeders and the Terrace River Kings to close out the Central Interior Hockey League playoffs.

Terrace, after a 3-2 defeat in front of a packed house at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex Saturday, rallied back to capture a 4-3 overtime win in a barn burner Sunday to claim the CIHL playoff title.

“They’re a good team,” said Stampeders president Marko Zurak. “When you go into overtime it could’ve went either way and it was just too bad we couldn’t pull it off. That’s what’s great about hockey. You just don’t know until the very last minute.”

Chapen Leblond and Steve Cullis gave the River Kings a 2-0 lead after one period of play, before Williams Lake’s Jassi Sangha put the Stamps on the board six-and-a-half minutes into the second frame.

Leblond added his second of the contest four minutes later, before Stampeders’ captain Aaron Zurak cut the Williams Lake deficit to 3-2 heading into the third.

There, Williams Lake defenceman Dan Cohen fired a blast from just outside the left-wing faceoff circle to fool River Kings’ netminder Patrick Leal to send the contest to overtime.

A disallowed Terrace goal provided some controversy later in the frame, before sudden death overtime saw Tristan Murray bang one past Stampeders’ goaltender Justin Foote near the five-minute mark during a scramble in front of the net to seal the deal.

Prior to the game-winning goal, Dylan Richardson came up short on a penalty shot attempt.

“That was unfortunate,” Marko said, noting Richardson appeared to be on his way to notching the game winner for the Stamps before being hauled down on a breakaway. “He was flying in there.”

On Saturday, Williams Lake’s Andrew Fisher, David Gore and Kurtis Bond tallied for Williams Lake in the 3-2 win, while Murray and Leblond provided Terrace’s offence.

“The guys were disappointed but they don’t have anything to feel bad about,” Marko said. “We had a good showing. The guys played hard but the bounces just weren’t going our way. That’s just the breaks.”

Marko said the team was extremely grateful for the fan support it received this season — especially during the weekend.

“We had an awesome crowd Saturday. Sunday, too. It’s so nice to see and the guys get so pumped to have that many people there, so a big thanks from the players, the coaching staff and the executives,” he said.

“Another thanks to the [Williams Lake Timberwolves] midget team, members of the 100 Mile Wranglers and the Williams Lake Rustlers. They were there in big fashion supporting us and we noticed, and appreciate their support.”

Now, the Stampeders — the defending Coy Cup senior men’s AA provincial hockey champions — are trying to figure out the logistics of the possibility of playing a challenge game with the Powell River Regals to decide who will attend this year’s Coy Cup in Fort Nelson.

For more details see a future Tribune.



Greg Sabatino

About the Author: Greg Sabatino

Greg Sabatino graduated from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 2008.
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