The Williams Lake Stampeders captured four of a possible four points over the weekend to leapfrog the Quesnel Kangaroos back into first place in the Central Interior Hockey League East Division.
Williams Lake, Saturday, was slated to host the Houston Luckies, however, the Luckies were anything but as the team’s bus broke down forcing the team to cancel its weekend games and, consequently, awarded the Stampeders the win.
On Sunday Williams Lake beat a red-hot Terrace River Kings squad who were coming into the contest riding a four-game win streak, 6-5.
The Stampeders briefly stopped the River Kings in their tracks early on a spectacular individual effort from Jassi Sangha, who recorded a hat trick in less than 10 minutes of play in the first period.
David Gore later pounced on his own rebound and wired a shot top shelf on Terrace netminder Garrett Muir while shorthanded to put the Stampeders up 4-0.
An early Williams Lake penalty in the second period allowed Terrace to find its stride, as Calen Findlay beat Stampeders’ goaltender Justin Foote to cut the deficit to three.
With just under eight minutes to play in the second, Josh Murray would help chip away at the Williams Lake lead, sending his club into the final frame down two goals.
Murray potted his second of the game for the River Kings early in the third, before league-leading scorer Nathan Zurak beat Muir for his first of the game to give Williams Lake a 5-3 lead with just over 10 minutes to play.
Terrace’s Corey Dekelver and Sangha, with his fourth marker of the afternoon, traded goals late in the period, before a last-ditch effort from Corbin Legros, on the power play with 11 seconds left in the contest, cut the deficit back to a goal before time ran out on the River Kings.
Foote was sharp in the contest, making 27 saves to help lead the Stampeders in the winning effort.
Next up for the Williams Lake is its last home game of the season this Friday, Dec. 13, against the Lac La Hache Tomahawks at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. Game time is 7:30 p.m.