The Williams Lake Stampeders opened the Central Interior Hockey League campaign with back-to-back victories over its division rivals.
Friday night the Stampeders played host to the Quesnel Kangaroos in both teams’ season openers at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex where Williams Lake marched away with a 6-4 victory.
Saturday night the Stamps travelled south to face the Lac La Hache Tomahawks where they duplicated Friday night’s score in a 6-4 come-from-behind victory.
On Friday Williams Lake forward Matt Lees led the charge tallying four goals and an assist for a five-point night, while Nathan Zurak and Andrew Fisher — who notched the game winner on a power play — rounded out the team’s scoring.
For Quesnel it was Tyrell Turgeon, Josh McDonald, Ryan Skinner and Coltin De Frais lighting the lamp.
Williams Lake netminder Justin Foote stopped 33 of 37 shots in the winning effort.
On the road Saturday Williams Lake trailed 4-2 heading into the third period before posting four unanswered goals to stun Lac La Hache in the final frame.
Former Stampeders Wilfred Robbins and Francis Johnson, and Kyle Crump tallied for the Tomahawks in the first period, while Williams Lake’s Dylan Richardson (power play) and Aaron Zurak scored for Williams Lake.
Robin Gilbert notched the only goal of the second period for Lac La Hache, before Stampeders’ Kaleb Roy, Lees (2) and Richardson closed out the scoring.
Both goaltenders were solid in the contest with Foote stopping 30 of 34 shots and Tomahawks’ goaltender Willie Sellars turning aside 30 of 35.
Next up for the Stampeders is a trip north to Quesnel this Saturday, Oct. 11, to take on the Kangaroos. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. at the Twin Ice Arenas.