when the Williams Lake Stampeders, losers in the CIHL Rio Tinto Cup playoff championships last Saturday, turned the tables on the Kitimat Ice Demons in the second period of the opening game of the Coy Cup in Terrace, eventually holding on to win a high scoring game,7-5.
Early in the first period, after a close checking five minutes, it started to look like a repeat of Saturday as the Demons scored two quick ones to take the lead on goals by Ian Coleman (Blaine Markwart, Jeremy Brady) and Terry Whelan (Derek Wakita). These goals came a minute apart five and six minutes into the game.
But instead of wilting the Stampeders put their sticks down and worked to get back into the game. With just three minutes left in the period a turnover at the Demons' blue line sent the puck bouncing around in Jamie Moran's crease and Phil Simoes (Nathan Zurak) was there to loft it between the post and the goaltender's shoulder.
Almost exactly two minutes later, with just over 60 seconds left in the period Nathan Zurak and Brent McIsaac moved the puck across the crease again and Wilfred Robbins popped the tying goal.
Stampeders proceeded to score four more times in the second getting two in 10 seconds just after the four minute mark of the period. Goals were scored by Stu Sasges (Phil Simoes, Nathan Zurak) and Francis Johnson (Wilf Robbins, Aaron Zurak). Robin Gilbert (Brent McIsaac, Francis Johnson) and Dan Huska (Brent McIsaac, Dan Simoes) added goals as the Stampeders tossed the puck around nicely and it looked like curtains for the Demons, down 6-2.
But before the period ended, the resilient Demons recovered two of the deficit on rapid-fire goals by Blaine Markwart (Ian Coleman, Jeremy Brady) and then Jeremy Brady (Ian Coleman, Adam Buick) less than 30 seconds apart
- and teams went to the locker rooms for the second intermission 6-4.
Ice Demons dominated the early part of the third period and got to within one goal on a score the four-minute mark by Derek Wakita (Terry Whelan, Gerard Baldo) and it was almost a brand new game as the Stampeders packed their net area, blocking a lot of shots.
However, having got back to within one, the Demons took a slew of ill-timed penalties in the late going and the Stampeders were able to add an insurance goal by Robin Gilbert (Francis Johnson) and finished on the power play for the last four minutes as Terry Whelan took two successive penalties after the 16 minute mark, cutting off a lot of the opportunities for the Demons to finish the comeback.
Tomrrow Demons will again be on the ice at 5 p.m. facing the Powell River Regals, winners of game two over the Terrace River Kings, the host team.
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