1) Kitimat Ice Demons - (1)[10-1-1] - This weekend 1 game 1 win. With apparent CIHL dominance in hand, and sense of entitlement in their back pocket, have resorted to fighting for some love and respect on the forum.
2) Burns Lake Braves - (5)[8-4-0] - This weekend 2 games 2 wins. A very good weekend for the Braves, two big wins over a formidable divisional opponent have them taking a big jump. Can they continue to make strides and become on of the big dawgs in the CIHL?
3) Smithers Steelheads - (2)[9-4-0] - This weekend 2 games 1 win, 1 loss. 2 games, probably deserved two wins. Still after a relatively succesful weekend more questions than answers when it comes to goaltending. If they can hold a team to no shots, they will win every time.
4) Houston Luckies - (4)[6-4-0] - This weekend 2 games 1 win, 1 loss. Dont think they can be disapointed with a split...but yet there is that bitter taste left, after losing at home on Saturday night to the Steelheads. A few additions in the last couple of weeks make them faster, and more dangerous. More Additions to come? I hear Lefevre may be making a return to Senior hockey in the north.
5) Williams Lake Stampeders - (3)[6-5-1] - This weekend 2 games 2 losses. In a mid season funk, but dont let that lull their opponents into a false sense of security, this is a good team, that will be firing on all cylinders come playoffs.
6) Rupert Rampage - (6)[5-4-3] - This weekend 1 game 1 loss. Another loss to rival ice demons
7) Omenica Ice - (7)[4-8-0] - This weekend 0 games. Bye week, is a long layoff good for a team that has had problems getting it alll together this season?
8) Terrace River Kings - (9)[3-8-1] - This weekend 1 game 1 win. It was gut check time for the River Kings, and they showed that still have some intestinal fortitude,and may be setting their sights on a playoff berth!
9) Hazelton Wolverines - (8)[3-9-1] - This weekend 1 game 1 loss. This team looks to have lost all momentum and is now in a free fall to the n=bottom of the league

The Papa Hewey 3 Stars: just to make sure Sandlak gets some kitimat content in the three star selction:

Third Star - Captainpacky20, Kitimatfan's biggest fan gets the nod for towing the ice demon line and just push for whatever soapbox kitimatfan has jumped on this week!
Second Star - Gramp V-rod, the Beavis to Kitimatfan's Butthead, The Ed MacMahon of the CIHL forum, does his best Andy Richter and gets an assist for laughing along with Kitimatfan's lame jokes, feeble attempts at witty banter, and basically being the # 2 ice demon cheerleader.
First Star - Kitimatfan - whose incessant whining about the three star selections finally forced Sandlak to make some different choices...hope they are met with your satisfaction...

ok so now, what Kitimat has been waiting for...the no BS Harold Snepsts Three Stars:



Third Star - Steve Cullis - Terrace River Kings - 2 goals 1 assists in a 8-5 victory in a pivotal game in the western playoff race.
Second Star - Dave Wilejto - Burns Lake Braves - 3 goals in Sundays victory over the Stamps
First Star - Stu Barnes - Smithers Steelheads - 1 goal three assists in Saturday's victory over the Luckies as well as over 80% in the faceoff circle in the words of one unanmed Luckie "that is the toughest guy I have ever faced in the faceoff circle!" , high praise indeed!

ohhhh.... take that goon out of third star. spearing in front of the ref. a terrace fan even appolgized for his bad play and call him a fool.
try a goaltender. how about Wes Hart. seventy plus shots on him this weekend. two wins.
just my thoughts.

Pretty fair rankings Sandlak. Still think the Stamps are for real like you say. They have added some dmen to compliment the ones they have. Dustin Erickson joined the team last week in Omineca (but missed this weekend) and former 100 Mile Bear Dman, Dave Cadsand, also joined the team this weekend. So they now have a very solid top 4 to go along with alot of offence. Now it's time to put it together and make a run.

I'm pretty sure the Luckies are gonna see the full Stampeders line-up next week (not almost full, like this week), so it should be an excellent weekend of hockey. A sweep by either team surely keeps them alive for first and religates the other to a certain 3rd place finsih in the division. Looking forward to it!

You know nothing of Cullis. He picks on the little young guy and turtles on everybody else, The Queens biggest mistake, for a leader, when they figure that out then and only then will they have a team.

I would say, and I will get alot of agreement out there, that any weekend there will be a Hundred more deserving of your star selection. I would of picked Blair over Cullis, he went the whole weekend without a Major penalty.

There are so many more deserving of any sort of regonition.

You have showed us your true Knowledge of the CIHL, it does go beyound Houston or what you read.

Who would have your CIHL three stars been this weekend? Your willing to shoot my opinions down all the time...stick your opinion on the line for once...your afraid to go into the corners...you dont like the greasy areas...your scared you might get bumped a little bit...lets see if your opinion is any less myopic (thanks Papa Hewey for the word) or local town centric than mine or anyone elses here? (by the way I have homered a few picks...without a doubt...but cmon i have done a pretty fair selection..and have used what insight from the forum, pointstreak, and the word on the street)If nothing else I create discussion and some honest reaction from players and fans whether they deserved it or not...I think that adds to the forum...not detracts by belittling an opinion that does not bestow the virtues of all things Smithers...Lets hear your opinion or are you too busy stalking the Luckies photographer, while the bus warms up? I dont have a copyright on the three star selection, but by your reaction they certainly must carry some weight as they seem to keep you awake at night, so cmon Steely lets see your unbiased, level-headed, and well thought out three star selection this upcoming weekend?

He is so piqued, p'd off and plainly perplexed by the puzzling performance of his on again, off again Luckies...you just can't squeeze Kemzel in every week.

Don't really care about your selection of Forum Stars, but since it's expected, I'll wonder why Cullis is selected with three points over, say Curtis Cardinal with his second hat trick in two games, plus his two assists v Kitimat...???

Hate the guy all you want. He may or may not be a dirty player, but I think Sandlaks picks go on more then just points. I think the idea is that the guy scored two big goals and added an assist is helping his team jump into a playoff spot for the first time this year. Cardinals hat trick doesn't mean diddly squat. It clearly didn't help his team win any games. This is typical of what Curtis does... load up on individual stats, but it rarely translates into wins for his team. You ever heard of an MVP on a non playoff team? same idea.

The top scorer in our league by a country mile, right now, can't earn a first, second or third star any week because his team loses. If that was Francis or Wilfred up there I could hear the howls from Williams Lake out my front window on the coast!

Seems to me that without your Alkalai boys,you are a very average team.And according to some your faithful fans aren't they a lil selfish and me first?

Did Bubba Balloo agree with me -- or worse, did I agree with him!!!???

Not saying the guy can't get a star any week. Don't you think your stretching my comment a little bit? Just saying sometimes leading you team to victory carries more wieght then not. As for the Alkali Boys being selfish me first guys.... You can't win a championship with that kind of player... luckily we don't have it.

And Bubba.... come on! you kinding me? There are alot of other players that can dominate in this league besides the Alkali boys. Nathan Zurak, Pual Girodat, Trent Manchur, Dustin Erickson, Brent McIsaac, Aaron Zurak, Matt Lees, Jason Wright, etc. Nice try though... This team is still the favorite in the East by a country mile. When someone beats them in a best of three then they have proven something.

I'm just saying,the sky was falling in WL last week.And also how many of the players you just mentioned were also missing that weekend?Seems like your statement says you can win without them.So some of the above must have missed also then.Also Curtis would be your star player also,and he would also make you eat alot of crow on the comments you've made about him.I don't see him parading to the penalty box like you mentioned,or acting out me first tenacies,he just leads this leauge in every stat that counts.He is by far the best goal scorer in the cihl,and no one is making a liar out of me as of yet and dethroning him.

thanks for the consideration, but the 3 goals on sunday were typical dave wilejto garbage goals, none of which should earn a star. There were plenty of others deserving of it, Fehler was a horse once again on the blueline(despite his poor skating ability), the other wilejto was dominant, and the scoring was spread thru all 4 lines. If we can figure out how to get past the boys from big tire town I think we stack up well against anyone right now. Williams Lake was still without a few keys guys, but I think this past weekend should serve notice we're for real.

each week is much looked forward to. They are a pretty good, maybe a tad myopic, (but from one location, a lot of what we all think is hearsay) but welcome nonetheless. I guess Sandlak just showed me what happens when you stomp on this particular cat's tail (tale)...

Keep it coming, Sandlak -- we don't get to see you this year, but I'm sure we'll see you next season...in the meantime, just keep doing what you think is right and I'll keep doing what I think is right -- none of us will get along all the time -- but that's what a Forum is about.

Peace and a Merry Christmas, a little too much in advance, but Demons have no scheduled games till January...

yer getting all soft and mushy...my response was with tongue firmly planted in cheek...and hopefully got a few giggles...thats the problem with the forum is you cant pick up on the tone of many of our posts...anyway no worries...if you have not figured out by now...I'll keep doing and saying what I think is right...even if you think Im wrong...dont count out seeing the Luckies this season...unless you guys have given up on your season already?

...the year 2009, but you're right, I would not count the Luckies out in playoffs in 2010...they are almost as consistent at the Demons these past few years -- always a battle and never totally predictable, which of course is why we play the games.

Interesting to see the Burns Lake Braves emerge, much as I expected, and to see these Bulkley Valley battles so hotly contested. You can't count anybody out this year...but I'm still afraid your power rankings will have to include a well thought out weekly needle for the Demons until the end of the regular season.

Don't you long for the third week of the season when we lost a game and shootout...in the Puddle?

That may have been the best chance in years to predict the annual downfall of the Demons and I remember you didn't disappoint us.

Do you realize you're now hoping and praying for a pair of wins by the Ice on the road...? No more than the Steelheads, tho'. And wouldn't that throw a wrench into the East standings?

taken from the Power Rankings week 3..."3) Kitimat- (3)[3-1-1] Another victory for a team that seemed to have a lot of turnover, and the buzz is maybe this is the year they get bumped off the top. Maybe this is the year, Kitimat stays on top without its highend players that have made them so dominant in the past?"
no mention of the demon demise.... hmmmm...lets go to week 2..."4) Kitimat - (2) A LONG roadtrip and a short bench contribute to two losses in the Puddle. If my count is correct that is three lossses in a row to the Stamps...A wise man once wrote, and repeated a thousand times to any that would listen: "If ya wanna be the best ya gotta beat the best"....still no mention of the impending demon demise...in fact i think i have solidly on the Kitimat is still the top team or two to beat...My week 2 post was dripping with sarcasm...yes...announcing the demise of the franchise...no...I think you had best find your bogeymen elsewhere, cause I think I have given the demons a healthy mix of respect and sporting hatred...not once have I been foolish enough to announce the impending doom of demon nation...wished for it...never got it!!

Ahhhh, thats why they are after you, you didn't have Kitimat ranked 1st every week. You will know better now. Kitimat stays ranked 1st and name Kitimat in the 3 stars, even if it is an off week for them. Also, Kitimat has to win every fight. Their bus broke down, but we can't talk about that either. Just post good. Man, what a team. Watch them go. They should hire Dick Irvine to call the games. He is about the most sided announcer that ever lived so he would fit right in.

The only thing one sided about Kitimat is everytime they play the Queens they beat the piss out of them, u must be a know it all fan!! Can u even skate Zooie??

I sure can skate. Actually I was a pretty good defenseman in Midget and AA high school. I took care of my goaltender.

I always thought Zooie was female.

He corrected me eventually...it was probably because my son's wife is a Zo --sometimes called Zo-ey (if you want to take the risk)...

Anyway, I can't be trashin' everybody on the Forum (in the extension of my mushy mood) -- caused I think by my lucky escape from a collision with a moose last week with my new truck.

That is I escaped, without injury or any really serious damage -- other than a stripped off mirror and a couple of dings on one door. Thank goodness the Mackenzie boys aren't in the league, they'd be taking credit. But there's a moose out there with a Ford tough headache...or maybe just a toothache.

Ya, they don't move very easy. I saw the aftermath of a moose colision with a ford tempo. the car went under the moose and peeled half of the roof off. Not fun to hit.