In the rubber match, The Stampeders hold off the Steelheads by a score of 2-0

Justin Foote with 60 saves to out duel the former pro Mike Wall

Smithers with a great team and organization, but will have to wait another year.

Stamps off to the league final and the Coy Cup

What a perfect ending for the steelheads . especially when deba plays all yea and dedicated goaltender then for some unknown reason or who knows what the team promised wall but benching deba for the final games what a slap in the face great to see it backfire in their faces even better ended with a WL shutout .
Good luck WL

NHL experience and talent is an unknown reason now? Give your head a shake. I think it's funny nobody talks to Deba or Perrault about what a slap in the face it was, considering neither of them had any problem stepping aside for Wall.

On topics that matter, Justin Foote must have set a record today, with a 62 save shutout. Fun to watch, hard to believe. The Stamps have a great chance for as long as Foote is in net. What a player.

What are they supposed to say Drew? They brought in a guy who has NHL experience... not gonna go over well if they bitch. Fact is it was a real low move. They tried to hang everything on their goaltenders, when the fact is Deba put up two shutouts in the first round and got hung out to dry in game 1. If they are holding it together at the rink, then that just shows the kind of character they have and that they are team first guys, even at their own expense, but I guarantee you that they are stinging from this. Deba rides the pine after a great year and Perrault gets rewarded for having the league best GAA with a spot in the bleachers. How would you feel? I supposed just happy for Mike that he gets chance to prove himself at the senior level?

I'm with Rickybobby, Looks good on them that they thought they could put "The Wall" in and just cruise. Turns out their biggest problem is at the other end of the rink where they only averaged 2.4 goals per game all playoffs. The lowest of any team in the playoffs other then the team they beat in the first round with Deba in net.

Weekend recap to follow...

Bus got to PG a little quick Rusty?

I think in the end all teams in the CIHL want to win. And I am sure some of the players on your team will not like taking a seat for the coy for some of your pick-ups(Simoes and a few more I would think). I don't think it is that different? In the end every player in the locker room wants to win a title and the will do whatever it takes to win. I give coach Young credit for making a tough decision to give his team the best chance to win.

I think we all knew the Steelheads short comings going into playoffs, finishing (hard working, fast, young core... no real sniper) and wait for it... goal-tending. If you can say that the goal-tending in Smithers was as good as their stats, then you have a point. But their stats were a combination of a weak schedule and a great team defense.

Wall got beat by a better goal-tending performance on Sunday where Foote made 62 saves. The best performance I have seen all year by any individual player. Hats off to the Stamps for playing a great series. Also, what a gritty performance by Girodat playing half the game on a bummed knee.

All I have to say is it would have been great to watch Wall and Foote go head to head for 7 games.

Good Luck to the Ice Demons and Stamps

Nobody has ever sat out on our roster or ever will to fit a Coy Cup call up in the line-up. Phil will be in Rupert, and I believe there might be one other player who played last season for us potentially making the trip, but only if we need the bodies. We're not about to tell any of our players they're good enough to get us there, but now that we're there... we don't need you.

ohh yes i agree JC all these teams want to win i also seen it this year when the Luckies also kicked their backup goalie frail between the legs when Kenzel went down did the luckies even give Frail a look Noooooo they overlooked him right away and brought in the midget goalie (who may i add played just fine for them ) . They also brought in a goalie from P.G. and when he didnt work out back to wardrop they went while frail rode the pine . even though he has a winning record when called upon . and even when kenzel came back they kept wardrop as backup and dressed frail as player and didn,t even give him a shift .
So yeah i know all teams want to win bu as rusty pointed out deba wins the first round of playoffs and doesnt allow a goal in the series then gets off to a bad start and right away young goes smooching up to wall ( who hasnt played goal for them in the 4 years he has played) and gets him to play somehow pretty low for sure

It wasn't just that they weren't complaining, they were happy to see Wall play. A direct quote from Tyler Perrault - "Any time the team wants to put in an NHL goalie, I have no problem sitting." they are team guys, and both knew Wall gave them the best chance to win. For Smithers, they've been trying to get Wall in net for years, and only recently has Wall said he wanted in. Call it a low move if it really bothers you, but you're wrong.

You also make it sound like Smithers assumed starting Wall equaled victory, but interviews with players and coaches, as opposed to you putting words in the mouths of the Steelheads brass, showed they knew it wasn't going to come easy. You're right, goal scoring was a problem for the team, but tonight, the zero on the home side was 100% the result of Justin Foote showing why our broadcast team raved about him every game we covered. To say anything otherwise is to do a disservice to the guy who made it possible for you to win today. This was the first time all season the Smithers offense really had it all working, but Foote was a stone cold machine in net, and will continue to be a key thru the finals and in to the Coy.

By the way, you asked how I would feel? If I didn't think I gave my team the best shot at winning, I would feel pretty good about stepping aside. It is a team sport after all.

Justin is a great goalie and arguably our best player, although nobody could argue that tonight... it was clear he was, but what's a disservice is saying 100% of the result tonight was Justin Foote.

Anyway, I don't know why I'm arguing with the play by play man. I guess we all get more attached and emotional this time of year. Players, coaches, fans, parents and even broadcasters. Overall, you guys are great for the league and keep up the good work. It's great that you guys take the complaints with the intention of improving on them rather then with an extremely defensive reply like I take forum posts directed at our team.

Rusty I think your dedication to your team and league is admirable. You keep us in touch to what is happening with the Stamps and I thank you for that. I think the league could use a few more like you.

You mentioned emotion... Believe it or not we get bummed also. After 28 games and hoping for a trip to the finals from one of listening area teams, our season is now also over. We got spoiled in our first year going to finals with the Luckies against Kitimat. Still waiting for our trip back! HA HA

Next year!

Drew... Get to bed! You work at 5am.

You're not the boss of... nevermind.

Just wanted to pass along my thanks for the Peak crews outstanding work in broadcasting the games this year, and past years.

I've listened to alot of games over the years by different crews, (Junior A, Junior B, Senior), and I have to say you guys take a back seat to no one.

Good luck next season. (Here's hoping you have a few more Stampeder games in the schedule).

Alright, here's my take on the weekend.

Saturday night started off as a back and forth game with both teams generating some good shifts and chances, but there was one major difference from a week ago.... The big guy in net. He was real solid and made things look easy most of the time and you could see the how the confidence of his team had changed from a week ago when they seemed totally deflated. It didn't take long for him to get noticed as well as he shot the puck over the low Smithers glass the first time he touched the puck giving the Stamps an early power play that never generated much. From there Ryan Devries would score the periods lone goal on a sharp angle shot that somehow eluded Foote and barely crossed the goal line.

In the second period Smithers came out strong and were rewarded with two quick ones. The first a weak shot through Footes legs by Darryl Young and the second a nicely executed 3 on 2 finished by Kellin Brown. From that point on it seemed like a pretty steep mountain for the Stamps to climb with "The Wall" in net. Near the end of the period Jeff Gagnon would finally get the visitors on the board as his shot was blockered away by Wall only to hit his defenceman and bounce in the net.

In the third, The Steelheads sat on their lead a bit knowing goals would be hard to come by and the Stamps really failed to generate much offence. Wall was called upon to make a few good saves and 18 year old Swede Chris Brohlin rang one off the post in an attempt to close the gap, but to no avail. With just under 5 minutes to go Joe Karpinski stole a puck inside the Stamps blueline and went top shelf to put a stamp on a Steelhead victory forcing a do or die game three. One note worthy scrum in the the final minutes as Cody Cringan came off the bench and jumped Matt Lees (who was a thorn in the Steelheads side all game). Matt, who was in a pushing and shoving match with Spencer Brooks, never threw a punch at Cringan or dropped his gloves, yet both were given 5 and a game for fighting. This was a joke and another prime example of why the final 10 minute rule needs to go. Cringan was sent off the bench with the sole purpose of having Lees engage him in a fight and being suspended and despite him not fighting the hometown ref made the hometown call and Lees, who's a major contributer to the Stamps was forced to watch game 3 from the bleachers.

Sundays game was a goaltending classic...

The Stamps came out really strong taking the game to the fish and determined to cause more traffic and rebounds in front of Wall who was given too much respect the night before. Despite the early pressure the Stamps couldn't break the ice and the Steelheads were able to generate their own momentum from Walls early saves and started pounding the Stamps net with shots, but Foote was equal to anything they had to throw at him.

In the second the Stamps came out hard again and jumped on the fish right off the bat and got the all important first goal as Wilf Robbins jumped on a rebound created by some nice work from Stu Sasges and Chris Brohlin. Four minutes later as a 4 on 4 ended and the Fish began a power play Paul Girodat took a pass at center ice and put together a great individual effort going end to end, around the net and sliding the puck through a screened Wall to give the Stamps a 2-0 lead and control of the game. From that point on the Stamps took the position of sitting back on the lead and the Fish went all in pushing forward and with the help of 5 consecutive power plays to end the game generated a lot of shots, but foote was in the zone seeing everything.

The third period was basically Smithers shooting from everywhere and packing bodies around the net trying to disturb Foote as he just would not be rattled making save after save after save. The fish would out shoot the Stamps 23-8 in the third, but it just seemed a lock that they would not beat the Stampeder goalie, not the way he was playing Sunday. Mike Wall was forced to make a couple nice saves as Williams Lake occasionally countered with a chance of their own, including a great save on a Paul Girodat breakaway which would have sealed the game, but Wall gave them the timely saves they've been asking for all season. It just wasn't enough on Sunday as it was the timely goals that evaded them in an amazing goaltending performance sending the Stampeders to their third straight league final and Coy Cup.

Overall this was a great series between possibly the 2 best teams in BC... Possibly (I know Kitimat and Powell River may have something to say about that). Smithers was out chanced and out scored badly in Williams Lake, looking out of sorts, but on their home ice they are a tough team to play with a relentless forchecking style on that small ice. They dominated large chunks of the play, but the Stampeders held strong and survived a sunday shooting gallery to advance again. This was a win that felt damn good too. Considering the odds were stacked against the Stamps with back to back sell out crowds cheering against them, a former NHL goalie between the pipes and an officiating crew that was clearly intimidated to call the home side for much of anything. Yet despite all that the Stamps are heading back to the League finals to defend their title and back to the Coy to regain what was once theirs.

Stampeders, The Better Team Won and deserving. And Congratulation to the Demons.

Rusty your game recap is fine, a better team with Lees watching.
The Refs had many opportunities to send him to the dressing room, but chose not to, and your Academy performance lying on the Ice should of resulted in delay in the game, when you got up after a min with your head on the Ice, and no stopage in play, as you skated by, you could see the red glow of embarrassment surrounding your head as a 1000+ fans cheered, and you got not one support from your own team. Lees and your actions have nothing to do with winning a game, go figure. I for one would love the two fight rule, and it will come one day, players have to be accountable. How do you think Lees would of faired with Olson, Cringan, Groot, Sutherland in a two fight rule? with his performance, not well. I am sure the Demons will be exspecting Lees, they have acouple themselves.( 14 )

Ref bashing seems to be your highlight after every game that you play off your home Ice. Good teams do not bash refs, The worst game of reffing that I saw this year was in Williams lake, did you hear or see any ref bashing from the Steelheads?

The Stamps are the best team in the league this year, and I think will handle the Demons. Without Foote I would say #4 in the League.

The game on Sunday Rusty, you negelected to say that the Steelheads hit 4 crossbars, two post, one goal disallowed, ref didn't see it go in, and FOOTE made 62 saves for a shut out, and at the other end Wall kept the game as close as it was. I guarantee, there has never been a CIHL game played with a Goaltending dual at this calibre. It was a treat for all of Smithers to watch, and for the ones that could not get in (Sold out) to go back home, and turn the sound off the TV and Crank up the Radio and tune into the PEAK.

Good Luck to Both the Demons and the Stamps, League and Coy Cup.

Ref bashing?

To make this a more fair League, and Equal to all teams, we cannot have Team Oficals the, Stats, Sched, Pres, or any CIHL EX. We all have to be working on finding Hockey people not personaly involved with teams in the CIHL. Maybe adds in all Our Local Papers, Radio stations inviting to the AGM this Spring, it is not working the way it is, as well as it should.

I don't mean any disrepect to the ones that work their *ssoff every year, a change is needed for us to progress as a league.

You try so hard sometimes steely-on, but rarely have anything intelligent to say... You couldn't go out without trying to get in as many digs as possible... that's fine. Your done and that's good enough for me. We still have another month of hockey to enjoy.

It's obviously easy for you to sit in the crowd and draw up these strange conclusions. Steelheads disallowed goal? Never crossed the line. What about the Stamps disallowed goal in the first minutes of the game, cause Wall pushed the net off? goes both ways.

Hard to believe you could sit up there having no idea what really happens on the ice, yet have no problem carving the guys competing... Our team is a stronger one with Matt, not weaker, and I have no doubt he would handle himself just fine with any of those guys... might win, might lose, but he knows what he's doing and has been in a lot of battles in his days in the BCHL against some really tough guys. I can tell you he would prefer a two fight rule as well... then Cringan would have got what he came looking for and Lees would have been playing Sunday enjoying the big win.

As for the award winning dive. That award winning dive resulted in a pretty serious injury and had me held together with tape and tensor bandages and extra padding sunday... so don't act like you know, because every time you speak it becomes more apparent you don't.

Finally, while I love Justin Foote and what he did for us Sunday, I am definitely tired of you taking away from the team we have in front of him. In 2009, without Foote, we won a Coy Cup. last season we won a championship with him as a large part of it and this year we have the chance to do the same with the leagues most dangerous offence complementing the leagues best goalie. Guys like Francis Johnson, Jeff Gagnon, Wilf Robbins and Paul Girodat have the ability to finish that your guys would dream of having on their team.

Rusty, you disappoint me on this thread - you are usually diplomatic and I have respected your thoughts but HOW DARE YOU try and speak for players, and coaches for that matter, from another team whom you haven't spoken to and then continue to get back on here to argue your view of what they are thinking or feeling - WHO ARE YOU?
You are on here ref bashing and coach bashing and you won - not very classy. This is not the time to whine.
I was in the stands when one of your coaching staff (at least he had the jacket and was on the ice at the end of the game shaking hands)ran up into the stands and stormed the glass to yell profanities at the ref. When a citizen reminded him that there were children around, he yelled, 'F*&ck You!' and turned to the jam packed stands, many of whom were appalled, and gave everyone the finger and exploded with another FU. NICE!!! Worry about your own coaching staff Rusty instead of getting on here and criticizing other team's coaches for decisions you are not privy to. Worry about your own dirty laundry. You don't know what anyone is feeling. And I know WL will be bringing in players for the Coy - don't care if they played for you in the past - bring new guys in at this stage and someone sits - do the math! Mike is already on the team and was asked on numerous occasions to play goal - from community members, family, and yes, I am sure coaching staff. Now he volunteers and the coaching staff is suppose to say, no - someone like Rusty might get the wrong opinion and question our integity???

It was such a treat for the fans to see these two amazing goal tenders - you've decided to make it about something else and then whine that your goalie got too much credit.

It's time to crawl back into your cave Rusty.

I have seen the fish only one time this year and my take would be that they take lots of shots but the quality of scoring is very poor. Not taking anything away from Foot but in Williams Lake the fish had 54 shots from every were towards net chances for scoring poor the Stamps had 24 shots. The Stamps on the other hand don't shoot enough to many passes. End result our goalies look good you loose the game, all is good.

Steely-on I am going to hate myself for answering your post but here goes do you think McIsaac is stupid--- well think about it almost the end of the game do you think that McIsaac said to himself "I have to draw a penalty so we can score" not 1 goal but 3 goals with almost no time on the clock or was he hurt. If you actually think that he was on the ice to draw a penalty, then you are a fool.

I do agree the fight rule is a bad one in the last ten minutes, just like a player that sits on the bench for the hole game just to jump a guy that didn't take his gloves off. Lees would never fight a bench warmer, but he would never back down if the time was right.

AFTER YOUR POST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A 2 FIGHT RULE let's see you and Lees then when you recover you and McIsaac. Anyway I would sooner have Lees and McIsaac on my team then anything I saw here from Smithers. What you don't get is players can't go after ref.in a game so they go after other player for revenge is that right well no but that's what happens.I guess you like the refs you had 6 PP to WL 2PP Sat.night, and 6 to 1 Sunday...

And this one line is just for you Steely-on you put up a WALL and lost on the other hand we put up a Foot and won!

Good game boys.

Here's the thing... I don't wanna beat the Mike Wall thing to death, and I never put words into any of your coaches mouths or players. I did say that underneath the natural team first, suck it up, hockey players attitude that Deba and Perrault are likely stinging a bit from this. What competitor wants to take a back seat in the final game after a year of hard work?

I guess your right about the fact I haven't come on here and been an extra ordinarily classy winner. It's true, but there's something about that team that just makes a guy hate playing them and love beating them. I had texts from guys around the league wishing us luck from a couple different teams, because they can't stand you either I think, not sure they would just genuinely like to see us win again.

Just something about the attitude of your group that gets under a guys skin I guess. Maybe it's all the cheap shots after whistles, maybe all the trash talk, but mostly this attitude that your own sh!t don't stink is the biggest thing.

As for controlling our coaching staff... that's not my job. I didn't see any of that, and even if I had I'm not about worry about it. I'm sure there was a reason for a pretty calm group to go to that extent.

No matter though. After all was said and done two good teams played and one had to lose, and I'm pretty thankful it wasn't us... and I'm not taking anything away from Foote. I'm a proud member of Footepeder nation!

Rusty - or should I say McIsaac - which explains why you are talking out both sides of your butt, you have lost perspective because of some petulant juvenile mad-on against the coach - this is the first I have heard from you on this - usually you get on here and defend the thankless volunteers and get everyone back to the main thing

Coach Young is a very respected coach in the community and long time contributor to minor hockey and the CIHL. He is straight up and calls things like they are. If you have played anything beyond the house league, you know coaches make difficult decisions and on this one you are dead wrong - get over it. So is rivalry part of the game - it is what brings electricity to the ice. Don't get on here and trash everyone after you win because you don't like this fact. I have read post after post congratulating the Stamps including your nemesis Steely on - the better and deserving team won.

Reread your posts Rusty -- you preach one thing and say another. You tell Steely that he has no idea what happens on the ice - yet has no 'problem carving the guys competing' yet you have no clue what happens in the dressing room or with the coaches, and still you carve up the coach and try to make the back up goalies sound like beaten dogs. You tell steely "so don't act like you know because every time you speak, it becomes more apparent you don't" Back at ya!

No one talked about controlling your coaching staff and by the way - it was one guy - who shouted out the F-word at fans and someone who tried to step in after he yelled the F-word at the ref after a penalty call and there is NEVER reason for this. You missed the point - don't criticize a coach for a decision you know nothing about and say there are reasons for such a decision yours has made and you say the Steelheads think their sh!t don't stink - all of your posts stink on this.

I'd say the better team won but not the classiest with leaders like you after this win. A classy leader would have taken the win and maybe human nature would have even had you gloating about beating The Wall. Move on.

You guys are impossible. I haven't carved your coaches nor do I hold any ill will to them... what are you talking about? your the one that keeps bringing them up. I have no problem saying that your team is by far the best coached team in this league. It's clear in the structure your team has in it's game. I have no problems with your coach. I don't like what happened with Wall and Deba, but that's my opinion. I guess your view is very different depending on what dressing room you sit in. This league is as close to house league as I've ever played, so I might have an idea of what it's like in a dressing room.

This is the crap that drives me and everyone else crazy about you guys.... you argue about things that nobody is arguing about, twisting conversations to some random ending all while self proclaiming your team the classiest and on and on. This is where the "our sh!t don't stink" comes from.

I'm not gonna gloat about beating the wall either... big deal. This team has accomplished far bigger things then winning a game against the "The Wall."

See you next year.

There was once a Sheldu that went the way of the doe-doe Bird and if I remember right didn't SmithersFan chase him and the Forum away?

Your a loser, the biggest whiner the CIHL has ever had, and you top most other Hockey forums as one. Asked any Ref in this league who is the King of WHine, they will all say McRUSTY.

As the Moderator you will cut this out, I do not beleive there is that many email of congrats, your to lonely, to much time on your hands, this is only the one of the chat forum that you frequent and you have blown it here, its time for the Doe-doe Bird, A self mutilation. Your Not worth any more response, alot of your credibility that you thought you might of had is going to get a thrashing in time. Your enemy is age.

Okay Steely... I try and offer this place some detail and opinions, and generally I think I do a good job of staying unbiased, but it's funny how you guys over react when you don't like what you hear. You pretend you were all class in your loss by saying "the win was deserved and the best team won," but then you follow it up with a complete contradiction of that and cut into our guys and our team. When it comes back your way you go into insults immediately go into full defence mode. Come back next year and try and offer some actual hockey IQ. Right now, as always, you just come across as a sour fan.

Hey Rusty, you might find it interesting to know that Steely-on, (Smithers Asst GM Gord Felts??), attempted to have you banned from the first game of the series. He received a little tweet from someone from Burns Lake about your fight in game 2, and he went to work to see you banned. Emailed me looking for the referee's phone number. I gave him our referee-in-chiefs number instead. Don't know what became of it. Don't care.

I re-read every one of the posts on this string and saw nothing about you attacking the Smithers coaching decisions. What you did say was that it was your opinion that in a very big game, the Steelheads goaltenders might have wished they were in the big game, rather than being pulled in favor of Mike Wall. Maybe yes, maybe no, but in know way do I see you in your posts questioning the Smithers coaches.

The Steelhead brass are just pissed that once again they have come up short in the biggest game of the year......just like past years. Take it for what it is Rusty, and revel in the fact you and the boys get to play another months worth of hockey. (And perhaps more if the P.G. Mohawks call a few of you up for their Alan Cup run).

Hope your injury is well on the way to recovery. And by the way, to those that think the Stamps have loaded up for the Coy Cup. Our loading up includes Phillip Simoes, and maybe Jordan Winkle, (still pending). Both guys played a full season for us last year. On the other hand you might find it interesting to know that Kitimat will have two new faces in their Coy Cup lineup, and Robin Gomez, (WHL, ECHL, AHL, CHL & IHL), has been signed by the Prince Rupert Rampage.

Sorry to let the cat out of the bag guys.....but oh well. Fire my ***.

Are you flying again, shutting down the forum and hiding? A real class act. You accepted a position of Confidentiality, your integrity was tarnished 3 years ago when you tried to change the rules and got caught, all that is left is the Music Man.
Only you would see Banned out of an Honest polite Inquiry. If any body would like some of these emails that were changed hands give me a call I will gladly send them to you.

I thought I was being gracious with my account of the academy performance of McRusty, even I felt embarrass, ashamed for him. One of the top players in the league resorts to acting. Acting lesson should be his next venture, in a month of course. If he is injured it has nothing to do with what ever he was trying to display in Smithers. I understand that the game is on video, by WL, show us all. Like that going to happen.

I will be cheering in Kitimat, I owe Kitimatfan a drink our two.

Yup thats me. Shelldu, (the former - *******, dough-head number one idiot). And now we know who you are.

It's a day after Valentines day, but I still love you bro.

Cheers. Oh, and better luck next year.

It's amazing how fast you all managed to make me embarrassed to be associated with the league. The collective maturity level in here is roughly the third grade.

I don't get it Gord you would think after you were given the Lightening Cup you would be happy and just go away. Instead you come on here and give us your 2 cents worth and you only came out like a very poor looser. ENJOY THE LIGHTENING CUT for the summer it was a present this year and maybe next year you might have to earn it. Have a nice summer...You LOST live with it.

Oh just for Carl it's Lightening Cup 9WRONG KEY0

It's made my day for a couple of days -- and I was feeling pretty good too.

I see I somehow got drug into this thread. After the game Sunday I started drowning my sorrows in the dressing room....blacked out and woke up today in a massage parlor on East Hastings. Can someone send me bus fare?

Wow, I missed you guys!