The Williams Lake Stampeders will need back-to-back victories next weekend to keep their playoff championship aspirations alive.
The Stamps came out on the wrong end of a razor-thin 4-3 decision Saturday night in Williams Lake in game one of the best-of-three, round one series of the Central Interior Hockey League playoffs against the Quesnel Kangaroos.
The tightly-contested contest, which saw a near packed barn of cheering fans at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, had Williams Lake’s Kaleb Boyle open the scoring, before the Roos clawed back to a 2-1 lead early on in the second.
In the third, Quesnel extended its lead to 4-1, before Williams Lake found life off the sticks of Cole Zimmerman and Justin Bond late in the frame to cut the deficit to one goal, however, the Stampeders were unable to find the equalizer as time wound down on the clock.
READ MORE: Stamps to host ‘Roos in playoff opener
Game two of the series goes this Saturday, Feb. 15 in Quesnel, followed by game three, if the Stampeders can pull off a win, on Sunday, Feb. 16.
For anyone travelling to Quesnel to take in the games, puck drop Saturday, Feb. 15 is at 7:30 p.m. at the Quesnel Arena. Game three, if needed, will go the following day, Feb. 16, with a 1 p.m. puck drop.
In other CIHL playoff action the visiting Prince Rupert Rampage took a 1-0 series lead over the Hazelton Wolverines.
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