A “hiccup” in the second period cost the Lac la Hache Tomahawks a game against their closest rival in the Central Interior Hockey League on Nov. 20.
The 5-3 loss to the Williams Lake Stampeders on the road was one of the best games of the season for the Tomahawks, says coach Byron Louie.
“It slipped away a little bit. But from when we took the time out [in the second] to the end of the game, they played a really solid game. It’s unfortunate we had that hiccup in the second that cost us. It’s all a learning process for myself and the boys.”
The Tomahawks are winless so far season, last in the East Division. But if this lineup showed up every night, the local team’s record would be better, says their coach.
“It’s hard to compare game to game when the lineup changes so drastically. We can get smoked one game and the line up changes and we come back and play a fantastic game. If we could play every game with the last lineup we had, I’m sure we’d have a better record.”
The teams were scoreless through one period before Williams Lake poured it on in the second, scoring four goals before Wilfred Robbins, from Robin Gilbert and Richard Macdonald, answered back for Lac la Hache on the power play.
It was 5-1 for Williams Lake heading into the third, where Gilbert, from Macdonald and Kyle Crump, and Derek Walters, from Alexis Harry and Dervy Johny, scored for Lac la Hache.
Willie Sellars made 44 saves for the Tomahawks.
The Tomahawks are hosting the Terrace River Kings at the Rolf Zeis Memorial Arena in Lac la Hache on Nov. 28.
Every team in the CIHL is guaranteed a playoff spot this year – with the top team in the East Division – Williams Lake (7-2), the Quesnel Kangaroos (4-4) and Lac La Hache (0-8) – receiving a first-round bye. In the West Division – which features the Prince Rupert Rampage (4-2-1), the Smithers Steelheads (4-2), the Terrace River Kings (4-2), and Kitimat Ice Demons (4-5) – the first seed will play the fourth and the second seed will meet the third in the first round.
Looking ahead, Louie, in his first year coaching the Tomahawks, says he wants to see the team continue to improve leading into the playoffs.
“It’s kind of the ideal situation for us. For myself, as a rookie head coach, seeing what the boys have been doing in the last few games and learning about what it takes to allow the games to not get away on us, it’s quite rewarding actually.
“I’m pretty proud of the boys; they work really hard.”
