The Williams Lake Stampeders will be looking to rebound from its first loss of the regular season Saturday when they host the Hazelton Wolverines at the Cariboo Memorial Complex.
This will be the second consecutive meeting between the two teams.
The last, on Sunday, Oct. 9, ended in an 8-3 routing by the lakecity green and white.
Justin Foote made 30 saves for the win while Wolverines’ netminder Cody Smith made 31 in the losing effort.
Goal scorers for the Stamps were Nathan Zurak (2), Gilbert Robbins (2), Wilfred Robbins, Stu Sasges (2) and Bill McGinnis.
Scoring for the Wolverines were Chad Lewis, Curtis Cardinal and Brendan Creyke.
The previous day, Williams Lake was in Smithers facing the team they eliminated from last year’s playoffs to win the East Division title.
Williams Lake, battling with a short bench of just 14 players, weren’t able to handle the Steelheads firepower, bowing 6-4.
Smithers started out with a bang, with Randall Groot taking a pass from Devon Booth and Adam DeVries to put one past Foote in the first half minute of play. Seven minutes later, the Stampeders returned the favour, with Robbins evening up the score.
The second period saw more action on the scoreboard.
Matt Arnold scored off an assist from Cody Cringan to put Smithers in the lead a minute and a half into the period.
About 30 seconds later, Williams Lake’s McGinnis evened up the score at two each.
As the Steelheads heated up, Russ Blanchard scored, giving Smithers the lead, a position they held for the rest of the game.
Adam DeVries potted the next two goals on assists from Stu Barnes and Eric Smith, and Barnes and Groot, putting the Steelheads up 5-3.
As the period drew to a close, Brent McIsaac added one for the Stampeders.
Halfway through the third period, McIsaac scored another for Williams Lake, putting the Stampeders within a single point of tying the game.
The Steelheads ratcheted up its defence, and with fewer than three minutes to go, Cringan scored the sixth for Smithers off a Rob Miller assist.
Foote made 33 saves in the losing effort, while Michael Wall picked up the win in goal for the fish.
Heading into this Saturday’s contest, Williams Lake has two wins and one loss on its record.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines, coming off a win over the expansion Lac La Hache Tomahawks last weekend, have one win and two losses.
Game time is 7:30 p.m.
