Luckies Narrowly Defeat Steelheads in Season Opener

(September 27th)

In Smithers on Saturday night the Houston Luckies-Smithers Steelheads rivalry resumed, this time with both teams laboring in the CIHL East Division. The Luckies emerged from the barn-burner, with a close 6-5 win, promising a hard series between these two teams over the remainder of the season.

In Smithers, the Houston Luckies had enough muscle and effort to edge the Smithers Steelheads by a score of 6-5 in a close game that showed the battle of the Bulkley Valley has just shifted to the East Division. Smithers took a couple of undisciplined penalties, which could have cost them the game, according to captain Dennis Olson. But, according to Luckies coach, Shane Brienen, there was not enough effort expended by the Luckies and he wants to see more physical play.

Don Kenzle was unanimously the best player in the game and frustrated the Steelheads shooters.

Smithers struck first with Mike Verticcio starting where he left off last year, but John Marren eclipsed that goal and Blair Dinelle gave the Luckies the lead.

That was tied by Olson with five minutes left in the first and looked good until Noah Bell sneaked one just before the intermission to restore the Luckies' lead. The two teams traded goals in the second and with three minutes left Darnell Caifa tied the game for the Steelheads. That effort was negated, with just seven left in the period Glen Kelly again allowed the Luckies to taker a lead to the dressing room. Early in the third period, Caifa scored his second goal of the game in alone on Kenzle to tie the game at five.

However, about this time, Smithers ran into penalty trouble and Houston capitalized on a 5-on-3, with Kelly scoring again in what would hold up as the winning goal.