STEAM RUN INTO STEAD-Y GOALTENDING IN 100 MILE HOUSE

On Friday night the Summerland Steam took to the road to play the 100 Mile House Wranglers at the South Cariboo Rec Center in 100 Mile House. On a night the Wranglers hosted Cliff Ronning and the crew from BASE Hockey as well as held their home opener, the Steam came to play. The Wranglers were able to catch the Steam flat footed off the opening draw, however, as Devan Suidy (newly acquired from the Princeton Posse) was able to slip one by Steam goaltender Brett Huber before the game was 15 seconds old. After the opening goal though, the ice began to tilt in the direction of the net occupied by Wranglers' goaltender Kristian Stead. 

The Steam began to fire anything and everything at the net while controlling the play for several minutes at a time, but Stead stood tall. Jack Mills was finally able to put one past the Wranglers' keeper with 6:49 remaining in the first period to tie the game at 1. The Steam carried control of the play both before and after the goal, but could muster only the lone tally while outshooting the Wranglers 12-5.

In the 2nd period we saw much of the same, with the play circling the Wranglers defensive zone continually. The Steam continued to pepper Stead with shots but were denied every opportunity. Finally, at the 12:49 mark of the 2nd, it was the Wranglers who were able to capitalize on an opportunity against the run of play. Suidy would find a loose puck out in front of Steam tender Brett Huber and contribute his 2nd of the night to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead.

Suidy's 2nd of the night would prove to be the game winner, as the Wranglers and Kristian Stead were able to hold off the Summerland Steam attack in the final 30 minutes, with the shot clock reading 36-15 in favor of the Steam at the final buzzer. 

The Steam will now put their first loss of the season in the rear view and look forward to an afternoon matinee at home tomorrow, 2PM vs the Fernie Ghostriders. Fernie is coming off a 7-1 pounding of the Kelowna Chiefs on Friday night which saw 7 different players score and 11 players record points while goaltender Jeff Orser stopped 33 of 34 Chiefs shots. 

It should be a great tilt, and if you can't make it out the Summerland Arena you can join myself and EzRock Summerland's Mike Swanson over at www.kijhl.ca just prior to 2PM!