By Greg Sabatino
The Terrace River Kings are the Central Interior Hockey League Champions and have now earned a berth to the Coy Cup Senior Men's 'AA' Hockey Championship
The River Kings staved off a third-period surge by the Williams Lake Stampeders to take the third and deciding game of the CIHL playoff final, 2-1.
River Kings netminder Jared Rathjen — a former Western Hockey League goaltender with the Vancouver Giants, the Victoria Royals and the Prince George Cougars — was lights out in the contest, thwarting everything the Stamps had to throw at him.
"It was an unreal series," River Kings head coach Kevin Legros said. "Both teams played incredibly hard. Credit to Williams Lake. Their goalie was outstanding. I'm just super proud of my boys. [Jared] is a phenomenal goalie. He's so calm. I don't know what to say about him."
Williams Lake won game one of the series in Terrace 4-2, but then River Kings defeated in a tight 5-4 triple overtime in game two on Saturday night in Williams Lake.
They clinched the title with the 2-1 victory Sunday afternoon to wrap up the series.
Greg Sabatino is a sports writer with The Williams Lake Tribune