After a crushing 8-2 loss in Smithers Saturday, the Terrace River Kings are going to need two big wins at home this weekend in order to become Central Interior Hockey League western conference champions and go on to the league championships.
Terrace travelled to Smithers to face off against the Steelheads without two key members of their defence – top-ranked goalie, Garrett Muir and his brother defenceman Lee Muir.
In his first game since just after the winter break, backup goalie Dawson Kluss faced 47 shots from a determined Smithers team – who capitalized on the power play, scoring five goals with a one-man advantage.
Terrace's Rajan Sangha scored the first goal of the game to open up the scoring shorthanded about halfway through the first period.
The Steelheads answered at 19:21 in the first, and continued their onslaught in the next period to close the second with a 6-1 lead.
The Kings would get on the board again at 8:19 in the third, but that goal was bookended by two Steelheads' powerplay goals to make the final score 8-2.
The Steelheads now lead the series 1-0. Terrace will fight to keep the series going Saturday night at the Terrace Sportsplex, and if needed, the deciding game will be in Terrace the following afternoon.