The Lac la Hache Tomahawks kept pace with the East Division-leading Williams Lake Stampeders on Nov. 1, but Williams Lake did just enough more every period to pull away, and the Tomahawks fell 8-5.
The undefeated Stampeders (6-0) currently sit very comfortably atop the Central Interior Hockey League's East Division with 12 points.
The Quesnel Kangaroos (3-3) sit second with six points, while Lac la Hache (1-3), with a couple of games in hand, are last with two.
The Terrace River Kings (4-1) currently wear the West Division crown with eight points, followed by the Smithers Steelheads (2-2), Kitimat Ice Demons (1-4-1) and Prince Rupert Rampage (1-3-1).
The recent game in Williams Lake saw Williams Lake score first. Lac la Hache's Walter Schmidt (from Wilfred Robbins) answered back but so did Williams Lake, which took a 2-1 lead into the second frame.
Again it was the Stampeders getting off first in the second period, with a score by a Tomahawk – Robbins from Kyle Crump and Anthony Sellars – to break up a two-goal period by Williams Lake.
To start the final frame, it was Williams Lake 4 Lac la Hache 2.
Robbins pulled the Tomahawks to within one, with an assist by Schmidt, before Williams Lake notched two more to pull away.
Lac la Hache found one last scoring punch: Sellars (from Crump and Drew Rose) on the power play and Schmidt (from Robbins) shortly after, to tighten the game 6-5.
However, Williams Lake's Matt Lees netted two more pucks to seal the game.
Next, the Tomahawks look to bounce back against the Kangaroos in Quesnel on Nov. 8.