Home ... and finally feel ok enough to drop a note to Forum fans about the Coy Cup and the amazing finale.

First, I have to congratulate the Rossland Committee for pulling together an excellent Coy Cup program in just five weeks. Well done, Bill Profili, Warren Hamm and all the volunteers and organizers.

Our Ice Demons played very well right throughout -- right to the final.

I think everybody involved will agree that while this was one of the most exciting finals in a long time, it was FAR from the best-played final we've seen.

That took nothing away from the heart-stopping drama as the Ice Demons, down 5-2 at the start of the third period, largely as a result of the Warriors taking our own kind of forechecking game to us ... and some inexplicably-sloppy defensive play ... But finally the Demons started to play as they could and should have.

That resulted in three goals in three minutes -- a 5-5 tie --and with nine minutes left on the clock.

Coach Danny Bradford of the Warriors told me after the game he thought his team was done and toast when the Demons tied it began pumelling the goal. He just didn't give them enough credit for courage and persistence.

Demons were back in the tie but the win was just not to be...

Goalie Rogerson stood big in the net, Demons maybe got a bit too desperate looking for the go-ahead goal. There was no way referee Grant Tyson was going to be blamed for giving any team an advantage. He called no penalties...so it was rough and very touch for all.

I have to describe my view of the winning goal, which if I am right, was Warriors' second and last shot of the third period.

With just 3.39 left to play, Paul (now known as "wrecking ball") Plante, was mowing down Warriors with huge hits and was bearing down to bury Jason Proulx, which he did.

But Proulx, going down, launched a shot at the goal. When he sat up, the light was on and pandemonium had set in in the rink. I doubt if anyone really saw the puck deflect behind Vilness in the Demons' net. I think even Vilness was watching the enormous hit take place. Most reconstructions showed the sirborne puck hit a defense player and deflected behind Vilness leaving him no chance to make the stop.

Demons, however still had three minutes left and re-commenced pounding the Warriors' net.

I have to give great credit to the Warriors, who did everything they had to do to protect goalie Rogerson, who made about four or five more great saves as the defense collapsed around him, blocking shots fearlessly and getting sticks in front of Demons crosses, even as Vilness was pulled for the extra attacker.

All in all, the Ice Demons Hockey Club reluctantly conceded the cup and freely hands a lot of credit for the way the Warriors shrugged off the 12-0 humiliation by the Demons on Tuesday, and clawed their way back into contention with a convincing win over North Island Capitals.

A close 5-3 power play win by Williams Lake in game three, set the scene for the sam two teams to batle for the second spot in the finals against the Demons.

Williams Lake Stampeders were visibly tired, and as a smaller team overall, were verfy battered, especially as the Warriors focussed on key players Johnson and Robbins. Sellars, I think played in jured and had a tough night as Warriors won 9-4.

For the dejected Demons team, whose dream of a Coy Cup three-peat was re-fired after a great comeback in the third, there was the long 23-hour bus trip back...and the promise "wait till next year."

Thanks again to the organizers, the Demons fans who ravelled, at by their phones and computers...

Many thanks also to Bassanni Fuels in Houston, who allowed us to cover the Luckies logo with the Demons logo and helped us immensly with their bus, which performed excellently throughout. Thanks too to the Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, which made a corporate donation of half of the Demons' wonderful accommodations -- the best of our history!

And thanks to the individual Demons players who provided the CIHL and its fans with another exciting hockey season, a third straight CIHL championship. Thanks to our fans. Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers and supporters. WEe'll keep you updated on Demons' plans...