Spokane's Flyers, under the capable eye of coach Roy McBride, won the Dinah Shore-George Montgomery Trophy, emblematic of hockey supremacy of the WIHL, in 1955-56.
The Flyers enjoyed a good season and were in complete control of the league from the start of the hockey campaign, finished six points in front of the second place Nelson Maple Leafs.
Jack Lancien, Spokane's star defenceman, was unanimously chosen the winner of the Paul Kozak Memorial Trophy, as the league's best rearguard.
Lancien, a 33-year-old former pro, was a tower of strength on the Flyers blueline, and proved one point, that a defenceman doesn't have to be crude to win the respect of fans and players.
Trail's Smoke Eaters pulled off the biggest upset of the season by eliminating the second place Nelson Maple Leafs in five games.
The Vernon Canadians, who had an easy time in capturing the Okanagan League title, defeated the Flyers for the British Columbia championship and went all the way, and won the Allan Cup.
Hal Gordon was a standout in the Canadians' net, and had a powerhouse defence in Orval Lavell, Willie Schmidt, Don McLeod and Tom Stecyk.
Other Flyers who managed to score at a fast clip were Art Jones with 44; Lorne Nadeau with 39; Kubasek, 38; Gino Rozzini, 25; Carl Cirullo, 24; Jack Miller, 21; Bruno Pasqualotto, 20; and Red Tilson, 19.
Spokane's lineup in 1955-56: John Sofiak, John Panagrot (Goal); Ralph Luke, Tom Hodges, Cy Whiteside, Dan McDougald, Jack Lancien (Defence); Frank Kubasek, Art Jones, Jack Miller, Gino Rozzini, Bruno Pasqualotto, Carl Cirullo, Doug Toole, Lorne Nadeau, Dave Gordichuk and Hugh Scott.
Lee Hyssop, who played most of his minor hockey in Kimberley, paced the Nelson Maple Leafs to a second-place finish, with a record of 26 wins and two ties, against 22 defeats.
Coach Chuck Rayner had his Leafs flying high late in the season, but ran up against a rejuvenated Trail team in their semi-final series; and bowed out in the fifth game of the best-of-seven affair.
The Leafs had little trouble handling the Smoke Eaters in regular season play, winning nine of their fourteen meetings, and with five of their victories coming right in Trail's Cominco Arena.
Bud Andrews, who saw action both with Trail and Nelson, paced the league in the hat trick division, with four three-goal performances to his credit.
Norm Larsen resigned as coach of the Dynamiters late in the season, with Johnny Achtzener moving up from the general manager's post to take over the reins.
In 1955-56 the Dynamiters' swing through the Okanagan League, with stops at Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton, cost the club $1,950, which included transportation, hotels, meals and lost-time wages.