PHOTO: Darren Francis/Fotoshotz
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 9th, 2018
CHILLIWACK, B.C. – The Trail Smoke Eaters concluded their Mainland Division road trip as a short manned group and fell by a 6-1 score to the Chilliwack Chiefs on Sunday afternoon at the Prospera Centre.
Trail started the game with plenty of opportunities, receiving a power play just 12 seconds into the game followed by a five-minute major power play on a blow to the head penalty called against the Chiefs Kevin Wall. The Smoke Eaters could not convert on the man advantage with their best chance on a Kent Johnson one-timer from the slot being robbed by the right pad of Chilliwack goaltender Nolan Hildebrand.
Marcus Tesink made the bears fly on Chilliwack’s Teddy Bear Toss night at the 13:30 mark of the opening period to open the scoring in the hockey game. Tesink collected a loose puck in the right face-off circle and beat a heavily screened Logan Terness in the Smoke Eaters goal to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.
A power play helped the Chiefs double their lead at the 18:46 mark of the opening frame with a scramble in front of the crease of Terness. Brett Willits was at the top of the crease and pushed the puck past Terness on his blocker side to extend the Chiefs lead to 2-0 into the 2nd period.
Another power play marker would push the Chiefs lead to 3-0 at the 2:00 mark of the 2nd period with just one second left in the man advantage. Matt Holmes worked his way down the right side and centered a pass in the slot for Cole Donhauser, who ripped a one-timer past the glove of Terness to make it a 3-0 game.
The Chiefs added to their lead at the 10:36 mark of the middle stanza coming courtesy of a bit of good fortune, with a Nathan Kelly shot from the midpoint deflecting to the right face-off circle where Ethan Bowen collected and wristed a shot into the top of the net past the glove side of Terness to give Chilliwack a 4-0 lead.
Holmes pushed the lead to 5-0 early in the 3rd period after driving down the right wing and throwing a shot through the legs of Terness at the 2:03 mark of the period before Spencer McLean tipped in a Hayden Rowan shot from the left point on the power play with his 3rd goal of the season getting the Smoke Eaters on the scoreboard at 5-1 at the 5:47 mark.
Ethan Bowen and Wyatt Elmer each scored 32 seconds apart with Bowen tallying at the 14:05 mark of the 3rd period, batting a puck out of the air before Elmer worked his way to the slot and wristed a shot in for a 7-1 Chiefs advantage.
Kyle Budvarson would close out the scoring in the game as he picked up his first career BC Hockey League goal at the 16:29 mark of the final period. Budvarson let a shot go from the left point that snuck its way through the blocker side of Hildebrand to make it a 7-2 final score.
Logan Terness turned aside 27 of the 34 shots he faced in his first career BCHL start in the defeat while Nolan Hildebrand made 19 saves ono 21 shots for his 6th win of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 7-2 Chiefs
SHOTS ON GOAL: 34-21 Chiefs
SMOKE EATERS PP: 1/7
SMOKE EATERS PK: 3/6
3 STARS:
1) Brett Rylance (0-3-3)
2) Matt Holmes (1-1-2)
3) Cole Donhauser (1-0-1)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Wyatt Elmer (1-0-1)
ATTENDANCE: 1,989
The Smoke Eaters (12-17-4-2) are back on home ice for the first time in nearly two weeks for a big Interior Division matchup against the Vernon Vipers (11-12-6-3) at the Trail Memorial Centre. Tickets are available for purchase at the Smoke Eaters Main Office or at the door ahead of the opening puck drop, slated for 7:00 PM.
