It will be Friday night hockey from Western Financial Place in Cranbrook as the Smoke Eaters and Bucks open a home-and-home series, which wraps up Saturday at Cominco Arena.
Trail hasn’t topped its Kootenay rival since the 2021-22 campaign as the Bucks prevailed in all seven regular season meetings last season. They also won the two preseason clashes and recorded a 5-4 opening night overtime decision in the regular season opener in Trail.
Both will be motivated.
The Smokies are hoping to bounce back from last Saturday’s 6-3 setback to Penticton, while the Bucks have yet to win on home ice during the first four weeks of the regular season.
The Bucks are 0-3-1 at Western Financial Place and are currently riding a five game winless streak.
The Smoke Eaters are also hoping to erase the memory of the opening night loss, which included a goal against with just one second left in the second period, and giving up the winner with just three seconds remaining in overtime.
Noah Urness who scored on opening night in Trail leads the Bucks with six goals and two assists, while Ridge Dawson tops Trail’s points chart with nine on three goals and six assists, while defenseman Patrick Reilly has eight helpers.
Josh Schenk and Adam Parsons are tied for the team lead in goals with four each to go along with three assists a piece, while Max Potvin also has seven points, including two goals.
It’s still early in the season, but neither the Smoke Eaters nor Bucks want to lose contact with the conference leaders.
Trail is fourth, five points behind Vernon and the Vees who are tied for top spot, while the Bucks are seventh, another three points back of Trail.
The game can be heard live on Mixlr or watch the action on FloHockey, starting at 5:55 p.m. PT (6:55 p.m. MT).
