The Vernon Vipers make their first appearance of the BCHL season at Cominco Arena tonight.
It’s the second game in the season series after a memorable opening match on Nov 23 in Vernon.
Despite dictating the play through the first 40 minutes, the Smoke Eaters trailed 1-0 heading into the third period, but carried the momentum of a long 5-on-3 penalty kill into the final frame.
The Smokies scored twice in the third period with the Vipers tying the game late with six attackers, but in overtime, Adam Parsons, who is going to the BCHL All-Star Showcase, scored in the final minute of the extra period to give Trail the 3-2 victory.
Trail is coming off last Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Salmon Arm and trying to put the brakes on a three game slide, including an overtime loss in Merritt.
The Vipers scored a 6-2 win last Sat over Prince George and are 3-1-1 in their last five games.
The game will feature two of the highest scoring defensemen in the BCHL.
Vernon’s Anthony Cliche has 21 points, while Trail’s Adam Barone has 18 and is riding a four game home-ice points streak. Mathieu Cobetto-Roy also has points in the last four games at Cominco Arena.
Adam Marshall is the Smoke Eaters leader in goals and points with 11 and 20 respectively, while Vernon’s Owen Kim tops the Vipers point parade with 28 and Isaac Tremblay has a team leading 14 goals.
Trail hopes to improve on its overall record of 9-9-6, while trying to reel in fourth-place Salmon Arm in the Interior Conference standings.
The Vipers sit second, nine points behind Penticton and are just a single point up on West Kelowna.
Assistant Captain Ethan Mann returns to the Smoke Eaters lineup after missing 22 games with an upper body injury suffered during the second game of the regular season.
Fellow forward Judah Makway also returns having recovered from his upper body ailment.
However, veteran winger Max Potvin will miss his first game after an upper body injury suffered last Fri against the Silverbacks.