The Trail Smoke Eaters’ two new players make their debuts tonight (Friday) when they host the Langley Rivermen.
Lucas Lemieux comes to Trail after playing the first half of the season with the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL.
The 6’2”, 185-lb defenceman had six goals and 10 assists in 34 games and also suited up for Gold-Medal-Winning Canada West at the World Jr-A Challenge.
Coach and GM, Tim Fragle then announced the acquisition of forward Kailus Green from Powell River in a trade for defenceman Lucas Marshall.
Green tallied 9 goals and 15 points last season with West Kelowna and has put up 2 goals and 6 assists in 23 games this season with the Kings.
The Smokies are hoping to rebound from last Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Vernon in a hard-fought defence oriented game against the Vipers.
Mathieu Cobetto-Roy scored his 14th goal of the season in that game and has lit the lamp in six of the last seven games, including the first three since Christmas.
Cobetto-Roy leads the team in goals, and his 27 points are also pace-setting the Smokies points parade.
His goal came three seconds after a Vernon penalty elapsed, meaning the Smokies are 0-for-8 on the power play in the three games since the break.
Adam Marshall, who has a team-leading six power play goals, remains out of the lineup with an upper body injury.
It was hoped Max Potvin would return from his upper body ailment, but Fragle says he will need another week to ten days to fully recover.
The Rivermen invade Cominco Arena after ending a three-game losing streak last Sunday in Langley with a 3-2 OT win over Cranbrook.
Their top shooter and point producer is Vitaly Levvy with 13 and 30 respectively.
The Smoke Eaters are 5th in the Interior Conference, hoping to reel in fourth place Vernon, who has a seven point edge on Trail, while fending off Cranbrook, who is just two points behind the Smokies.
Opening face-off for this Cominco Arena clash is 7 p.m. PT.
The Smokies also host Prince George at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon.
