PHOTO: Mike Hockley
The Trail Smoke Eaters return to home ice for Game #3 of their best-of-seven Interior Division Semi Final against the Vernon Vipers with a 2-0 series lead on Tuesday night at the Trail Memorial Centre.
Smoke Eaters vs. Vipers 2018/19 Regular Season Schedule:
Saturday, September 15th @ Kal Tire Place (3-1 Smoke Eaters) (BOXSCORE)
Wednesday, October 17th @ Kal Tire Place (4-0 Vipers) (BOXSCORE)
Wednesday, November 14th @ Trail Memorial Centre (3-2 Smoke Eaters) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, November 24th @ Kal Tire Place (1-0 Vipers) (BOXSCORE)
Wednesday, December 12th @ Trail Memorial Centre (3-2 Vipers/OT) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, February 1st @ Trail Memorial Centre (6-3 Vipers) (BOXSCORE)
Interior Division Semi Final Schedule:
Game #1: Friday, March 15th @ Kal Tire Place (3-1 Smoke Eaters) (BOXSCORE)
Game #2: Saturday, March 16th @ Kal Tire Place (5-4 Smoke Eaters/OT) (BOXSCORE)
Game #3: Tuesday, March 19th @ Trail Memorial Centre (7:00 PM)
Game #4: Wednesday, March 20th @ Trail Memorial Centre (7:00 PM)
*Game #5: Friday, March 22nd @ Kal Tire Place (7:00 PM)
*Game #6: Saturday, March 23rd @ Trail Memorial Centre (7:00 PM)
*Game #7: Monday, March 25th @ Kal Tire Place (7:00 PM)
* – If Necessary
The Smoke Eaters earned a 2-0 series lead after a 5-4 overtime victory in Game #2 on Saturday night at Kal Tire Place in Vernon. Braeden Tuck, Trevor Zins, Carter Jones and Kyle Budvarson each scored in regulation before it took just 12 seconds for Owen Ozar to end the game in overtime. Donovan Buskey turned aside 26 of the 30 shots he faced in the game in his 6th win of the playoffs.
Smoke Eaters Regular Season Leading Scorers:
Carter Jones (17-38-55)
Chase Stevenson (19-34-53)
Kent Johnson (20-26-46)
Trevor Zins (12-34-46)
Braeden Tuck (15-28-43)
Smoke Eaters Playoff Scoring Leaders:
Tyler Ghirardosi (2-7-9)
Braeden Tuck (4-4-8)
Mack Byers (3-4-7)
Carter Jones (3-4-7)
Kent Johnson (4-2-6)
The Smoke Eaters return home for the first time in 12 days since a 3-2 victory over the Merritt Centennials in Game #4 of their opening round Interior Division Quarterfinal. Trail comes into the game having won each of their last six games overall as well as holding a six-game win streak at the Trail Memorial Centre. The Smokies have outscored their opponents by a 30-13 margin in those half-dozen games at home including a penalty kill that has dazzled to be 18-for-19 over that stretch of play.
It was another big night offensively for forward Braeden Tuck as the Smoke Eaters captain registered a goal and two assists for a three-point effort in Game #2. The Calgary, Alberta native has points in each of his last four games heading into Game #3 in Trail and also has scored a goal in each of those four contests. The Sacred Heart University commit has collected 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in that span and has vaulted for being tied for 12th in the BCHL in playoff scoring.
Another Trail forward that had offensive success in Game #2 was Carter Jones and the Hillyard, Washington native has gone about a very strong playoff run thus far. The Bemidji State University commit, along with Tuck, was named a runner-up for the BCHL’s Player of the Week award and has points in each of his last three games. Jones has goals in two straight games and has 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in those three matchups.
The Vernon Vipers look to get their first win in the series after a 5-4 overtime loss in Game #2 of the best-of-seven Interior Division Semi Final. The Vipers got goals from Teddy Wooding and Matt Kowalski before scoring twice in 31 seconds to close regulation with Connor Marritt and Michael Young finding the back of the net before the overtime defeat. Aidan Porter stopped 16 of the 21 shots he faced in the game in his 3rd loss of the postseason.
Vipers Regular Season Leading Scorers:
Matt Kowalski (13-30-43)
Teddy Wooding (21-19-40)
Josh Latta (19-21-40)
Connor Marritt (13-27-40)
Jack Judson (7-26-33)
Vipers Playoff Scoring Leaders:
Jesse Lansdell (2-5-7)
Jagger Williamson (2-5-7)
Michael Young (2-4-6)
Matt Kowalski (4-1-5)
Jack Judson (2-3-5)
Playing away from home has been something that the Vipers are extremely comfortable with and it has shown over the course of the New Year since the calendar flipped to 2019. Vernon has won 10 of their last 12 games on the road, outscoring the opposition by a 39-25 margin including back-to-back 2-1 victories in Salmon Arm in the opening round. The Vipers have seen their PK go strong on the road in the playoffs as well, going 7-for-7 in two games at the Shaw Centre.
Michael Young earned the game’s second star on Saturday night with a goal and two assists and brings a lot to the table on the blue line. The Medford, Massachusetts native has earned points in four of his last five games, collecting two goals and four assists for six points over that span and leads all Vipers defenders with his six points. The Yale University commit has three goals and seven assists for ten points in 17 games in his postseason career dating back to last year’s playoffs.
Penalty killing has been a big key for Vernon in their success in the playoffs and in the series, they have been able to thwart off any power play pressure from Trail. The Vipers are 9-for-9 killing penalties in the series and are 21-for-23 in the postseason, ranking 1st in the BCHL in that department with a 91.3% PK.
The Smoke Eaters and Vipers will drop the puck on Game #3 of their best-of-seven Interior Division Semi Final series at 7:00 PM from the Trail Memorial Centre. Tickets are available for purchase at the Smoke Eaters Main Office as well as at the door ahead of the opening face-off.
