PHOTO: Mike Hockley
The Trail Smoke Eaters return home for Teddy Bear and Toque Toss Night at the Trail Memorial Centre as they host the Penticton Vees to conclude a weekend home-and-home set on Saturday night.
Smoke Eaters vs. Vees 2018/19 Regular Season Schedule:
Saturday, November 10th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (4-3 Vees/OT) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, November 30th @ Trail Memorial Centre (7-4 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, December 1st @ South Okanagan Events Centre (3-2 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, December 14th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (2-1 Vees/SO) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, December 15th @ Trail Memorial Centre (7:00 PM)
Friday, February 13th @ Trail Memorial Centre (7:00 PM)
The Smoke Eaters and Vees play the fifth game of their six game season series tonight with Penticton winning the previous four matchups, with three of those being one-goal games including a 2-1 shootout loss for Trail at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Friday night. Carter Jones scored in the 3rd period to tie the game and force extra time before Owen Ozar found the back of the net in the fourth round of the shootout to keep the game alive before the Vees came away with the win. Adam Marcoux turned aside 28 of the 29 shots he faced in 65 minutes while stopped four of the six shooters in the shootout in his 18th loss of the season while playing in his 100th career regular season game.
Smoke Eaters Leading Scorers:
Carter Jones (11-19-30)
Chase Stevenson (13-15-28)
Braeden Tuck (10-17-27)
Kent Johnson (11-12-23)
Trevor Zins (6-17-23)
It was a big day for Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson on Friday as the 16-year-old solidified his collegiate hockey career committing to the University of Michigan Wolverines for the 2020/21 season. The Port Moody, BC native has seen a great start to his rookie season with 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 35 games played while adding 22 penalty minutes. Johnson’s 23 points see him tied with Chilliwack Chiefs forward Ethan Bowen for the lead in points by a 2002-born player.
Montrose, BC native Tyler Ghirardosi looks to continue a strong stretch offensively as he has collected points in four of his last five games. The Quinnipiac University commit has assists in those four games, including points in each of the Smoke Eaters contests on the Mainland during their three-game trip last weekend.
The Penticton Vees enter play on Saturday night with a 21-10-1-2 record and sit 2nd in the Interior Division standings after a 2-1 shootout victory over the Smoke Eaters on Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Ryan Sandelin scored a 5-on-3 power play goal in the 2nd period to give the Vees the lead while Sandelin scored in the fourth round of the shootout before Jackson Niedermayer scored the game winning goal in the six round to help the Vees to the win. Jack LaFontaine stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced and five of the six shooters in the shootout in his 16th win of the season.
Vees Leading Scorers:
James Miller (15-29-44)
Eric Linell (20-20-40)
David Silye (13-27-40)
Ryan Sandelin (23-11-34)
Andre Ghantous (6-16-22)
Second year Vees forward Ryan Sandelin has had a breakout season offensively for Penticton, leading the team in goal scoring with his 23 tallies this season. The Hermantown, Minnesota native ranks 3rd in the league in goals behind Powell River’s Ryan Brushett and West Kelowna’s Mike Hardman, who each have 25. The University of Minnesota-Mankato commit leads the BC Hockey League in power play goals with 10 on the season in his 34 games played.
Special teams plays a big factor in each game and had a hand in Friday night’s win for the Vees, scoring on a 5-on-3 power play, helping the Penticton man advantage improve to 3rd in the BCHL ranks at 20.5%. The Vees have scored the second-most power play goals this season with 34, trailing only the Powell River Kings for the league’s top spot.
The Smoke Eaters and Vees drop the puck on Teddy Bear and Toque Toss Night at the Trail Memorial Centre at 7:00 PM. Fans are encouraged to bring stuffed animals bagged in plastic and throw them on the ice after the Smoke Eaters opening goal of the game with tickets available at the Smoke Eaters Main Office as well as at the door ahead of the opening face-off.
