The Smoke Eaters kickoff a three game in four days weekend as they host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, one of the few out of conference teams to beat the Smoke Eaters this season.
Season series verse Alberni Valley:
Trail 2 @ Alberni Valley 5 (Nov 17 2019)
February 14th @ Trail Memorial Centre 7pm
The Smoke Eaters kick off a busy weekend with a double header at home against two out of division teams. With just two weeks left in the regular season schedule things are beginning to take shape on the playoff front. With second place in the interior division clinched, the first time that has happened since the 1996-97 season, the Smoke Eaters are looking to finish the year strong while they push for more franchise records. It starts tonight with a visit from the Bulldogs who just snapped a six game losing streak. The Smoke Eaters on the other hand have been in a fine run of form as of late with, despite coming off a 5-3 loss to the Vipers on Sunday afternoon. With points in all but three games since January first and a record of 14-3-0-1 since mid December. The Smoke Eaters will look to bounce back from Sunday’s loss where a spell of 1:47 decided the game in the first period when the Vipers put three in during that span. The Smoke Eaters worked back but fell short of the tying goal they needed. Tonight they’ll be looking for a bit of revenge against a Bulldogs team that won the previous meeting 5-2 back in November. That day the Smokies were riddled with injuries as they completed a three-in-three on the island as the Bulldogs stormed back to win the game. The Smoke Eaters will look to split the season series and pick up their 20th home win of the season.
Last 10 games: 7-2-0-1
Smoke Eaters leading scores:
Johnson (40-54-94)
Ozar (22-39-61)
Colella (23-37-60)
Lapointe (20-33-53)
DiMurro (6-29-35)
The Bulldogs, lead by former head coach of the Merritt Centennials Joe Martin, make their one and only trip to the the Trail Memorial Centre looking to build off their overtime victory against Powell River. A win that broke a six game slide for the Bulldogs as they dropped games to Langley, West Kelowna, Victoria, Powell River, Nanaimo and Coquitlam. The Bulldogs have had an up and down season highlighted with win streaks at the beginning of the season, to handing the Vees their first loss of the season and a 7-3 record through the month of December. While the Bulldogs have been strong at home, their road record is among the worst in the league with just 20 points in 25 games. The Bulldogs kick off a tough three game weekend of their own that starts tonight in Trail, continues Saturday in Penticton and wraps up in Merritt on Sunday afternoon. They’ll be looking to start the road trip off on the right note against a Smoke Eaters team that is not easily beaten on home ice.
Last 10 games: 3-7-0
Doolin (18-31-49)
Deelstra (24-20-44)
Gould (7-26-33)
Tritt (17-13-30)
Doucet (13-16-29)
Five games remain on the schedule, three of them at home as the Smoke Eaters look to solidify their play and prepare for the post season. Make sure to catch the Baby Races in the 1st intermission and Redstone Putt to Win in the 2nd intermission. Catch the broadcast starting at 6:50pm on HockeyTV or Mixlr with Ben Phillips, with puck drop just after 7pm.
