For the fourth time in January already the Smoke Eaters will face the Merritt Centennials, looking for their sixth straight win over their interior division foes.
Regular season series vs Merritt
October 4th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (BCHL Showcase) 7-1W (BOXSCORE)
November 27th @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena 9-2W (BOXSCORE)
January 3rd @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena 6-3W (BOXSCORE)
January 4th @ Cominco Arena 5-2W (BOXSCORE)
January 14th @ Cominco Arena 6-4W (BOXSCORE)
January 18th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
February 22nd @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena
It was a much cleaner game for the Smoke Eaters prospective on Friday night. The Smokies picked up a 5-1 win over the Vernon Vipers to stretch their lead over the third placed Vipers. It was Michael Colella and Kent Johnson who were the driving forces for the Smoke Eaters last night, while Logan Terness shut the door behind them. Jeff Tambellini will want more of that tonight against a Centennial team they are quite familiar with. Trail last saw the Centennials on Tuesday in a 6-4 thriller that was closer than the Smoke Eaters would have liked. What’s been impressive over the last four games for the Smoke Eaters has been their ability to score solely on five-on-five. Without a power play goal in their last 12 attempts, the Smoke Eaters have still scored 16 goals over the last four games. A definite bright spot with the playoffs just around the corner. Braden Costello comes into this game on a four-game point streak looking to extend that against the Centennials.
Last ten games: 8-2-0
Smoke Eaters Leading scorers:
Johnson (33-50-83)
Ozar (20-35-55)
Colella (19-34-53)
Lapointe (16-28-44)
Ghirardosi (18-14-32)
The Centennials, still without a win since the Christmas break, are coming off a 9-1 shelling from the Penticton Vees Friday night in Penticton. It started well for Merritt, as it often has this season, tied 1-1 with the Vees after the first. But Penticton ran away in the second with six goals to put the game out of reach. Now at an 8 game losing streak and missing some key players the Centennials will make their final trip to the Trail Memorial Centre this season. They’ll be looking to replicate Tuesday nights performance where the were tied 4-4 with the Smoke Eaters until halfway through the third. The did get some help on this road trip with Daniel Tkac and Wyatt Marlow back from injury to round out the Centennials lineup. Tanner Marshall will likely get the start tonight with the Centennials using an Emergency Back Up Goaltender (E.B.U.G) once again last night.
Last ten games: 1-9-0
Buono (9-21-30)
Matsui (9-19-28)
Tkac (8-16-24)
Manty (8-14-22)
Van Unen (11-9-20)
Join us as the Smoke Eaters look to make it eight straight wins at home and six against the Centennials. Puck drop is at 7pm as we wrap up Hockey Day in Trail with the Smoke Eaters against Merritt. As always you can catch the game starting at 6:50pm on HockeyTV or Mixlr with Ben Phillips and Rob Squires.
