The parade to the penalty box didn’t help as the Smoke Eaters fall to the Vees in the season series finale in Penticton.
By no means were the Smoke Eaters completely innocent on the night but the powerplay totals were as lopsided as the score with the Vees having nine attempts to the Smoke Eaters two. The game started fast as the Vees looked to take advantage early over the Smoke Eaters, as they did just that scoring two goals 1:27 apart inside the first six minutes. Ethan Mann got the first one only to be followed up by Braden Doyle the LA Kings draft pick moments later. After a shaky start the Smoke Eaters found their footing in the first period and started giving the Vees some trouble with both a physical style of play and using their speed. Unfortunately the weren’t able to get on the board with Carter Seryhanko stopping all the shots he faced in the Vees net.
The Vees would double up their lead in the second period, putting 26 shots on net and scoring twice, with one coming on the powerplay. The Smoke Eaters were hemmed into their own zone for much of the second half of the second as they would be assessed four penalties between the 10 minute mark and 19:12 when Zach Michaelis was called for a hook with 48 seconds remaining in the period. The two vees goals came from Grayson Arnott who got the last touch on a pinball of a puck in the Smoke Eater crease that neither Fradette nor Josh Orrico, who was down in the crease, were able to cover up and keep out. The second cam from Luc Wilson who scored the powerplay goal for the Vees.
The Smoke Eaters would cut into the Veer lead just 26 seconds into the third period with Ridge Dawson scoring his second shorthanded goal of the year, this time beating Ryan Hopkins to a loose puck and then going blocker side on Seryhanko.
The Vees would strike back scoring four goals in the third period, three of which on the powerplay, as they finished the night with 57 shots. The Smoke Eaters would take four more penalties in the third and finish the game with out Connor Michaud and Joel Barton. Michaud who was given a misconduct with seven minutes remaining while Barton dropped the mitts for a second time this year with Owen Simpson challenging him at centre ice, Barton landed most of the punches and scored the takedown as the two wrestled to the ice. The Smoke Eaters would get the last tally on the score sheet with Adam Parsons scoring off the rush, as he chased down a bouncing puck up the left hand side of the ice and would go short side on the Vees netminder to make it 8-2.
The Smoke Eaters will look to shake this one off and get set for their trip down to Wenatchee on Wednesday night to take on the Wild.
