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RECAP: SMOKE EATERS DROP A 5-2 DECISION TO THE EXPRESS

The Smoke Eaters couldn’t get the season series split they wanted as the Express come to Trail and pick up a 5-2 win in front of 2300 fans inside the Trail Memorial Centre.

Both teams started fast and played an open game as the Express and Smoke Eaters traded chances through the first, however just before the halfway mark of the first Coquitlam opened the scoring. Kevin Thomas Walters, who was called up this week to play for the Express had the puck come to him at the left circle and made no mistake on the shot to beat Terness. The Smoke Eaters then answered with back to back shifts that had the Express running around in their own zone. Following the media timeout, Kent Johnson won the draw in the right circle to Carson Briere, who put in the work to keep the puck and then set up Michael Colella for his 26th of the year.

In the second the Smoke Eaters were robbed twice of taking the lead. Plays that very well could have changed the result of this game as Ozar was stopped in a 2-on-1, while Johnson had a few attempts that almost fooled Express goaltender Jack Watson. The Express would get the bounce of the period though as Massimo Rizzo knocked down the puck mid air from the goal line. The puck hit Terness in the skate and found its way into the net to give Coquitlam the 2-1 lead going the second intermission.

In the third the Smoke Eaters out shot the Express 17-9, but it was the Express who made the most of their chances. The Smoke Eaters got caught trying to catch the Express on a line change and turned the puck over at their own blue line leading to the 3-1 goal from Adam Trotman. Then Danny Pearson came off the bench unmarked as the pass came out of the corner to the slot making it 4-1. The Smoke Eaters answered late with a fantastic rush up the wing by Walker Erickson who grabbed his second goal in as many games, making ti 4-2. But the Express would add and empty net goal with five seconds left to seal the victory over the Smoke Eaters.

The Smoke Eaters will now look ahead to Monday afternoon, Family day, as they face the West Kelowna Warriors on the road at 2:30pm from Royal Lepage Place.