There was parts to like in the Smoke Eaters game, despite the score line. As the Smoke Eaters fall in the season opener on the road 7-1 to the Vees.
The Vees kicked off the night celebrating their accomplishments from last season raising their banners to the rafters after introducing the players one by one to the hometown fans. They followed that up by getting their first goal of the season just 2:06 into the game as Brett Moravec redirected a shot from the point past the Smoke Eater defenceman and Tisdale to make it 1-0. Josh Nadeau doubled the Vees lead in the final minute of the first after a solid back and forth first period, as his line forced a turnover in the Mike Eater zone and Nadeau shoveled the puck past Tisdale.
The Smoke Eaters once again started the second period well and had opportunities to strike back but a 7 minute major penalty (2 for instigating & 5 minutes for fighting) was handed out to Ethan Warrener after he stood up for Alex Whipple after a big hit in the Smoke Eaters zone in a dangerous area of the corner. Luckily Whipple bounced back up, but Warrener wasn’t letting the Vees forward Thomas Pichette off the hook as the two looked to square up when Warner dropped his gloves, however Pichette wanted nothing to do with the interaction, leading to the penalty decision. The Vees would strike twice on the man advantage to double their lead to four, adding one more in the final minute of the second, again on the powerplay to head to the third up 5-0.
Teagan Kendrick would start the third for the Smoke Eaters as he stepped in for his first BCHL action of his young career, and despite the two goals against made a remarkable save in the third on a 2-0 breakaway. Adam Parsons would be the man to score the first goal of the 2022/23 season as newly minted captain Evan Bushy sent a stretch pass from his own goal line up the middle to Parsons who went glove side on the Vees netminder for a 6-1 score line.
The Vees added one more moments later and would finish the night with a 7-1 win over the Smoke Eaters.
Trail will look to bounce back and pick up their first win of the season over the Merritt Centennials on Saturday night in Merritt.
