The Smoke Eaters almost made a miraculous comeback Saturday morning but fell short, falling 6-3 to the Surrey Eagles.
It was a relentless push in the opening five minutes, all Smoke Eaters, but Eli Pulver stood his ground in the Eagles net. Pulver proving to be the difference as the night went on, despite being beaten three times he kept his team in it, despite multiple periods where the Smoke Eaters had the Eagles hemmed into their own end. The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Scoring six minutes in on their first opportunity in the Smoke Eaters end once they weathered the early storm, they’d add another one in the back half of the 1st on a powerplay goal from Jimmy Darby.
In the second the Eagles would add two more in quick succession that forced a Smoke Eater goalie change, as Bailey Montieth would come in for his first action as a Smoke Eater. That seemed to spark the Smoke Eaters who would get on the board a few minutes later with a shorthanded goal courtesy of Quinn Disher who picked up his second goal of the year.
That continued to spur the Smoke Eaters on as they would outshoot the Eagles 20-5 in the middle frame and add another goal to cut the lead to two. Brady Hunter made a great play as the Smoke Eaters broke back in, played it to his right where Michaelis put the puck on net, creating a rebound and a tap in for Corey Cunningham to make it 4-2.
The Smoke Eaters headed to the third full of confidence and that showed with an early goal from Michaelis, has he finished the day with a goal and an assist.
Cunningham also had a goal and an assist with a great outlet to find Michaelis who put on the jets to get the Smoke Eaters within one. That’s as close as they would get though with the comeback falling short. The Eagles would score twice in the third to secure the 6-3 win over the Smoke Eaters. Trail will now have to regroup and get set for their second game of the BCHL Showcase when they take on the Langley Rivermen Sunday afternoon at 2pm.
