The Smoke Eaters closed out the regular season with a back and forth tilt that saw the Centennials pick up a 7-4 win.
The Cents opened the scoring in this one with an early goal just 2:34 into the game. The Smoke Eaters were on the power play as the Centennials threw numbers forward and it paid of as they scored as the penalty expired. The Smoke Eaters answered two minutes later with Michael Colella picking the top corner after Owen Ozar won the draw. Ozar then got a breakaway late in the first period to give the Smoke Eaters a 2-1 lead after the first.
In the second the Cents blew the barn doors wide open as they would score two in quick succession and a third just minutes later to take a 4-2 lead. The Smoke Eaters answered with another Chase Dafoe power play goal, making that his fifth in 3 games. While Ozar tied it up with his second of the night on a penalty shot 40 seconds later.
The Cents would retake the lead before the period was out to take a 5-4 lead to the 2nd intermission.
Merritt would start the third the same way with two quick goals to take a 7-4 lead. Dafoe thought he scored another power play marker but was ruled no goal as Ryan Winter made the glove save on the goal line. He would score a shorthanded goal however with just over five minutes to go in the third to make it 7-5. That would be as close as the Smoke Eaters would get.
Trail finishes the regular season with a remarkable 36-17-2-2 to finish second in the interior with possibly third overall in the BCHL theirs as well depending on Sunday’s games. They’ll now focus all their attention to Prince George and round one of the BCHL Playoffs which start this Friday, February 28th at the Trail Memorial Centre.
