In a night where underdogs around the league prevailed, the Trail Smoke Eaters kept things rolling with a franchise setting 9th straight win, beating the Clippers 4-1 on Friday night.
The Smoke Eaters, in front of a packed house at Cominco went back and forth through the first period with the Clippers. The Smokies had their chances and would finally break through the Clippers back line with a stretch pass from Powell Connor. Connor banked one off the side boards for Braden Costello to chase down, as he caught up and went blocker side on the Nanaimo keeper Zachary Bennett.
The Smoke Eaters would go down a defenceman however as Murray was assessed a five minute major and a game misconduct late in the first period. The Smokies however would kill it off and leave Nanaimo searching for a way into the game.
They finally found it halfway through the second, as a shot from the right side took a deflection and came right to Joshua Bourne who had a tap in on Logan Terness to tie the game at 1. The tie would be short lived as just 56s later Liam Freeborn would finish off a pretty passing place from Kent Johnson and Mike Colella to make it 2-1. With the home crowd roaring them on the Smoke Eaters would find the back of the net once again before the second was out. Costello would put home a loose puck in front of an open net, as a rebound came off the shot from Johnson to Costello who was joining the rush late, making it 3-1 after 40mins.
The Smokies who were 6-0-0 after leading from the first period and 6-0-1 after the second locked things up in the third giving Nanaimo no space to work. Terness who faced 28 shots tonight was very good once again for the Smoke Eaters improving his record to 6W-2L. Trail would close out the game with a empty net goal from Tyler Ghirardosi who wired one from outside the Clippers blueline, and a spirited fight between Chase Dafoe and Zack Dallazanna would put a wrap on a fun night at Cominco.
The Smokies also cleaned house earning all three stars as Terness was named the 3rd star, Diarmad DiMurro the 2nd and Costello the 1st, wHile Johnson was name Fortis Energy player of the game. DiMurro, Colella and Johnson all extend their point streaks to nine games as the Smokies continue to climb the BCHL standings.
They’re back at it Saturday night in Vernon as they’ll look for ten against the Vipers.
