It finished closer than maybe some anticipated after the Smoke Eaters came storming out of the game, as the Smokies hand the Clippers just their second loss of the year in a 5-3 win at Cominco on Friday night.
How does three goals inside the opening ten minutes sounds for an exciting start? Well that’s what fans got on Friday as the Smoke Eaters donned their retro jerseys for the first time, as did the Clippers. Just 3:40 in Zach Michaelis added his team leading 6th goal and 9th point to extend his point streak to 8 games. Josh Schenk with a great read and turnover found Michaelis off the bench and wide open for the opening goal.
It wasn’t long after that the Smoke Eaters doubled their lead. Evan Bushy added his third in the year as he proved he’s more than just an overtime specialist as he sneaks one through Cooper Black from a sharp angle to double the Smokies lead.
It wasn’t over there as the Smoke Eaters made it 3-0 with Ridge Dawson scoring his second of the year, this one going in as he shot it from behind the net. 9:30 into the game and the Smoke Eaters had the Clippers on the ropes and forced a goaltender change.
The Smoke Eaters took that lead into the second period before Nanaimo would get on the board just 22 seconds in with a powerplay goal from Tristan Fraser. They’d score the next one as well, but not till the third when former Smoke Eater Sean Donaldson added his 7th goal of the season just 47 seconds in to make it a 3-2 Trail lead early in the third. After Donaldson scored and celebrated in front of the Smoke Eater bench, the home side would respond with a quick goal from the American trio of Coalson Wolford, Teddy Lagerback and Charlie Strobel combining with Strobel finishing the play off to make it 4-2.
The goal would stand as the game winner, but the Clippers made it close with another Donaldson goal at the midway point of the third. Brady Hunter but a bow on the night as he added the empty net goal late to seal the Victory for the Smoke Eaters and improve their record to 4-3-1 while handing the Clippers their second loss. The Smoke Eaters will look for their first back to back wins as they host the Wenatchee Wild,
