The Smoke Eaters came into Saturday nights game riding a five game win streak, as they looked to knock of the Vees for the second consecutive night.
The Vees got things going at 7:06 of the first period as Liam Malmquist beat Logan Terness with a shot from the right circle. The Smoke Eaters had chances to tie the game including a great redirection by Carson Briere, who was ultimately robbed on the goal line by the Vees netminder. Carl Stankowski, who made his first start against the Smoke Eaters, came up with some big saves to keep the Smokies off the board early. The Vees would double their lead with 1:31 to go in the first as Tristan Amonte found a rebound off Terness, making it 2-0 after 20 minutes.
The Smoke Eaters had some opportunities in front of the Vees net, but Stankowski and a bouncing puck thwarted the Smoke Eaters attempts. The Vees would get the lone goal of the second period which came with just 19 seconds remaining. Lukas Sillinger fed Jackson Niedermayer for the third Vees goal, putting Trail down by three going to the third period.
In the third the Smoke Eaters played with the belief of coming back and had a fair amount of possession, but the Vees shut things down in the third. The Vees made it 4-0 early in the third with Tyler Ho scoring on an odd-man rush at 2:47 of the third period. The Smoke Eaters would break Stankowski’s shutout bid with a goal from newly acquired forward Matt Osadick. Osadick who picked up his first goal for the Smoke Eaters redirected the shot from Costello to make it 4-1 with 3:25 to go. The Vees though, put a quick end to any comeback with a goal just 27 seconds later by Danny Weight who roofed one in tight on Terness.
In the final meeting of the season the Vees take this one 5-1 and take the season series 4-2.
The Smoke Eaters will now look forward to Tuesday night when the Merritt Centennials come to town, kicking off a three game home-stand for the Smokies.
