The Smoke Eaters put a solid 60 minute performance on the ice in front of their home fans as they knock off the Wenatchee Wild 4-1 to win their third straight game.
The first period was scoreless but not uneventful. The Smoke Eaters didn’t create a whole lot in the first, with just six shots in the opening frame, but they had their fair amount of defensive work to do as the Wild put the pressure on early. Evan Fradette was up to the task following his first star performance the night before against the Clippers. Fradette made multiple big saves early to keep the Smoke Eaters in it and send this game to the first intermission scoreless.
In the second, it was Zach Michaelis who once again opened the scoring, as he added his seventh goal of the year and extended his season opening point streak to nine games as he dropped the shoulder and cut in past the Wenatchee defenceman.
The Smoke Eaters weren’t done their as they would double their lead before the period was out. As they failed to get established on the powerplay they finally forced a turnover in the Wenatchee zone that came to Quinn Disher who added his fourth of the year going blocker side on Tyler Shea.
The Smoke Eaters lone blunder on the night came two minutes later on their next powerplay. As Fradette skated to the right corner to play the puck, he attempted to got cross ice to the waiting defenceman but fanned on his pass and the puck came right to the middle for Quinn Emerson to tap into the open cage and get the Wild on the board. Aside from that Fradette stayed perfect as he earned his second straight first start performance.
In the third the Smoke Eaters struck again on the powerplay again with the help of Disher who out worked three separate Wenatchee players to get the puck up the ice, into the Wild’s zone and pull off a spin pass to Charlie Strobel who scored his third of the year. Strobel initially tried to pass the puck to Brady Hunter at the back post but the puck went off the Wenatchee defenceman and in.
Coalson Wolford added an empty net goal as he lofted the puck from his own face off dot 170 feet into the open cage to secure the 4-1 victory and a third straight for the Smoke Eaters. In what was one of the most complete performances from the Smoke Eaters, it will be a big confidence boost ahead of their weekend double header against Prince George next weekend in Prince George.
