It wasn’t he outcome the Smoke Eaters had envisioned as they prepared for their opening night game vs the Penticton Vees as they fall 4-1 on home ice.
The high press and quick pace of the Vees caused the Smoke Eaters all kinds of problems on Friday night. As getting out of their own zone was a problem at times for the Smokies defenceman. The Smoke Eaters came out flying in the opening minutes desperately looking for that first goal but were shut out for two and a half periods by the Vees netminder Yaniv Perets. It was then a neutral zone turnover that opened the scoring of this game as the Vees captain David Silye passed off for Tristan Amonte who let go a perfect shot go on the rush to beat Buskey short side top corner.
The Smoke Eaters would have their chances however as Johnson would be stopped by a diving Perets part way through the first. Ghirardosi also had an opportunity on a shorthanded breakaway where he lost control of the puck at the last second. That story line continued for the rest of the night as the puck would settle down for the Smoke Eaters.
The Vees kept things rolling in the second as Silye would finish off a tic-tac-toe passing play to make it 2-0. Evan McIntyre would made it 3-0 shortly after as he found a loose puck at the top of the crease to beat Buskey. Finally Amonte would get his second of the night on another unfortunate bounce for the Smokies as Amonte’s shot from the blueline deflects off Budvarsons stick and past Buskey.
The Smoke Eaters would get one themselves before the night was out as newly committed Owen Ozar potted home the loose puck to break the shutout bid and give the Smoke Eaters their first goal of the 2019-20 season
Despite the loss the Smoke Eaters went 4/4 on the penalty kill that included a 1:07 of a 5-on-3.
Owen Ozar was named the Fortis Energy Player of the game while the Vees took home all three stars. These teams will go back at it Saturday night at Cominco Arena with the Smoke Eaters Looking for some revenge vs their interior division rivals.
Puck drop is set for 7pm.
