Tomorrow in Chilliwack the 4th Annual Bauer BCHL Showcase will kick of at Prospera Center. Players, Fans, and Scouts from all BCHL teams and many academic institutions will be on hand to take in the 17 games in 4 days, showcasing the talent of the BCHL.
The Smoke Eaters will have to wait until Saturday to kick off their showcase when they will face off with the Prince George Spruce Kings (0-4-0-0) who have dropped the first 4 games of the early season. The Spruce Kings have struggled to score goals through the first 4 contests, having only put 2 goals on the board. The Smoke Eaters on the other hand are tied for 8th in Goals For Average at 3.75, having scored 15 times in their first 4 games. Veteran BCHL 20yr old forward Kurt Black has led the way offensively for the Smoke Eaters having picked up 3 goals and 4 assists in the first 4 games. Black sits tied for 3rd in league scoring 2 weeks into the season. Smoke Eaters have also received strong offensive starts to the season from Jake Kauppila (3G-2A-5pts) and Cooper Sande (0G-4A-4pts). On the defensive side, the Smoke Eaters will look to clean it up a little more in their own end having allowed 19 goals against in the first 4 contests.
First year goaltender Bailey MacBurnie split the season opening series with the Vernon Vipers having faced 77 shots in the series, allowing 7 goals. Linden Marshall (97) would then get his first BCHL start when the team traveled to West Kelowna to face the Warriors. The Warriors would fire 33 shots at Marshall and the rookie would get beat 8 times on the evening.
MacBurnie would get the next home start when the Smoke Eaters would welcome the Merritt Centennials to Trail for a divisional tilt. The Smoke Eaters offense would get things started early putting 3 goals on the board before the half way mark of the first period. The Cents would mount the comeback attempt in the 2nd period, getting back to within one when they would pickup 3 goals on 16 shots following the Smoke Eaters 4th early in the period.
Late in the 2nd, Smoke Eaters forward Jake Kauppila would restore a little breathing room with his 3rd goal of the season and restore the 2 goal lead. In the 3rd the Warriors would press and fire another 12 shots toward MacBurnie who would stop them all and close the door for the Smoke Eaters to pick up the win.
On Sunday the Smoke Eaters will get their first look at the newest BCHL team, the Wenatchee Wild. The Wild have started their first BCHL season strong picking up victories in all 3 of their opening games. The Wild have scored 18 times in the first 3 games with players totaling 47 points. The Wild have also received strong goaltending as Chase Perry has a save percentage of .934, allowing just 4 goals with a GAA of 1.34 and one shutout.
After the Showcase, the Smoke Eaters will head back to Trail to prepare for a trip to Salmon Arm to face the Silverbacks on Saturday, October 3rd in an always important divisional match up. The following week the Smoke Eaters will face another division opponent, the Penticton Vees on the road on Wednesday, before getting back on home ice the following Friday night, October 9th, when the Prince George Spruce Kings will make the trip to Cominco Arena for their second meet up of the season with the Smoke Eaters.
If you are not able to make it to Chilliwack for the weekend, you can tune into games on FastHockey.com.
Smoke Eaters next home game is Friday, October 9th vs. the Prince George Spruce Kings, puck drop is 7:30pm at Cominco Arena in Trail.
