The Trail Smoke Eaters shut out the Spruce Kings for the second time for this season as they pick up a 4-0 win to take a strangle hold of this series.
In the first the Smoke Eaters were all over the Spruce Kings, out shooting them 12-7 with Kent Johnson and Matt Osadick both gifted golden opportunities, but Jett Alexander stood firm. The Spruce Kings would get a few opportunities on a first period power play but Logan Terness also made some big saves.
After another scoreless first period, the Smoke Eaters started the second on the power play, but it was Owen Ozar from Johnson and Colella after the penalty had expired to open the scoring. As he did on Saturday night, Ozar’s goal is the game winner as he broke in and deked out Alexander to make it 1-0.
The teams would trade chances either way but we’d go to the third period with the Smoke Eaters holding a slim 1-0 lead.
In the third the Smoke Eaters gave the Spruce Kings nothing to work with. Colella would pick up his first of the post season on his way to a three-point night as his pass to the front of the net went off Alexander and in. Philippe Lapointe all but sealed the victory five minutes later as the Smoke Eaters get the power play to go. Lapointe had a tap in after Diarmad DiMurro slipped him the puck in the dying seconds of the power play. Then Chase Dafoe would get his first BCHL Playoff goal, again on the power play, as he tipped a pass from Colella right through Alexander giving the Smoke Eaters a 4-0 lead late.
Prince George did have a power play of their own prior to that goal with good possession but the Smoke Eaters blocked numerous shots to keep them off the board.
Trail then controlled possession for the last few minutes to see out the win to give Terness his first BCHL Playoff shutout, and the Smoke Eaters a commanding 3-0 series lead. Terness made 24 save in the shutout, his second in the last 6 games. Colella was named tonight’s second star while Ozar was named the first. Logan Terness caught up with PG Now and had this to say post game:
The Smoke Eaters are back for game four Tuesday night in Prince George with an opportunity to sweep the defending champions out of the first round.
