Connor-Brown Maloski – Named First Star
Coming off an overtime 2-1 win in Nanaimo on Friday night the Smokies skated to a 7-3 victory in Cowichan Valley on Saturday night. Smoke Eater coaching staff said, “The win was a total team effort with a balanced scoring attack that helped us beat a very good Cowichan team. Blaine Caton and Spencer McLean got the monkey’s off their backs with their first goals of the year. Linden Marshall also had a stellar performance with 2 shutout periods. He made key saves in the third which stopped a late Cowichan surge.”
The Smokies scored the only goal of the first period at the 6:22 mark when Luke Santerno potted his fifth of the season, unassisted.
The Smokies took a 4-0 lead into the third period scoring 3 unanswered goals in the second. Tyson Slater scored at 1:39 with assists going to Mitch Stapley and Andre Ghantous. Kale Howarth scored an unassisted goal at 3:01 and Ross Armour scored his fourth of the season assisted on by Braeden Tuck and Captain, Connor Brown Maloski.
Cowichan mounted a comeback early in the third period when Jared Domin, Ayden MacDonald and ex-Smokie, Nii Noi Tetteh scored to narrow the Trail lead to 4-3. Linden Marshall’s heroics held the Smokies in until 17:55 of the third when Spencer McLean scored his first goal of the season to put Trail ahead 5-3. Kale Howarth and Blaine Caton assisted on the goal. Joshua Lamframboise made it 6-3 at 18:46 with assists going to Connor Brown Maloski and Troy Ring. Blaine Caton then scored his first of the season at 19:47 to seal the 7-3 win for the Smokies. Spencer McLean assisted on the goal.
First star of the game was Smokie Captain, Connor Brown Maloski, second star went to Kale Howarth of the Smokies and Linden Marshall who faced 28 shots on the night was named third star.
The two wins have put the Smokies right back into the playoff fray in the interior division with 9 points, one point behind fourth place West Kelowna and two points behind third place Merritt Centennials.
The Smokies now move on to Langley to play an afternoon game to round out their three game road trip.
The Smokies return home to face Salmon Arm and Nanaimo on Wednesday and Friday respectively. Game time at the Cominco Arena on Wednesday is 7:00 PM and Friday at 7:30 PM.
