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SMOKIES SPLIT WEEKEND GAMES – TAKE OVER 2ND PLACE

The Smoke Eaters split weekend games, winning at home on Friday night defeating the Prince George Spruce Kings but losing to the West Kelowna Warriors on Saturday in Kelowna.

On Friday night in Trail it was an exciting comeback win for the Smokies as they fought back from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Spruce Kings 5-4.  Prince George jumped out to  2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Jarod Hovde and Ethan de Jong at 4:24 and 7:21 respectively.  The Smokies pulled to within 1 when Ryan Moon scored at 13:12 with the assist going to Kale Howarth.

In the second Prince George’s Brent Mennear scored at 4:40 followed by a power play goal by Chong Lee of the King’s to put them ahead 4-1.  It was all the scoring the Kings would do on the night as Trail started their comeback when Ross Armour scored his 7th of the season at 10:01.  Assisting on the goal was Luke Santerno and Kale Howarth.

The Smokies continued the comeback when Blaine Caton scored his 5th of the year at 1:50, assisted on by Mitchell Stapley and Andre Ghantous.  Playing his first game as a Smoke Eater, Mitchell Barker, scored to make it 4-3.  Connor Brown Maloski and Ross Armour assisted on the marker.  Luke Santerno completed the comeback for the Smokies when he scored his 10th goal of the season at 8:26 with Spencer McLean and Josh Laframboise adding the assists.  The Spruce Kings kept up the pressure for the remainder of the period but Smokies goaltender, Zach Dyment, made several key saves to preserve the win.

Tyson Slater of the Smokies was named Fortis Energy Player of the Game.  Ross Armour with one goal and one assist was named first star of the game.  Newcomer, Mitchell Barker, was named second star collecting one goal on the night and Spruce King’s, Jarod Novde was named third star with one goal and one assist.

On the night the Smokies went 2 for 3 on the power play while the Spruce Kings went 1 for 2.  Prince George outshot the Smokies 39 to 34.  Barry Zanier, Assistant Coach of the Smokies, commented on the game, “That’s why you keep playing the game.”  “You never know what will happen or how it’s going to end.”

The Smokies travelled to West Kelowna on Saturday night to face the Warriors who had won their last 3 games.  West Kelowna went ahead 1-0 at 6:44 of the first on a goal by Chase Dubois.  The Smokies tied it at 1 when Mitchell Barker scored on a feed from Connor Brown Maloski.

Trail took the lead 2-1 at 1:34 of the second on a goal by Blaine Caton assisted on by  Connor Brown Maloski.  West Kelowna tied it a 2 less the a minute later when Chase Dubois scored his second goal of the night.

Trail scored early in the third  to take a 3-2 lead.  I was a power play goal at 1:53 by Kale Howarth.  Assisting on the goal was Josh Lamframboise and Connor Brown Maloski.  Trail’s nemesis on the night, Chase Dubois, scored his hat-trick goal at 7:55 to tie the score and 41 seconds later the Warrior’s Quinn Foremoan put his team ahead 4-3.  The Smokies pulled Linden Marshall late in the period for an extra attacker but Foreman scored his second on the night into an empty net to seal the win for the Warriors.

On the night the Warriors outshot Trail 43-27.  First star of the game was the Warrior’s Chase Dubois with a hat-trick.  Second star was West Kelowna’s Quinn Foreman and third star was Trail’s Connor Brown Maloski.  The Smokies were 1 for 3 on the power play and the Warriors went 0 for 5.

After Saturday’s games throughout the BCHL the Smokies have sole possession of second place in the Interior Division, one point ahead of third place Vernon Vipers.

Ross Armour had to leave the game in the third period with a knee injury and didn’t return to the game.  The extent of his injury is not known at this time.

The Smokies next home game is Tuesday November 8 against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.  Game time is 7:00 PM.  They then have a return match against West Kelowna  on Thursday November 10 at the Cominco Arena.  Game time is 7:00 PM.