The Trail Smoke Eaters wrapped up the Thanksgiving long weekend with two wins and a loss, including a split at the BCHL Showcase in Nisku, Alta.
Trail opened the weekend Friday, Oct. 9, with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Kootenay rival Cranbrook Bucks.
Erik Larson opened the scoring for Trail in the first period before Cranbrook responded with two second-period goals from Mykola Kosarev and Mitch Patrick.
Aleksandr Andriyashev and Brayden Rotach scored early in the third to put the Smoke Eaters ahead 3-2, but Teo Pisani tied the game for Cranbrook midway through the period.
Daniel Rassega scored the overtime winner just 1:34 into the extra frame, securing the victory for Trail.
Smoke Eaters goaltender Marek Schlenker made 23 saves, while Cranbrook’s Keegan Carswell stopped 26 shots.
Trail opens BCHL Showcase with victory
The Smoke Eaters carried that momentum into the BCHL Showcase on Sunday, Oct. 11, defeating the Prince George Spruce Kings 4-3.
Trail jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with first-period goals from Larson and Caden Stoltz.
Prince George responded with goals from Trent Gates and Ryan Wachtel to tie the game 2-2 heading into the third period.
Roberts Polis restored Trail’s lead with a power-play goal at 3:11 of the third before Chase Nehring scored just 13 seconds later to make it 4-2.
Cooper Faughnan brought Prince George within one with less than two minutes remaining, but the Smoke Eaters held on for the win.
Schlenker made 22 saves on 25 shots as Trail outshot Prince George 29-25.
Coquitlam hands Trail first loss of weekend
The Smoke Eaters’ winning streak ended Monday, Oct. 12, with a 4-3 loss to the Coquitlam Express in their second Showcase appearance.
Dysen Drake opened the scoring for Trail on the power play at 8:13 of the first period, but Coquitlam’s Shane Purves responded with a short-handed goal just over a minute later.
The Express took control in the second period with goals from Michael Munroe and Chase Valliant, building a 3-1 lead.
Rotach brought Trail within one early in the third, but Nishaan Parmar restored Coquitlam’s two-goal advantage at 9:02.
Rassega scored with less than four minutes remaining to cut the deficit to one, but Trail could not find the equalizer.
Smoke Eaters goaltender Chayse Johnson made 20 saves, while Coquitlam’s Nathan Kam stopped 21 shots.
Trail finished the game one-for-nine on the power play, while Coquitlam scored once on four opportunities. The Express also scored twice while short-handed.
Smoke Eaters return to regular-season action Friday
Trail finished the Thanksgiving long weekend with a 2-1 record, scoring 11 goals and allowing 10 across three games.
The Smoke Eaters will look to bounce back Friday, Oct. 16, when they visit the West Kelowna Warriors at Royal LePage Place.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
