Game Day | TRA at WK

The Smokies are back on top of the BCHL’s Interior West Division after a hard fought 2-1 win over Blackfalds.

The Friday night affair at Cominco Arena turned into a tremendous goaltenders duel.

Bulldogs netminder Carson Mertz made his most scintillating stops in the first period, including a cross-crease scramble to take a tap-in, power-play goal away from Christian Kim and a point blank stop off of Swedish power forward Louis Jonerheim.

Trail’s Cooper Michaluk was solid throughout, keeping the pads closed on a late first period jam in attempt from close range and a sensational second period pilfering of Nikita Ivaschenko who thought he had scored on his forehand-to-backhand move through the crease while the game was still scoreless. Both goalies were named game stars.

Max Hense thrilled the 1,610 fans early in the second period when he lifted Blackfalds forward Luke Dahlen and threw him to the ice after he had taken a post whistle poke at Michaluk.

The Smokies finally broke the ice midway through the middle frame.

Dylan Lariviere shoveled the puck into a wide open net after teaming with Louis Jonerheim on a determined two-on-one battle that started at the Blackfalds blue line.

The two tall wingers kept pressure on the Blackfalds defense all game. Lariviere, the game’s first star, has scored in three of the last four games and is tied for the team lead with six tallies, while Jonerheim has points in seven consecutive games.

The game winner came with just over two minutes left in the second period.

With Brayden Sinclair serving a goaltender interference penalty after being cross-checked into Mertz, Cade De St. Hubert won a puck battle deep in Trail territory, banked a long pass off the boards to a streaking Cash Carter who snuck his shot through the pads of Mertz for Trail’s second shorthanded goal of the season.

Many at Cominco Arena, including the goal judge thought the Smokies made it 3-0 early in the third period, but the on ice officials ruled the shot went off the post and stopped play shortly after with the puck still loose. They did not check the video replay.

Nicholas DiPaulo scored the Bulldogs’ lone goal with just over 11 minutes remaining, but the Smokies allowed very few shots down the stretch, including the final 1:41 when Blackfalds had six attackers.

Blackfalds outshot Trail 24-22, but both teams had many quality chances. The Smokies were 0-for-1 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

The win moved the 10-and-1 Smokies one point ahead of the idle Warriors, with a first place showdown tonight in West Kelowna.

The Smokies are riding a team record eight game winning streak on the road and have won four in a row overall.

West Kelowna has won five straight games, four in a row at home and have points in the last nine contests.

The Warriors handed Trail its lone loss of the season, a 4-1 setback in the Smokies home opener on October 10.

Opening face-off in the Okanagan is set for 7 p.m. with all the action on Mixlr and FloHockey.

The next Smoke Eaters home game is Wednesday, October 29. Good seats are still available at Tickets.TrailSmokeEaters.com.