Game Day | CRA at TRA
Former Viper Erik Pastro snapped out of a 12-game goalless drought with a vengeance.
The 20-year-old Smokies centreman scored twice and assisted on another three goals as Trail tripped Vernon 6-5 in a wonderfully wild and wacky game in front of a Cominco Arena crowd of 2,098, with Pastro producing the game-winning goal into an empty Vernon net.
The Vipers took advantage of a turnover to score the only goal in the first period, as Vipers goalie Colton Jugnauth kept Trail shooters at bay with some sensational stops, including one off Christian Kim on a one-timer after a perfect cross seam pass. He would rob the California kid on a similar third period play after a prime time pass from Pastro on a two-on-one. Jugnauth was peppered with 40 shots and kept his team close all game with superb stops.
The Smokies finally solved the Vipers puck stopper early in the second period when Cash Carter jammed in a close range shot on a Trail power play. Trail would score again with the man advantage just past the midway point of the middle frame after falling behind 2-1.
Pastro pumped in a sneaky snap shot from the left wing circle for his first tally in 13 games and assisted on Carter’s go-ahead goal about six minutes later. It was Carter’s team-leading 11th goal of the season and came eight seconds after the Vipers killed off a five minute penalty.
That set the stage for a crazy third period with each team tallying three times.
Smokies Swedish power forward Louis Jonerheim hit the top corner about two-and-a-half minutes into the final frame after Carter knocked down a high pass through the middle to give Trail a 4-2 lead. The Vipers kept battling back with the teams exchanging goals the rest of the night.
Zach Coutu sniped a power play goal to put Trail ahead 5-3, but Vernon struck on a second straight power play to narrow the margin with just under seven minutes remaining.
It looked as if Pastro put the game away with his empty net goal at 19:03 on a shot from the Trail blue line, but former Smokie Evan Sundar snapped a shot into the top of the net from point blank range with 33 seconds remaining.
Just after Pastro was denied a hat-trick by Leon Bussman who stopped the tall Trail forward’s second shot at an empty net, the Smokies fended off two tense defensive zone face-off’s in the final three seconds to secure the victory.
Kim assisted on three goals, increasing his consecutive game points streak to eight. He has 14 points throughout the thrilling run.
Trail product Chayse Johnson made two great saves in the final period, one on a cross crease scramble to pick up his fifth win of the season.
The Smokies were 3-for-5 on the power play and are 4-for-their-last-8 over the last two games. Vernon scored on both of its advantages.
The BCHL’s Kootenay rivalry re-commences tonight with Cranbrook coming to Comino Arena.
The Bucks dropped a 2-1 shootout decision in West Kelowna last night.
Trail won the lid-lifter of the season series 5-2 on home ice four weeks ago.
It’s a 7 p.m. start and good seats are still available at Tickets.TrailSmokeEaters.com.