The Smokies dramatic 2-1 overtime win in Salmon Arm was in very many ways a “Shuswap surprise”!
Lucas Lemieux scored a shorthanded goal with less than one second remaining in the third period to send the game to the extra period.
Judah Makway was serving an interference penalty after a wild goalmouth scramble with 30-seconds remaining on a play in which the Smokies believed they tied the game.
Trail won an ensuing defensive zone face off, worked the puck into the Silverbacks zone on a set play. Attila Lippai and Jason Stefanek won the puck battle in the far corner, sending it across the net, where Lemieux buried his seventh goal of the season and second shorthanded marker.
The Smokies killed off the 1:30 remaining on Makway’s penalty in overtime and just as the 20-year-old power forward was about to step out of the penalty box, the Silverbacks were penalized for too many men on the ice – a call confirmed after one of several long conversations involving the officials during the game that saw only one power play for each team.
Trail was unable to capitalize with the man advantage, but put the game away shortly thereafter.
With Isaac Fecteau serving a misconduct that carried over from the third period, Carter Matthews took advantage of some extra ice time to seal the deal.
Lemieux, who scored on Trail’s 42nd shot of the game to force overtime, cruised into the Silverback zone, fed defense partner Matthews with a short pass and he beat goalie Andrew Ballantyne with a searing snap shot from deep in the left-wing circle on the Smokies fateful 46th shot of the contest.
Goalie Teagan Kendrick got his 7th win of the season with 30 saves, including a series of sensational second period stops that prevented Salmon Arm from taking a two-goal lead.
Ballantyne was solid. His best save was a glove snag of a Dylan Lariviere shot that appeared destined for the top corner.
The win moves the Smoke Eaters into a second place tie with Salmon Arm in the Interior West Division, two points back of the pace-setting Penticton Vees.
The Smokies return home Wednesday to host the Interior East Division-leading Brooks Bandits.
Game time at Cominco Arena will be 7 p.m.
