The Trail Smoke Eaters kick off their weekend at the BCHL Showcase with a rematch of last years first round playoffs against the Merritt Centennials.
The Smoke Eaters will look to keep the momentum going as they look for a fourth straight win over a Merritt side struggling to find its way through the first month of the season.
Regular season series vs Merritt
October 4th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (BCHL Showcase) 4pm
November 27th @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena 7pm
January 3rd @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena 7pm
January 4th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
January 7th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
January 18th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
February 22nd @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena
Last season 2W-4L
The Smoke Eaters will play their first of seven against the Centennials on Friday afternoon as they take on Merritt at the BCHL Showcase in Penticton.
The Smoke Eaters who have had some time to catch their breathe over the last week will look to start October off on a high note. The Smokies played just the lone game last weekend where they picked up a 3-0 win in Prince George. Things don’t get any easier from here as the Smoke Eater will play 8 of their 11 games on the road this month.
FROM THE BCHL NETWORK:
SMOKIES LOOK TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM INTO BCHL SHOWCASE FESTIVAL
The Smoke Eaters have also started to get strong, consistent performances from their veteran core. Johnson and Dimurro are riding three game point streaks while Ozar finds himself on a four game point streak. Special teams has also been a highlight over the last few games for the Smoke Eaters. They’ve scored on 5 of their last 16 power play opportunities (31%) and also killed their last 16 straight penalties dating back to the third period vs Powell River on September 18th.
The Merritt Centennials travel to Penticton as they play their second and final game of the showcase. The Cents are coming off a 4-1 loss Thursday afternoon in Chilliwack where they took on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Both teams had been struggling to start the year but the Bulldogs, after allowing the first goal, would score four unanswered against Merritt to take all two points. The Centennials are backstopped by newly acquired, and former member of the Trail Smoke Eaters, Tanner Marshall who came over from the Brooks Bandits. Marshall helped backstop the Bandits to a National Championship seeing twelve games last year and sporting a strong 1.33 GAA and 0.925 SV%. The Cents are hoping he can help solidify things for what is a young and very different team that lost in the first round to the Smoke Eaters in last years playoffs.
Puck drop is set for 4pm at the South Okanagan Events Centre as the Smoke Eaters (home) take on the Centennials (away). The pregame show starts at 3:50 on HockeyTV and Mixlr with coaches comments as the Smoke Eaters look to make it four in a row.
