Three Penticton power-play goals and a five-point night from their captain sunk the Trail Smoke Eaters as the Vees skated to a 6-3 victory over the Smokies Wednesday at South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
Vees captain Brad McClure had a goal and four assists on the night, opening the scoring at 3:33 of the first period, then assisting on two power-play goals by Brett Beauvais and Erik Benoit to give the Vees a 3-0 first-period lead, while outshooting Trail 18-4 in the period.
Scott Davidson would get Trail on the board, converting a pass from Brian Basilico and Jesse Knowler at 5:20 of the second frame, but Benoit would net his second of the night teaming up again with McClure, and Matthew Serratore made it 5-1 to close out the period.
Trail had their best period in the third. After Jack Ramsey made it 6-1, the Smoke Eaters Davidson would score his second of the night and ninth of the season, with assists going to Basilico and Knowler. AP Braden Fuller from the Beaver Valley Nitehawks would make it 6-3 at 17:40.
The Vees outshot the Smoke Eaters 41-18 in the game.
Trail hosts the Chilliwack Chiefs tonight at 7:30 p.m., and will look to end an eight game winless drought.
The Chiefs have struggled this season, and reside in the basement of the Mainland division. They were eliminated from the playoffs in a 7-3 loss to Surrey Saturday.