After a promising start with a 3-2 win over Victoria Thursday, the Trail Smoke Eaters dropped two straight to the Nanaimo Clippers and Langley Rivermen on Friday and Saturday to close out a three-game road trip to the coast.
The Smokies were up 2-1 on Langley, but the Rivermen scored three unanswered goals in the third period to skate to a 4-2 victory. Justin Zseto scored 6:42 into the final frame to secure Langley a 3-2 lead, and Torrin White tallied an empty-netter to ice it giving the Rivermen its 15th win of the season.
Kienan Scott scored both Trai l goals putting the Smokies up 2-1 at 16:39 of the second period, but a goal by William Champion 1:28 into the final frame tied it as Langley outshot Trail 31-30 in the game. On Friday, the Rivermen broke the Penticton Vees 22-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory.
Matt Hoover's power-play goal late in the first was the winner for the Nanaimo Clippers in a 7-2 home win over the Trail Smoke Eaters. After Sheldon Rempal and Corey Renwick tallied 34 seconds apart, Scott got Trail's first goal but Hoover replied shortly after. Spencer Hewson scored shorthanded in the second and Chris Dodero, Rempal, and Matt Creamer added on in the third. Kyle Star had the other Trail goal.
In Friday’s match, Scott scored the winner just over eight minutes in to the third period, to break a 2-2 tie on an unassisted effort in the 3-2 win over Victoria. After going down 2-0 to the Grizzlies in the first period, two second period goals by Kale Howarth and Nick Halloran tied it for the Smoke Eaters to set up Scott’s winner.
Howarth was named the game’s first star, with Bailey MacBurnie taking second star honours with his 35 saves, and Brayden Gelsinger the third star for Victoria.
The Smoke Eaters are on the road again this weekend traveling to Wenatchee to play the Wild on Friday and are in Penticton on Saturday.