It was a rocky road for the Trail Smoke Eaters on the weekend as they salvaged just one point on their three-game journey through the BCHL’s Mainland division.
The Surrey Eagles thumped Trail 9-5 on Sunday, after falling to the division leading Chilliwack Chiefs 2-1 in double-overtime on Saturday, and 4-1 to Coquitlam Friday.
Former Smoke Eater Kurt Black had a three-point night against his former team, scoring once and adding two assists to lead the Eagles to their sixth victory this season. The Eagles jumped out to a 4-1 first period lead on goals from Tyler Andrews, Black, Brett Stewart, and Donovon Ott while Kienan Scott scored for Trail.
Nolan Redler scored his first goal as a Smoke Eater beating Eagles goalie Daniel Davidson to make it 4-2 but Surrey’s Jaxon Joseph, a former Beaver Valley Nitehawk, restored the four-goal lead netting his second goal in his second game with the Eagles to chase Trail goalie Linden Marshall from the net. Matthew Hermany, Nick Azar, and Matthew Brown made it 8-2 before goals from Bennett Morrison and Scott with his 20th, made it 8-4 heading into the third period.
Ott and Max Newton rounded out the scoring in the third frame, as the Eagles outshot the Smokies 41-32, with both teams going 2-for-5 on the powerplay.
On Saturday, Bailey MacBurnie made 40 saves and a first-star performance in the 2-1 loss to the Chiefs. Mitch Skapski put Chilliwack up 1-0 on the power play at 7:32 of the second period, but Nick Halloran tied it for Trail with 12 seconds remaining in the middle period. After a scoreless third period and first overtime, the Chiefs Jordan Kawaguchi took a centering pass from Jesse Lansdell and blasted it by a helpless Macburnie to score the winner with 2:05 left in the 3-on-3 OT. Aidan Palino was also good in goal for the Chiefs stopping 37 shots on the night.
Halloran opened the scoring for Trail on a setup from Evan MacEachern and Kale Howarth, but the Express netted three goals in the second period to take a 3-1 lead into the third, and Colton Kerfoot made it 4-1 midway through the third on an unassisted effort. Trail outshot Coquitlam 42-25.
Trail’s next game goes Thursday in Prince George, and Friday at West Kelowna, before returning home to host Powell River on Sunday.