The Trail Smoke Eaters’ hopes of upsetting the Penticton Vees record-setting winning streak were quashed unequivocally Tuesday night, as the Vees bombed Trail 10-0 to take their 41st victory in a row.
The victory marks the longest winning streak in junior hockey history in North America. The win is also the Vees’ 53rd, setting a new BCHL mark for most wins in a regular season.
Trail could muster only seven shots over the first two periods but even in the third when they outshot Penticton 11-9, they were outscored 6-0. Chad Kutanar got the shutout stopping 18 shots while the Vees fired 30 at the Smoke Eater net.
An injury-riddled Smokies team has played tough in recent games picking up points in two of their last three prior to taking on the Vees.
Trail trailed 1-0 going into the second, when former Smokie Travis St. Denis made it 2-0 and seemed to give the Vees the jump they needed.
After making it 6-0, the Smokies backup James D’Andrea came on in relief early in the third but fared no better as the Vees netted four more to secure the record.
Joey Benik had a five-point night for the Vees, with a goal and four assists, propelling him to the top of the league scoring race, while Ryan Reilly, Steve Fogharty and Mario Lucia each netted two and picked up one helper for three-point outings.
Penticton finishes their home portion of the regular season with a record of 29-0-0-1; picking up fifty-nine of a possible sixty points. The win also ties a twenty-two year-old BCHL record for most points in a single-season at 108; the Vees just need one point in their last two games to set a new mark.
Over 3,600 showed up to watch the Vees skate to the record.
Trail has three games remaining including their final home game on Friday at 7:30 p.m. when they host the Merritt Centennials.