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Smoke Eaters struggles continue vs Silverbacks and Vees

Trail Smoke Eaters winless streak stretches to six games following holiday break
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Trail Smoke Eaters forward Nic Remissong lifts the puck past Penticton goalie Luca Di Pasquo in Friday’s match versus the Vees at the Trail Memorial Centre. Photo: Jim Bailey Trail Smoke Eaters forward Nic Remissong lifts the puck past Penticton goalie Luca Di Pasquo in Friday’s match versus the Vees at the Trail Memorial Centre. Photo: Jim Bailey

The Trail Smoke Eaters suffered a pair of losses to the Penticton Vees and Salmon Arm Silverbacks on the weekend, extending their winless streak to six games.

Trail lost to the Vees 7-2 at the Trail Memorial Centre on Friday, and 5-1 to the Silverbacks in Salmon Arm on Saturday.

Isaac Lambert scored the game winning goal 4:53 into the second period as Salmon Arm took a 2-0 lead on a nice individual effort from the University of Maine commit.

The Smoke Eaters won six straight games leading up to the Christmas break, but are winless since their return, dropping from fifth to eighth place in the Interior Conference with a 14-16-1-3 record.

‘Backs defenceman Liam Steele tallied his second of the season 13:35 into the first period for a 1-0 lead. After Lambert put Salmon Arm up 2-0, the Smoke Eaters Ethan Mann notched his sixth of the campaign on a set up from Evan Bushy.

Hayden Stayroff made it 3-1 before the period was out, and a goal from Nathan Mackie and a power play marker from Brandon Santa Juana in the third sealed it for the Silverbacks, who outshot Trail 18-4 in the final frame.

Salmon Arm outshot the Smoke Eaters 44-31 through 60 minutes, and went 1-for-5 on the power play while Trail was 0-for-5.

Trail was in tough against the league leading Vees on Friday, but fought hard in the opening period, despite being without two of their top players in Mathieu Cobetto-Roy (suspension) and Trey Fechko (injury).

Penticton’s Avdar Suniev finds the loose puck behind Smoke Eaters goalie Teagan Kendrick for his first of two on the night. Photo: Jim Bailey
Penticton’s Avdar Suniev finds the loose puck behind Smoke Eaters goalie Teagan Kendrick for his first of two on the night. Photo: Jim Bailey

The Smoke Eaters did have their most recent acquisition Max Potvin skating on a line with Ridge Dawson and Josh Schenk. The Smoke Eaters acquired Potvin from the Powell River Kings in a trade for Remy Spooner prior to the Jan. 10 deadline.

Bradly Nadeau scored his 28th of the season two minutes in on the power play, and it remained that way until Beanie Richter floated a screen shot from the point past Smoke Eater goalie Teagan Kendrick for a 2-0 lead with 46 seconds to play in the period.

But Trail responded 14 seconds later when Nic Remissong chipped in a centering pass from Brady Hunter to trail 2-1 after 20 minutes.

Goals from Jackson Niewendyk and Avdar Suniev extended the Vees lead to 4-1 after two periods. Smokies defenceman Ethan Warrener cut the lead to 4-2 early in the third, but goals from Josh Nadeau, Suniev, and Dovar Tinling completed the 7-2 Vees victory.

Vees forward Jackson Niewendyk tries to make a move around Trail defenceman Jordan Hendry. Photo: Jim Bailey

Penticton outshot Trail 44-28 and went 3-for-4 on the power play, while Trail was 0-for-2.

Trail’s Brady Hunter and Brady Smith are heading to the BCHL 60th Anniversary All Star and Top Prospects games on Jan. 20-21 weekend in Penticton.

Trail returns to the ice Jan. 27 when the Smoke Eaters travel to Prince George for a three-game weekend against the Spruce Kings.

Read: Smoke Eaters salvage a point, fall to Rivermen and Warriors



Jim Bailey

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