The Smoke Eaters offence has been roaring along and the record is improving, but, they haven’t gained any ground at all in the standings race in the BCHL’s most balanced division and have surrendered far more goals than any other team in the entire league.
Tonight they face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, the second worst defensive team in the league, so fans could be in for a shootout - especially if the Smokies break as slowly from the gate as they have in many recent games. Trail has been a very good third period team, but has often failed to show up for the opening minutes of action.
The Silverbacks, close enough to a playoff spot to sense it is possible, come in off two straight wins and with the possibility this weekend could vault them into the post-season position on which Trail has a tenuous hold.
Smokie fans can take heart, regardless, for the fact even a single win on the weekend will mean this club will surpass the total for the entirety of 2011/12.
The team should be energized by the opportunity to put the Silverbacks into their rear view mirror for a while, and the chance to lose serious ground in the playoff race if they can’t generate 120 minutes of effort and efficiency.
Could, should, be good entertainment. Take advantage if you can of the discounted tickets offered at various local businesses, and bring some friends.
• Just when it seems the area is becoming more cohesive, more positive about co-operation being better than confrontation on area issues - exemplified by the common sense approach finally agreed among Greater Trail minor hockey supporters - one is reminded that there are still leagues to go before getting along is the prosperous norm
Just lately, we discovered that the large fee Area B readers must pay to access the most convenient library in eastern portion of the area has increased by 50 per cent, to $75 dollars a head.
There is lots of blame to go around for the anti-literacy bent in there being a fee at all, but one wonders what those who set such tarriffs could have been thinking. Perhaps the library is just too busy so they wanted to apply a disincentive to persuade rural readers to avoid the place.
One hopes that isn’t the case, of course, but the idea that the cost of operating the Trail library have increased as dramatically as that seems a bit farfetched.
I am linked to the library in a certain way, and will still support it in that way, but for the price our household would need to remit to continue to use it normally we can likely move along to used books and e-books, perhaps never to go back from the technology.
Makes me sad.