Late Vees Comeback Falls Smoke Eaters In Overtime
By Trevor Miller
The Trail Smoke Eaters got a late shorthanded goal from Spencer McLean but fell once again in overtime, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Penticton Vees on Saturday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The first period only had 10 shots to show on the score clock with offensive chances few and far between but it was the Vees who opened the scoring in the game at the 10:46 mark of the opening frame coming courtesy of David Silye. Luke Loheit had his shot from the right face-off circle stopped by Smoke Eaters netminder Adam Marcoux with the rebound being batted out of the air and past his glove side to give the Vees a 1-0 lead.
Trail had an opportunity late in the period to try and even the score heading into the intermission as they earned a five-on-three-man advantage for the last 50 seconds of the frame, throwing a pair of shots on the Vees goal but goaltender Derek Krall turned those aside to keep the Vees ahead by a 1-0 margin.
Although the Smoke Eaters were unable to score on the two-man power play, Trevor Zins got the game tied moments later just 22 seconds into the 2nd period. Zins took a wrist shot from the left-wing point that found its way through traffic and past Krall for his 6th goal of the season on the power play to get the score even at 1-1.
It was another power play which changed the score of the game in the 2nd period as Penticton regained their lead with an extra man on the ice. James Miller crept down the left-wing side and threw the puck at the net before it was tipped through the legs of Marcoux from Eric Linell at the 5:00 mark to give the Vees a 2-1 advantage.
Trail was able to get the game evened up once more at the 6:00 mark of the final regulation period as Michael Hodge walked down the right side and took a shot that got caught up in the air and batted in by Owen Ozar, who collected his 4th goal of the season and was able to get the game knotted up at 2-2.
A Vees power play midway through the 3rd period helped the Smoke Eaters take their first lead of the game at the 10:28 mark with a shorthanded marker. James Miller had his point shot blocked and kick-started an odd man rush the other way with Spencer McLean dishing from the right wing to Jeremy Smith in the middle as he differed to go back to McLean as he beat Krall on the blocker side from the right face-off circle and his first goal of the season gave Trail a 3-2 lead with 9:32 remaining in regulation.
Penticton got another power play late in the 3rd period which had some pressure and resulted in the score being tied just as the man advantage expired at the 18:21 mark of the 3rd frame with James Miller blasted a shot from the left side past Marcoux on the glove hand to even the game at 3-3 and force overtime.
The Smoke Eaters had their best chance of the extra frame come at the 2:32 mark as Jeremy Smith was hooked from behind on a breakaway that resulted in a penalty shot. Smith tried to beat Krall with a backhand attempt but the Vees netminder kept the game alive.
With just a minute remaining in overtime, David Silye banked a pass of the right-wing boards and was skated on to by Ryan Sandelin, who cut into the net on a breakaway and went to his backhand to lift the puck over a sprawled Marcoux to give the Vees a 4-3 overtime victory.
Adam Marcoux turned aside 20 of the 24 shots he faced in the game in his 10th loss of the season while Derek Krall stopped 19 of the 22 shots thrown his way for his 3rd victory of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 4-3 Vees
SHOTS ON GOAL: 24-22 Vees
SMOKE EATERS PP: 1/5
SMOKE EATERS PK: 4/5
3 STARS:
1) Ryan Sandelin (1-0-1)
2) James Miller (1-2-3)
3) Spencer McLean (1-0-1)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Peter Muzyka (0-0-0)
ATTENDANCE: 3,149
The Smoke Eaters (8-10-4-2) return home to begin a three-game week with a midweek matchup against the Vernon Vipers (8-7-6-2) at the Trail Memorial Centre. It’s the first “Welcome Wednesday” of the season with tickets available for purchase at the Smoke Eaters front office as well as at the door ahead of the opening face-off, scheduled for 7 p.m..
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