The Smokies welcome the Alberni Valley Bulldogs for the first and only time this season Friday night.
Trail returns to Cominco Arena after coming off a split in their own barn last weekend that saw a 3-2 win against Cowichan Valley Friday followed by a 5-3 defeat to West Kelowna the next night.
The Silver City club competed in both games and Defenceman Braeden Pears thinks they worked hard and deserved better a better outcome in the latter outing.
"I don't think we need [to make] any changes necessarily. Just keep picking it up and getting better from here."
Pears says there are little things they will continue to work on, such as better coverage in the defensive zone, but thinks if they tighten up their game they'll be fine. "We have a good team," he declared.
Those thoughts were echoed by newcomer Dylan Mascarin. The 6'0" forward from Thunder Bay, Ontario made his Smoke Eater debut last weekend netting one assist.
"[We] definitely need to stay out of the box" replied Mascarin after I asked him if there was anything he thought the group could change from his first weekend in a Trail uniform. The Smokes had 17 trips to the sin bin - 10 of those coming in Friday's match.
Besides that though, Mascarin - who split last season in the SIJHL and the CCHL - agrees there needs to be a bit more focus on the back end.
"Getting out of our zone a little quicker. You know, making that first pass and getting [it] in deep."
Dylan was one of two players that debuted with Trail last weekend and one of three new faces in the dressing room.
The other new player in the line up for the Smokies last weekend was forward Bryan Basilico who comes from the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL.
"It feels good [to be here]. It's a little different, definitely getting used to it but starting to gel with the guys."
Basilico says he wants to play a power foward role and the 6'3" 200lb Macomb, Michigan native didn't take too long heading towards that goal, dropping the gloves in his first game wearing the orange and black.
Those two forward are joined by blueliner Sean Davies who Trail acquired via trade with the AJHL's Whitecourt Wolverines. The transaction saw forward Brodyn Nielsen go the other way.
All three should be in the lineup for Trail this weekend. The first of two matches is against a Bulldogs team that is coming off their first win of the season after losing seven straight.
In their nine games so far, the Bulldogs have had 22 more goals scored against them than they have netted on their opposition.
Looking ahead to Saturday's match against the Merritt Centennials - it will be the third time this season the two clubs have met.
The last encounter was in Merritt when the Smokies closed a home and home set with a 3-2 win.
However, the previous time these two met on Cominco Ice, it was a 5-0 decision in favor of the Cents.
Trail starts the weekend three points back of the top spot in the division with Salmon Arm, West Kelowna and Penticton all ahead of the Smokies in the standings.
All three teams have at least two games this weekend - West Kelowna has a third Sunday.
However, Salmon Arm and Penticton clash Friday - giving the Smokies an opportunity to make ground in the division standings.
Puck drops is at 7:30 for both games at Cominco Arena this weekend. If you can't join us you can catch the pay per view at www.fasthockey.com or listen for free at www.mixlr.com/smokeeaters
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