Monday 18 November 2013

A Perfect Weekend at Cominco Arena

There was plenty of celebration from the hometown fans in Trail this past weekend, as the Smoke Eaters had arguably their best performance on Cominco ice this season.

For the first time in the 2013-2014 campaign the orange and black won back to back games in their own barn.

Friday saw the Smokies halt one of the hotter teams in the league, as they edged Nanaimo 3-2 putting an end to the Clippers three game winning streak and handing them only their second loss in their last seven games.

Talking to assistant coach Craig Clare before Saturday's game he said it was probably the best they looked with the puck in the offensive zone this year.

"I think maybe they are buying into a bit of a system here. We've stressed some structure to our game. Some hard work [and] some little things we need to do to win, " Claire explained after I asked him what he thought the biggest difference between now and they the team that was suck in that 10 game losing streak.

"[We're] doing a little bit of video to [try and] see where our glaring errors [were] during that streak of losses. It's just awareness. Being aware we can get better and I foresee us continuing to improve and hopefully that will result in some more wins."

Trail flirted with two goal leads twice and lost them twice but nonetheless held on and shut down the Clippers' top scorer Sheldon Rempal, who came into the match with 8 goals and 23 points.

The Smokies wouldn't be able to contain the Salmon Arm's, and BCHL's, top point getter the next night though, as forward Landon Smith (38pts before Saturday) scored a pair in a back and forth affair that fortunately ended in their favor, a 3-2 double overtime victory.

For the second night in a row, the game winning goal came off the stick of denseman Cody Bardock.

For the second night in a row, it was a blistering top shelf shot from the point - maybe the major reason he was named BCHL Player of the Week Monday.

"Oh, it was awesome. I haven't been put in an OT situation in a while and just to score...it's awesome. Everyone's happy as you can tell, so its good."

Bardock came over in October from the AJHL's Sherwood Park Crusaders in trade that sent future considerations back the other way.

"It helps when the fans are behind us. That's the loudest I've heard them since I've been here, so I want to thank them," said the 20 year old Lethbridge native.

"I think we got the fans back on our side if they weren't there. It's awesome, we got a lot of confidence [now]," claimed Trail native Scott Davidson who had a goal and an assist in Saturday's victory.

I talked to Davidson in the midst of their lengthy skid this year and he just didn't have the answer.

Now it they've at least found the formula at home and they've gone 3-2-1 with Nick Deschenes behind the bench.

Saturday's nearly 66 minute thriller was the most exciting junior hockey game I've seen this season.

Once again the Smokies were in for a battle against their division rival who came into the contest only two points back of the division lead.

It was a rematch of last Saturday's 3-2 loss in Salmon Arm, and the first of three contests against the Silverbacks in the next four games for the orange and black.

"Well you get a little bit of hatred [going] for them, right? We have seen them early on and we're going to see them in the next couple weeks, so there [will be] no surprises. As a coaching staff we know exactly what to expect," explained Clare amount of times they'll see Salmon Arm this month.

But up next, it will be another division foe, the Vernon Vipers.

The Vipes now sit on top of the Interior division after two weekend wins a total of fifteen points ahead of Trail in the standings.

However, Trail's next four games are all against teams in their own division, and if the group continues with these strong outings - come December the playoff picture could be moving closer from a dream to a reality.

Join us Friday at Cominco arena for the Smokies lone weekend outing.

Vernon Vipers @ Trail Smoke Eaters. Game time is 7:30PM/

Watch online at fasthockey.com or listen for free at mixlr.com/smokeeaters.








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