Monday 2 December 2013

Smokies come out of weekend winless and younger.

The Trail Smoke Eaters were zero for three this past weekend.

They were swept in a home and home set with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks that started with a 5-3 loss in Trail Friday and ended in a 3-1 defeat Saturday.

Trail scored a minute and nine seconds into Friday's match but flirted with a one goal lead for too long and the 'Backs came out with a better third period. They opened the scoring at 16:48 and Trail answered back at 13:46.

The visitors then notched a powerplay goal to make it 4-3 just over four minutes later and followed with an empty netter with half a minute left in the game - sealing the deal.

The Smokies were able to find the back of the net in the second period Saturday, but ultimately couldn't generate much else in a 28 shot effort.

Trail then went on to being doubled up 6-3 in Vernon Sunday by a Vipers team that now sits on top of the claustrophobic Interior Division.

That was the fourth straight loss for the orange and black, a team that had almost more transactions in the week leading up than goals scored throughout the weekend.

Its roster has been altered drastically since head coach Nick Deschenes stared behind the bench just over a month ago.

Starting last Wednesday Deschenes' Smokies dealt 18 year old netminder Riley Corbin to the AJHL's Whitecourt Wolverines for future considerations.

Thursday, Trail sent 20 year old blueliner to Chilliwack for 18 year old forward Brandon Volpe and futures.

Friday saw the rights forward Michael Roberts go to Salmon Arm and forward Bryce Knapp shipped to the Cornwall Colts of the CCHL, both deals for future considerations.

And Saturday the Smokies sent 19 year old Valik Chichkin to the Cowichan Valley Capitals for the Ball Brothers, 19 year old Mitch and 18 year old Rylan from Powell River.

During that time, Trail also signed Castlegar native Riley Ostoforoff who started the 2013-2014 season with Alberni Valley after winning a KIJHL championship with his hometown Rebels last season.

They also got Colby Livingston of the KI's Creston Valley Thundercats to put pen to paper and join the orange and black.

When I asked Deschenes if the common theme of all these moves was to get younger he replied, "100%".

Which wasn't really a surprise.

But, I was surprised to the point he made after. "We are getting [guys] that want to play here."

This may not be the last winless weekend we see from the Smokies this season, but Deschenes is working to make sure it is the last effortless one.

Trail brings their four game skid into a pair of games at Cominco arena this coming weekend.

Home games are sparse for the Smokies in the month December as after this weekend they'll already have gone through half.

Puck drop on Friday's match with Langley goes at 7:30PM.

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