Game Day | TRA at VER
Where do you start to describe the Smoke Eaters sensational 7-4 Friday night win over Sherwood Park?
The pace was torrid from the opening face-off until the final buzzer and the season-high Cominco Arena crowd of 2,268 saw goalie Teagan Kendrick make back-to-back show stopping stops on the game’s first shift, the beginning of a great goaltending duel with Spencer Michnik.
Dylan Lariviere’s low shot from the slot in off the post opened the scoring just past the five minute mark, but Connor Gengle tied it less than four minutes later shorthanded.
The puck took a crazy hop into the crease behind Kendrick and Gengle tapped it just over the red line on a goal that needed video-review confirmation.
Jason Stefanek extended his consecutive game points streak to eight, ripping in a low snapper from the slot just past the 13 minute mark, and set up Christian Kim for a wide-open look, that he buried four minutes after that and Trail led 3-1 heading to the second period.
The Crusaders took advantage of another unusual break to open the second period scoring.
Malachi McKinnon scored on a break away at 1:31 after Smokies defenseman Isaac Fecteau stepped on the puck and fell, but fellow Trail d-man Jack Kennedy restored the two-goal lead two minutes later, with a high velocity shot low into the far corner, as Zach Coutu provided the screen.
The pace never let up.
Moments after Kendrick scrambled across the net to deny what looked like a sure goal, Cooper Sharp finished a pretty three-way passing play at high speed to reduce the Crusaders deficit to one.
They tied the game with 22-seconds remaining in the middle frame on a Masun Fleece deflection, setting the stage for a memorable third period.
Both teams had potential go-ahead goals called back after video reviews – Trail’s because of a glove pass and Sherwood Park’s because of goaltender interference.
It looked as if both goalies would shut the door.
Kendrick looked unbeatable and Michnik sprawled on his belly with pads from post to post to prevent the go-ahead goal and also stopped breakaways by Ridge Dawson and Stefanek.
Gryphon Bucci finally solved the Crusaders tender with seven minutes remaining, stuffing in a centring pass from Carter Matthews.
The Smokies took advantage of a pair of late odd man rushes to put the game away.
Judah Makway tried to pass to his two line mates on a three-on-one break, but when the defender took away that option, the 20-year-old from Trail roofed a ripper into the net from close range with a minute-and-a-half remaining.
Bucci buried the definite deal-sealer 17-seconds later, with a forehand-to-backhand move and shot under a sprawling Michnik, converting a sweet, two-on-one feed from Dawson.
The Smokies outshot Sherwood Park 41-30 and both teams were 0-for-1 on the power play.
Trail’s eighth straight victory moves them into second place in the Interior Conference, one point ahead of Brooks who fell 2-1 Friday night at home to Penticton.
Trail now treks to Vernon for a Saturday night showdown against the Vipers, who scored three unanswered goals to beat Okotoks 3-2 in overtime in a game that was scoreless until the third period.
Game time is 6 p.m. with all the action available on Mixlr and FloHockey.