TRAIL, BC - The top line struck again for the Smokies in a 6-4 victory against the Merritt Centennials. Each of Scott Jacklin, Sam Mellor and Travis St. Denis scored and the line combined for 6 points. The three players are now tied for the BCHL scoring lead after the first weekend of the season.
Trail was also lifted by the first multi-point effort of Cullen Bradshaw's BCHL career. The 20 year old former leading scorer of the AJHL's Brooks Bandits put up 2 goals and an assist in his second game with the Smokies.
This victory over Merritt wasn't nearly as convincing as the first. It was apparent early the Centennials were a different club on the night as they got out to an early shot advantage and wouldn't go away all game.
Trail got the only goal of the first when the top line connected on Sam Mellor's second of the season. Merritt actually out shot Trail in the period 11-8, but the Smokies were able to kill off a 5 on 3 to keep the Cents off the board.
The teams traded goals in the second period with Bradshaw and St. Denis striking for Trail while Jeff Jones and Dustin Johnson answered for Merritt. It was a much more inspired effort from Merritt's top gunners in this game as they were united on a line rather than playing on separate units.
Trail appeared to put the game away in the third as Jacklin and Paul Mailey scored 1:39 seconds apart to extend Trail's lead to 5-2. However, the Cents wouldn't go quietly into the night as Johnson took advantage of a 5-3 to cut into the lead and Regan Soquilla scored a late short handed marker to get the hearts at the Cominco Arena racing a little faster.
The Smokies held on in the end as Bradshaw chipped his second of the game into the empty net to wrap up the victory.
Kiefer Smiley made 22 saves to pick up his second win of the season for Trail while Tyler Steel stopped 24 pucks in his first career BCHL start.
It wasn't as pretty as Friday, but the Smokies finished the weekend with 4 big points and 14 goals over 2 games. Their next action will be a home and home with Westside starting at the Cominco Arena on Friday.
ON THE TRAIL: The top line is a big part of the story early but 5 other Smokies also finished the weekend with at least a point per game ... Trail better enjoy home ice while they can because after Friday's game against Westside they play six straight games on the road ... Smokies fans can again catch their road games on Mountain FM this season at 104.1 FM in Trail. The games will be brought to you this year by the Arlington.
TRAIL, BC - Trail got goals from 7 different players and points from 14 different players in an 8-2 opening night win over Merritt. The line of Travis St. Denis, Sam Mellor and Scott Jacklin did the most damage with a combined 9 points. St. Denis scored twice with Mellor had a goal and 3 assists and Jacklin contributed a goal and 2 assists.
Trail fans also got introduced to new members of the club as 7 of them picked up their first points as Smoke Eaters. Adam Boytink and Logan Proulx scored their first BCHL goals on the night as well.
It was a dominant display by the Smokies with scoring from all four lines. They also out shot the Centennials 43-20. Merritt will look to bounce back when the two teams meet again at the Cominco Arena on Saturday night.
Trail opened the scoring when Steve Koshey's point shot was tipped in by St. Denis for his first of the season. Curtis Tonello struck next on a point shot blast set up by rookie Dylan Tappe.
Merritt got one back when goaltender Kiefer Smiley misplayed the puck leading to Max Vallis scoring for the Cents. Smiley rebounded with a solid 18 save performance in picking up the win.
The Smokies added another marker at the end of the first period as Boytink knocked in the rebound of Jacklin and Mailey's shots.
Trail put the game away early in the second period as they scored twice in 41 seconds. Jacklin put in his first of the year from Mellor and Graeme Strukoff blasted a wrist shot top corner to make it 5-1 only 15 seconds later.
Goals from Proulx, Mellor and St. Denis would put the game further out of reach.
The play got chippy in the third period perhaps setting the stage for a physical affair when Merritt comes back to the Cominco Arena for a second game on Saturday night.
ON THE TRAIL: Members of the 1961 World Champion Trail Smoke Eaters signed new anniversary merchansie throughout the game. This season Trail is marking the 50th anniversary of that club with numerous celebrations. The captain of that team Cal Hockley dropped the puck in a ceremonial face off tonight ... Paul Mailey enters his fifth season with the Smokies and second as captain. As long as he stays healthy he'll become the all time leader in games played for the BCHL version of the Smokies. The other players wearing letters were Scott Jacklin, Graeme Strukoff and Logan Proulx. One of the letters will likely rotate though ... The game marked the 15th birthday of the BCHL Smoke Eaters who first dropped the puck at the Cominco Arena in September of 1995.
Smokies home games are not available on the radio, but Mountain FM will again cover their road games. You can watch the game from the Cominco Arena on BCHLPPV. It will be my final Smokies broadcast before leaving for Swift Current.
It all gets started with a double header in Trail on September 10th and 11th against Merritt. It ends February 19th in Merritt. It seems like we're in Merritt at the end of the season every year! The Smokies will play the Centennials 8 times, every other Interior team 6 times and every Coastal team twice. Click here for the full schedule.
Congratulations to Smoke Eaters forward Sam Mellor. He was nominated today for the Interior Conference rookie of the year award. It's a well deserved honour after Mellor put up 28 goals and 35 points for 63 points as a 17 year old.
Mellor's totals were good enough for 27th in the BCHL and third among 1992 born players. The former Dynamiter in the KIJHL made a very quick transition to the Junior A level. While playing the whole season with Scott Jacklin and most of it with Nick Sandor he was able to actually improve on his Junior B scoring pace. I think it also helped that Jacklin and Matt Wilkins grew up with Mellor. The Kimberley Konnection all thrived this season while playing on the same team. I'm sure it's fun to get to play with your friends.
He faces some stiff competition for the rookie of the year nod. The other nominees are league scoring champion Beau Bennett and top scoring defenceman Joey Laleggia. All three players are certainly very deserving of the recognition.
Speaking of awards, the Trail Smoke Eaters will be handing out their year end awards this Wednesday night. Who will be this year's MVP? Should be a fun night and a good way to celebrate before the team sets out for West Kelowna and the playoffs on Friday.
MONDAY AUDIO
Was there a game last night? The team is looking to put the stinker in Penticton behind them as they prepare for the Warriors. The Smokies looked like a team that didn't have anything to play for in a 7-3 loss to the Vees. That being said, they didn't have anything to play for. The game didn't have any impact on the standings. Congrats to the Vees who were able to achieve a franchise record 100 points and to Beau Bennett for scoring the 4 points he needed to secure a BCHL scoring crown. They're an impressive team. It'd be nice to see them again as the only way that could happen is by meeting them in the conference finals...
An interesting start to local KIJHL playoff action this week. Former Smoke Eaters are doing battle as Paul Barclay and the Beaver Valley Nitehawks take on Scott Jago and the Nelson Leafs. Barclay has had a starring role so far as the Hawks earned a split in Nelson. The Leafs won Game 1 by a 4-3 score in overtime while BV took Game 2 thanks to ColtonDonselaar's winner late in the third period. Game 3 of the series is tonight in Beaver Valley and you should do yourself a favour and check it out.
The other local series has Castlegar up 2-0 on Spokane with hopes of taking total control of that series tonight across the line. The Rebels have been very impressive thus far, but Spokane is a tough place to play.
Merritt, BC - Nick Sandor's back to back goals late in the third period put Trail ahead for good in a 6-3 win over Merritt. The goals gave Sandor 30 on the season and set up the Smokies for a first round series with Westside.
Trail got up 2-0 in the first on goals by Ben Matthews and Scott Jacklin. Alex Valenti responded and cut Trail's lead in half.
Neither team was able to find the net in the second period despite both Curtis Tonello and Nick Sandor hitting the post.
The Smokies extended their lead early in the third period on the Sean Nugent power play goal. He banged in the rebound of a Matthews shot for the only PP marker in the game. Trail went 1 for 5 on the man advantage and killed off all 7 Centennial opportunities.
Matt Wilkins hit another post for Trail before Merritt quickly answered with goals by Soquilla and MacMillan to tie the game at 3 with half a period to play.
Both teams had their opportunities to take a late lead before Sandor's goal gave Trail a 4-3 lead. He followed it up with an empty net marker for his 30th of the year. Jacklin also scored his second of the game into an empty net.
Kiefer Smiley stopped 44 of the 47 shots he faced for the win while Hamilton made 35 saves for Merritt. Matthews added 2 assists to his goal while Paul Mailey chipped in 3 helpers.
The Trail win combined with Quesnel's victory over Williams Lake settled the playoff picture in the Interior. The Millionaires will take on Salmon Arm, Trail plays Westside and Merritt matches up with Penticton.
ON THE TRAIL: Justin Borwn, Steve Oursov, Thomas Abenante and Mitch Kaufmann all missed the game due to injury. Oursov is out for the rest of the season. Tommy Rizzardo played his second straight game as a forward ... Mellor, Strukoff and Tonello also had assists for the Smokies ... The win was Trail's second straight against Merritt after losing the first 5 games in the season series ... The next action for Trail is Sunday night in Penticton. The game won't have any impact on the standings but it is important for Smokies forward Wade Bennett's brother Beau. The Vees sniper is 4 points behind Salmon Arm forward Mark Zengerle for top spot in the BCHL scoring race ... In the KIJHL playoffs on Saturday night the Beaver Valley Nitehawls got 29 saves from former Smoke Eater Paul Barclay in a 3-1 win over Nelson. Castlegar beat Spokane 8-4. The Rebels lead that series 2-0 while the Nitehawks and Leafs are tied at 1 game each.
Nelson Ford Trail Smoke Eaters Play by Play is live on Mountain FM starting at 7:15 with our City of Trail Pre-Game Show. You can join us at 104.1FM in Trail and online at www.mountainfm.net
...Don't forget to check out the Smokies retro jersey auction. The lastest bids are just down the blog from this post. Bids are due January 30th.
...Some very frustrating news to report. Justin Brown has sustained an upper body injury and won't make the road trip this week. Boy has he had hard luck in his BCHL career. I remember last season just about this time Justin was just starting to play his best hockey and put up some points when he was out with an injury. Now he has 6 points in his last 3 games and he goes down. With all the karma he's earning he'll be an iron man for the rest of his career. I'm sure the Smokies are wishing one of their best two-way guys a speedy recovery.
...Injuries were also a factor in Trail's poor performance on the PK against Westside. It's tough when you're down 3 veteran defenceman. With Strukoff, Swaffield and Kaufmann all out with injuries the Smokies didn't get the performance they needed from their 5 regulars. AP Bennett Hambrook actually had a very solid debut for the Smokies and plays with a nice edge. He had one rough outing against Trevor Bailey that was kind of a "welcome to the BCHL" moment, but overall Hambrook (of the Nelson Leafs in the KIJHL) is a player to watch. Swaffield should be back on Wednesday against Powell River and Kaufmann should also be back shortly. Strukoff's return date is still no known although he told me he wanted to play on the trip.
...Another two-way guy who has really been performing of late is Captain Paul Mailey. After the 7-3 loss in Westside he has 10 points in his last 10 games. Mailey had 40 points last season and can put up a lot more points than he did in a frustrating first half. He was always valuable on the ice even without the points, but now we're again seeing the kind of player he can be at both ends.
...While there was a lot for the coaching staff to be frustrated about on Sunday they can look to a few positives. One of them was the "pack mentality" Trail continues to display. It's something that was perhaps lacking a bit earlier in the season. The team is standing up for each other no matter which line is on the ice. They're playing as a unit or as a "pack" and that can only lead to good things. There will be no pushing the Smokies around and everyone is buying in. There will be off games like the one on Sunday, but I still get a sense that the team has a much better attitude than back in the early fall. They had points in 7 straight games before the one in West Kelowna so there's no reason to get down on themselves. Wednesday is an important rebound game.
...Despite losing 7-3 I liked how Trail kept pace with the Warriors at even strength. The special teams battle went Westside's way and was the difference in the game. However, you can tell a lot about a team's ability by the way they match up with top teams 5 on 5. If Trail could have stayed out of the box (or gotten some calls) and executed better 5 on 4 or 4 on 5 that would've been a close game. That's a lot of "ifs" but to me its more a comment on how the team's play is still solid in even strength situations. The PK had also been so much better recently until the Westside game. They need to make sure it's only a one time thing as the PK has been a killer for them on the road.
...The playoff race is still very tight. Quesnel and Merritt sit a single point ahead of Trail for 5th place, but the Smokies have games in hand. They have to take advantage of those games during this week's road trip against some tough teams. Prince George is 5 points out and the playoffs are certainly not out of reach for them yet. Trail was 6 points behind Merritt only a few weeks ago and we saw how quickly that gap can get erased.
...One of those opponents for the Smokies this week is Alberni Valley. Congrats goes out to Mitch MacMillan for scoring 50 goals in 49 games. That's quit an accomplishment. Especially when you realize that the next best total so far is Trevor Bailey's 38 goals and Colton Beck is in third spot with 32. Nobody can touch MacMillan's sniping so far this season. It should be interesting to get a look at MacMillan, former Smoke Eater Tye Lewis and the red hot Bulldogs for the first time this week. I always enjoy a visit to what is maybe the loudest crowd in the league. I do have to say though I still think Trail has the smartest fans out there... except for the ones who give me hell... or maybe especially those ones! Don't forget all four games on the trip will be live on Mountain FM.
Stay tuned to the Smokies blog and to Mountain FM for the lates on the BCHL and KIJHL trade deadline. We'll have the latest KIJHL moves during the morning news run on Drex and Johnson's show starting at 6am. Scroll down the blog for the latest on the BCHL trade deadline. Thanks to all of you for making Sunday the busiest day this blog has ever had despite the relative lack of action.
A couple of days ago I suggested that the Prince George Spruce Kings were likely sellers at the deadline... and they were. However, what I didn't count on was how little they would actually do to help other BCHL clubs.
The Spruce Kings instead made 4 of their 5 deals with teams in the AJHL. All of the deals saw Prince George pick up future considerations in return. Next year's team could be an interesting one as a result. The only BCHL club to benefit from the Prince George house cleaning is the Surrey Eagles who add veteran defencemanJosh Pineiro. Pineiro is a very solid vet, but his production has tailed off after a start that had him on a point per game pace. He should help Surrey at both ends of the ice.
Prince George also moved Brooks Robinson back to Alberta as the son of former Caps Coach Scott Robinson is now a member of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Goaltender Steve Papciak also returns to the Alberta league, but this time with Canmore. As far as I can tell Papciak was the only goalie with a winning record for Prince George this season as they've kind of had a revolving door between the pipes. Talented Forward Marcus Watson's stay with PG was a short one as he is now off to join the Grande Prairie Storm.
As much as all of those guys could be key additions for the teams they find themselves with, I would say that Wes McLeod is likely the biggest fish leaving the Spruce Kings. I heard speculation all around the BCHL about who could get him. There were even people in Trail last night telling me the Smokies should go after him. Trust me when I say the price was way too high for a team with as much young talent as Trail. A lot of that talent would be in Spruce Kings colours next season if that was the move they made. There was talk that everyone from Vernon to Salmon Arm to Flin Flon wanted to take a crack at McLeod. Who won the sweepstakes? The Spruce Grove Saints.
Why is McLeod so valuable? Anyone who has seen him play doesn't need me to answer that question. He's a point per game guy from the back end who is very solid in all aspects. He played for Team Canada West and is a multiple time All-Star. He's also only 19 and as such doesn't take up a 20 year old spot. Why should we care that he's going to Spruce Grove? The Saints are the best team in Alberta and may in fact be the best team in Canada. They've only lost 3 times in regular all season. Now a team that good can add a player of McLeod's status... not paying the price to get him could end up coming back to haunt whichever team wins the BCHL championship and has to face Spruce Grove in the Doyle Cup.
It looks like (at least for now) Prince George Captain Sam Muchalla is staying put. The 1990 born forward could have fetched a huge price on the open market. However, he is a Prince George native and I bet the Spruce Kings wanted to keep him in their uniform before he heads off to school next year. The Sprucies also kept the likes of Zac Rasmussen, Joe Morgan and Brad Bourke who could have been key additions for contending clubs. While it certainly looks like Prince George is throwing in the towel on this season, they do still have some significant talent. The reason I say that is because I'm sure some fans in Trail, Merritt and Quesnel just got a little more comfortable with their playoff spot. Don't count on it yet! Ed Dempsey's club isn't going to go out without a fight. Sometimes a house cleaning of veteran talent like this can motivate guys and create an "us against the world" environment.
They've got nothing to lose so don't start making playoff reservations yet.
PICKERING A VEE
Former Smoke Eater Andrew Pickering is on the move again. After starting his career with Victoria he has now seen stops in Trail, Prince George, Merritt and now Penticton. As Brian reported over at Making Cents, Pickering apparently asked to be moved to a contender. His wish has been granted. There are few if any teams more poised to make a run for it all than the Vees.
In return the Cents will add the services of Sam Gemmell. Gemmell's stay with the Vees was a short one, but there should be an opportunity to prove himself with the Cents. The other good thing for Merritt fans is that Gemmell is only a 1990 born forward so he could return next season while Pickering is in his final year of junior.
I also heard about this deal from a couple of other sources earlier today but they were holding off reporting it until the league approved the deal. Where does Pickering fit in Penticton? I suspect there's an opportunity for him to see some offensive ice with Eric Filiou on the shelf. However, there is a lot of depth on that Vees forward group. He'll have to play and produce consistently to get the kind of ice time he's had in his previous stops. Andrew is a very skilled hockey player who sees the ice very well. It'll be interesting to see how he fits in with the Vees.
SMALL DEALS
There were a couple of other small moves. Vernon sent 19 year old defencemanNils Erik Soderlund to Winkler of the MJHL for futures. Soderlund is a big and talented defenceman who just didn't get enough of a chance to play in Vernon. They have a deep club and Soderlund found himself in the stands more often than not. Now that he'll get a chance to play more I expect he'll turn some heads. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up back in this league next season. Now everyone is wondering if the move clears the way for Sahir Gill to return from the USHL.
Quesnel sent Defenceman Matt Hutchinson to the OCN Blizzard of the MJHL for future considerations. He looked solid in the games I saw him in but apparently wasn't in Quesnel's plans.
Is there more to come? Probably. A lot of these deals don't get reported until a full day later sometimes. Stay tuned for more including an update on the KIJHL. Also don't forget that teams can still add "free agents" if they have available cards. This isn't over just yet.
Trail, BC - The Merritt monkey is off the Smoke Eaters' back after a 5-2 win over the Centennials. Trail beat Merritt for the first time this season and got their first victory over Cents goaltender Keith Hamilton.
The Kelowna product had four wins over the Smokies and picked up right where he left off with 16 first period saves. His play helped Merritt get out to early 1-0 and 2-1 leads on goals by AP Scott Morisseau of the local Beaver Valley Nitehawks. However, Smokies Captain Paul Mailey turned the momentum back in Trail's favour with his goal mid-way through the second period.
The line of Mailey, Justin Brown and Steve Oursov had a hand in 3 of Trail's 5 goals. Mailey and Brown each had a goal and an assist while Oursov scored the winner on a Dustin Johnson turnover early in the third period.
Matt Wilkins and Scott Jacklin also scored for the Smokies.
Kiefer Smiley was terrific in the Trail goal as his turned away 32 Merritt shots for his second straight victory. The Smokies got to Hamilton with 3 third period goals, but the 17 year old still made 35 saves.
The game also had a physical and emotional feel to it that boiled over in the third period. Trail's entire top line got involved in the rough stuff after Jacklin got run into the Merritt net. The aftermath amounted to 42 minutes in penalties. Smokies forward Travis St. Denis also played with enough of an edge to lead both teams in PIMs with 11.
The win broke Trail's seven game losing streak against Merritt dating back to next season. The Smokies are now 5 points ahead of Prince George for the final playoff spot and a single point behind Quesnel and Merritt for fifth. Trail will host Williams Lake next Saturday.
ON THE TRAIL: Defenceman Taylor Swaffield made his debut with the Smokies tonight. He provided a solid physical game despite having not played in three weeks. Graeme Strukoff and Thomas Abenante are still both out injured. Mitch Kaufhmann and Mike Betz were out of the line-up ... Former Smoke Eater Andrew Pickering sat the game out healthy despite being one of Merritt's top scorers. Merritt Coach Luke Pierce told the "Making Cents" blog it was a precautionary measure ahead of tomorrow's trade deadline ... Trail now has points in their last four games and in six of their last seven ... The two teams will face off again in Merritt on February 20th. It'll be Trail's second last game of the season.
Oh what a difference 10 days can make. When Merritt beat Trail 4-3 in overtime back on December 30th there were many who believed the Cents were now a lock to finish ahead of Trail in the Interior standings. However, since that time Trail got a point in an OT loss against Salmon Arm and a gutsy 2 points in an overtime win against Penticton. Meanwhile, Merritt has lost a couple of games in a row against the very tough Westside and Vernon clubs. Now Trail finds themselves within striking distance. They're only 3 points back of Merritt and Quesnel for 5th place in the Interior. With Prince George free falling now is the time for Trail to get on a bit of a roll and secure their playoff spot. The one problem with that? Trail can't seem to solve Merritt this season. Here's how the series breaks down...
The season series has been very different in Trail than it was in Merritt. When the Smokies went to visit the Cents we saw some of the sloppiest games of the year. The most recent battles between the two teams at the Cominco Arena displayed a couple of groups that have really tightened up their play. Both Merritt and Trail are significantly ahead of the teams we saw back in September. The Smokies carried the play in both the December 11th and 30th games, but Keith Hamilton has been terrific against Trail. He has made 40 or more saves against the Smoke Eaters 3 times in 4 starts this season. The 17 year old may be the key to tonight's contest for both teams. Today's game is also the final contest for Trail before the trade deadline and the debut of new defenceman Taylor Swaffield. It appears the Smokies have made their moves, but this game could influence any decisions both coaching staffs are considering heading into Sunday.
POWER PLAY
Trail: 2/22 (9%) Merritt: 5/14 (36%)
TRAIL TOP SCORERS
1. F Scott Jacklin (2-7-9) 2. F Sam Mellor (5-2-7) 3. F Nick Sandor (1-5-6) 4. D Steve Koshey (2-2-4) 5. D Ben Matthews (1-2-3)
MERRITT TOP SCORERS
1. F Derek Hills (5-6-11) 2. F Jeff Jones (3-5-8) 2. F Duston Johnson (5-3-8) 4. F Andrew Pickering (1-6-7) 4. F Jordan Soquilla (1-6-7)
There is no home radio broadcast, but the game is available on BCHLPPV. I should have a new colour commentator with me tonight. Hopefully that will add something to the broadcast for the fans watching at home.
Trail, BC - Keith Hamilton continued his mastery of the Trail Smoke Eaters on Wednesday night. For the second time this month Hamilton made over 40 saves in leading Merritt to a one goal victory at the Cominco Arena. 4 of Hamilton's 7 wins this season have come against the Smokies.
Trail got out to 2-0 and 3-1 leads in the first half of the game, but Hamilton shut the door the rest of the way. His Centennials found a way to score key goals in the final minutes of each period in order to complete the come back.
Silvan Harper scored 2:53 into the first overtime to give Merritt their fifth win over Trail this season and seventh straight win over the Smokies dating back to last season. Derek Hills and Jordan Soquilla each had 3 points on the night for the Centennials.
Sam Mellor and Scott Jacklin each had a goal and an assist for Trail. Darnell Dyck scored the other Trail goal and was robbed by Hamilton in the third period on a great chance to secure the victory for Trail.
The win vaults Merritt into sole possession of 5th place in the Interior Conference while the overtime loss puts Trail into a tie for 7th with Prince George. The Smokies and Spruce Kings now have identical records of 12-24-1-3.
Trail's next action is Sunday afternoon in Salmon Arm. The broadcast will be available locally on Mountain FM.
ON THE TRAIL: Trail played the game in their new third jerseys. They are close to exact replicas of the 1939 World Champion Smoke Eaters jerseys that were recently featured in the Hockey News. The jerseys are being auctioned for the rest of the season and we will set up some kind of online auction shortly ... Graeme Strukoff missed the game with an upper body injury. The All-Star rep for Trail may be in danger of missing that game depending on the severity of the injury ... Thomas Abenante left the game with what appeared to be a serious lower body injury. Abenante had been playing the best hockey of his young BCHL career of late ... Kiefer Smiley made 26 saves on 30 shots in the loss ... Trail finished their 7 game December homestand with 2 wins and 2 overtime losses.
It's a big game tonight for the Smokies as they take on a Merritt club that has for whatever reason controlled the season series so far. The first three games were in Merritt where the Cents have been at their best. However, the most recent contest was in Trail and the first road win of the season for Merritt. It was a game that Keith Hamilton stole with a fine performance. It was also a surprisingly loose and sloppy performance from a Trail team that has tightened up and played a much more complete game this month. They can't afford to have another let down like that tonight. Merritt needs and deserves the same effort and discipline that every other opponent has received this month. Their four wins over Trail should certainly prove that. They're also a team that Trail should be able to beat at the Cominco Arena. The season series should not be as lopsided as it is based on the talent level. That means more than anything Trail's mental game and their work ethic is the key. Here's how the series breaks down...
1. F Derek Hills (MER) 4-4-8 2. F Jeff Jones (MER) 3-4-7 3. F Scott Jacklin (TRA) 1-5-6 3. F Duston Johnson (MER) 4-2-6 3. F Andrew Pickering (MER) 0-6-6 3. D Steve Tresierra (MER) 0-6-6 7. F Sam Merllor (TRA) 4-1-5 7. F Nick Sandor (TRA) 1-4-5 7. D RyneBodger (MER) 2-3-5 7. F ColtonSobchak (MER) 2-3-5
Here is my game report from trailsmokeeaters.com. On one hand you look at the shots and the chances and say it just wasn't in the cards tonight. The Smokies hit several posts, Keith Hamilton made some terrific stops and sometimes those things happen. On the other hand, these are games you have to win. Merritt is now 4-0 against Trail and have jumped ahead in the race for the final playoff spot.
My problem with tonight's outing was with how loose Trail played. You got a sense especially early in the first and third periods that the Smoke Eaters thought they could take it easy. There were a lot of little fancy plays, cherry picking and half hearted back checks. Inconsistent and incomplete efforts get you inconsistent and incomplete results. What on earth would possess this club to think they would get an easy night at the rink against Merritt? The Centennials have now won all four games the two teams have played this season. They won't give you anything.
Frankly there were times in this game where I felt the Smokies played like they think they're a lot better than they are. Guess what? That's a big "L" with a clear message. You don't get to play shinny hockey with anyone. You have to bust your butts the same way against Merritt as you did against Wetside and Vernon. Did anyone who saw that game feel that Trail worked as hard or executed as well in it as they did against those Okanagan clubs?
To me it's not acceptable to raise your level of compete only when the opposition is a so called top team. This club has to work hard, drive the net, win puck battles, play smart and do the little things right night in and night out. Get away from that and you'll lose some games and make their goalie look pretty darn good. Just my 2 cents you may have all seen the game differently.
I'll be at Mountain FM's Miracle Marathon tomorrow from 8am until 4pm at Ferraro Foods. Please drop by and donate some food or money to help feed families in need during the holidays. The Smokies will be joining us sometime around noon hopefully. Shaun Johnson and I will be there throughout the day. Feel free to come talk hockey with us while you make your donation.
After that my girlfriend and I are taking a well deserved two day trip to Cranbrook. The blog will be quiet until Monday because if I brought the computer with me I think I may end up in a body bag. Have a good weekend and hope to see you tomorrow.
Trail, BC - As one of many odd man rush opportunities sailed wide you could sense the game slipping away. A snake bitten Trail club couldn't seem to find their touch around the net in a 3-2 loss on Friday night against the Merritt Centennials.
Keith Hamilton stopped 40 shots to secure Merritt's first road win of the season. He was very good in the Centennial's goal, but Trail also appeared to be gripping their sticks tightly as they failed to execute on an incredible number of quality chances.
Only Sam Mellor could find the net for the Smokies. The 17 year old has now scored 18 goals. He is second only to highly touted NHL draft prospect Beau Bennett of the Penticton Vees in rookie goal scoring.
Colton Sobchak notched the winner mid-way through the third period for Merritt on a mad scramble in the Trail zone. He added 2 assists while his linemate Derek Hills contributed 2 goals and an assist to the cause.
Kiefer Smiley made 24 saves for Trail including several big stops early in the third period. It was an inconsistent effort for the Smoke Eaters as they fired 22 shots on Hamilton in the second period, but had lulls early in the first and third periods.
The Smoke Eaters will have the whole week to think about that game as they don't play again until next Friday at home against a hot Nanaimo club. Trail beat the Clippers on the road in October.
ON THE TRAIL: Merritt now jumps ahead of Trail for the final playoff spot in the Interior. It was the fourth straight win for the Centennials over the Smoke Eaters season, and the sixth straight Merrit win over Trial dating back to the end of last season ... The Smokies have now dropped 5 consecutive games in which they've only scored 8 times. That's after scoring 23 goals in their previous 3 games ... Graeme Strukoff made his return to the line-up the day he was named to the BCHL All-Star team. He hit a crossbar in the first period. Matt Wilkins later rung one right off the middle of the post early in the third period. Both shots could have given Trail the lead they never had all game long ... Hundreds of fans launched stuffed animals onto the ice on Friday when Mellor scored late in the first period to tie the game at 1. It was the first Teddy Bear Toss by Trail in three seasons. Next weekend the club will be collecting food for families in need over the holiday season.
The Smoke Eaters do battle tonight with the Merritt Centennials. It's the fourth meeting between the two teams so far this season. The Cents have won all three thus far, but the games were all in Merritt. This is obviously a big game for both teams as Merritt is just a single point behind Trail for the final playoff spot in the Interior Conference. Both teams are also on four game losing streaks. Trail dropped those games against the Okanagan power houses including a 3-0 loss to Westside on Wednesday. The Cents lost all three of their games on a recent northern road swing. Merritt has yet to win a game away from home and you have to think they feel like this may be a chance for them against a team they've had some success against this season. The Smoke Eaters can not afford to give Merritt another game. It's a big one tonight.
It's also a the return of the teddy bear toss in Trail. Bring stuffed animals to the game and fire them onto the ice when Trail scores their first goal. They'll be passed on to a worthy cause so that some kids get a nice surprise over the holiday season.
I had a chance over the last couple of days to chat with the new coach in Merritt (that's Luke Pierce in his playing days in the photo) and to do a couple of interviews on today's All-Star announcements.
Tonight's win over Quesnel marks the halfway point of the 2009-2010 BCHL season for Trail. PentictonVees play by play guy Ryan Pinder and I are planning to blog about that on a live blog this Tuesday night so stay tuned for more details on that.
From a Smoke Eaters perspective the end of the first half of the season means the end of a ridiculous run of road games. They played 2/3 of their road schedule before even reaching this point. 20 of the first 29 games were away from the Cominco Arena. For a team with Trail's tough travel schedule that made it difficult for them to get any momentum going. The Smokies were also breaking in a lot of rookies and new players especially on the back end. Those players traditionally take a month or two to really get comfortable and confident with the level of play in the BCHL. When you break down the first 30 games into 10 game segments you can see that is starting to happen.
First 10 games: 2-7-1-0
Second 10 games: 2-7-0-1
Third 10 games: 5-5-0-0
The Smokies had a really tough go of it in their first 20 games while breaking in all those new players. Now that they've had key minutes in all situations we're starting to see that hard work pay off. For anyone who has watched the team since September you are now seeing a totally different side of guys like Garrett Beckwith, Tommy Rizzardo, Eric Walker, Wade Bennett and Ben Matthews on the back end. They're all a lot more confident and poised. We also shouldn't forget that the 2nd year veterans on the blue line like Steve Koshey, Graeme Strukoff and Mitch Kaufmann are all 18 years old and still have a lot of developing to do as well. Another 30 games is a big difference when you've only played a year and a half at this level. Plus both Beckwith and veteran Kiefer Smiley have been playing their best hockey in the past 3 weeks. Everyone seems to have more confidence.
While all that ice time for the young guys is starting to pay off on the back end, we're also seeing a forward group with more scoring depth than I think I've ever seen in my time here. Every forward in the top 6 is scoring at at least a point per game pace. The "third line" is as good as the second line has been in previous seasons. Here's a situation where some injuries and new opportunities have thrust some guys into roles where they were able to prove they can produce points. Now Coach Ingram can be confident enough with his entire forward group to roll four lines and know there won't be a shift off for the opposition. The whole top 9 has a ton of skill while the current fourth line has skill and also the ability to work and grind you to death in the corners. Vernon has had so much of their success with the ability to send wave after wave of top end forwards at the opposition. If the Smokies are willing to work as hard as the Vipers do or harder I feel like the skill is here to play in a similar way. However, the work ethic has to be consistent or that skill won't amount to anything.
I'm not saying we can expect a 25-5 run in the second half of the season. There will continue to be growing pains. I'm sure there will be more injuries and bad games here and there. However, I have to believe the worst is behind them. The initial growing pains and endless bus trips are a thing of the past. Now is Trail's opportunity to use those lessons they learned to pull away from the other teams in the so called "second tier" of the Interior Conference and start putting a scare into the Okanagan teams. They can start doing that with 2 more home games this weekend and then 7 of 8 in December. If this team is as talented as I believe they are they'll prove it during this stretch.
Now that we're at that halfway point we can also take a look at who might be potential winners at the awards dinner 3 months from now.
MVP: Last year's winner Ryan Bulach did it all for Trail. He was the leading scorer and one of the top defensive forwards. Scott Jacklin is a guy who is making that kind of an impact for Trail right now at both ends of the ice. The entire top 6 forward group is producing at a similar rate and all could get consideration depending who has a stronger finish. Lewis, Mellor, Sandor, and St. Denis have all been go to guys depending on the game. Dyck has been producing at the same rate as them since a slower September. Wilkins was there too before his injury and Mailey's scoring is coming back. Right now I think my choice would have to be Jacklin. However if we see Mike Betz continue at anywhere near a 2.2 point per game pace that will likely change. You also have to consider a very impressive 21 points in 29 games on the back end from Steve Koshey. Of course this could all change come March.
Leading Scorer: Right now it seems like it'll be between Jacklin, Sandor and Lewis. St. Denis and Mellor could still catch up though. The team has up to 7 guys who realistically could score 20 goals this season. Only 2 scored that many last season. Scoring has not been the issue in the first half. Top Defenseman: Danny DeKeyser won this award for Trail last year after a superb second half of his rookie season. I could easily see one of the first year Smokies like Matthews, Walker, Kaufmann and Rizzardo play a huge second half to take the award. Right now you'd have to go with Koshey based on his very significant offensive production and much improved play in his own end. He had a tough September but has been making big strides at both ends of the ice. Also don't count out Graeme Strukoff for this one once he gets healthy. Unfortunately injuries have limited him to 17 games so far.
Rookie of the Year: Travis St. Denis took this last year after he emerged as an offensive force in the last 2/3 of the season. It didn't take Sam Mellor that long. The Cranbrook product has been one of Trail's best forwards from the moment the puck dropped in September. He's been scoring goals, winning puck battles and playing smart hockey all season. Wilkins could give him a run for his money, but he's hampered by those missing 18 games. Any of the four rookie defenceman could also challenge for the award with a big second half. Look at how much of an impact Eric Walker has already had, and as a 16 year old he's got so much room to grow.
Fan Favourite:JadonPorterfield won this last year and if that's the style of play the fans love I'd have to think Josh McEwan and Sean Nugent would have a really good chance this season. McEwan is a mad dog out there who doesn't seem to fight unless he's giving up 2 or 3 inches and 10 to 30 pounds. He's got the never say die kind of attitude that fans in Trail love. Nugent is another guy who will fight hard for every puck and pound his opponent into sand. However, if the fans go another way I could also see this one going to one of the many local players on the team.
Most Improved: It depends if you define this as most improved from the start of the season or most improved from last year. Porterfield won this last season so I assume it was most improved since the start of the year. In that case right now I'd have to go with Tommy Rizzardo or Darnell Dyck. Both had slow starts and have come on to be two of the team's most reliable players. I'd also like to think that by the time the season comes to an end we could be saying the same thing about the goaltenders. It seems like we're headed that way. If it's most improved from last season Dyck again qualifies as he's already almost doubled his point total. Scott Jacklin had a very slow start to his Trail career and is now one of the team's best players. Steve Koshey has already almost equalled his point total from his rookie year, is playing with a lot more confidence and is in better shape.
As for the awards like inspirational, most dedicated and the sportsmanship/hard work award... it's hard for me to really speculate on that stuff. As well as I know the players I'm not in the dressing room or at practice. That's why these awards are in the hands of the coaches. I do know there are a ton of very good candidates for those awards starting with the team's leadership core.
The first half has obviously been a frustrating one for the Smoke Eaters. I think I probably expected a record closer to .500 than where they are now. 13-16 wins was more in the range I thought we would see. However, they are well positioned to make a run at getting close to .500 in the second half. Hopefully we'll see some big crowds at the Cominco Arena as the guys finally get an extended run at home.
NOTES
...As you've heard and read elsewhere the Merritt Centennials are starting life without the Forsythe brothers. Coach and GM team Dylan and Tyler have either quit or been fired depending on who you talk to. Is it that hard to put out a press release? Luke Pierce takes over as the fourth coach in Merritt in 2009. Al Glendinning, Joey Bouchard and the Forsythes have all left or been shown the door in a turbulent year for the Cents. Pierce is for now just the interim Coach and GM. Can he last? A 7-3 win over Williams Lake is a good start for the young man only a year removed from his playing career. That being said, his long term future will likely depend on how consistent the team can be and what other candidates are available. I do know that I've heard from several sources how well liked Pierce is among the players and staff of the club. If that translates into them working and playing hard for him it's a good start. He has to go up against a league full of very experienced coaches so he'll need all that good will and more.
As for the departure of Dylan and Tyler Forsythe, it's hard to comment on their ability without really knowing what was going on behind closed doors. I will say that generally it's unfair to judge a Coach/GM without at least giving them a full off season to recruit their own players. The Forsythe's came into this situation very late in the game with almost no time to properly recruit. Even when Bouchard was hired I felt like it was too late in the game. Is this the team they would have had in Merritt if they had taken over in March or April? I highly doubt it. That doesn't mean the team they'd have recruited would be better or worse. I'm just saying they really didn't get a chance to prove it one way or another.
I know there was talk of them being involved with some potential investors for the Cents. I assume their departure likely signals the end of that interest. Hopefully whatever hiring the club makes in the future will be entirely hockey related rather than connected somehow to one potential ownership group or another. In the end the society is still running the club and hiring Bouchard for one ownership group and the Forsythes for another (if that is what happened) doesn't seem to have done anything for Merritt. Hire a good hockey guy and that'll work for any reasonable new owner.
I certainly wish Luke good luck in his new role.
...The Okanagan clubs have started making their moves as we start the flurry of activity heading to the December 1rst carding deadline and the January 10th trading deadline. Salmon Arm struck first in dealing local product Mike Puddifant to Burnaby for Matt Ridley. Ridley has moved around from Cowichan Valley to Penticton to Burnaby and now to Salmon Arm in the past couple of seasons. His talent and pedigree is undeniable. However, the son of former NHLer Mike Ridley has yet to find the consistency and mental game to go with his undeniable talent. Playing with the high end talent in Salmon Arm will certainly give him that opportunity. As for Puddifant, he's a hard working young player who will give his all for an Express team that needs a spark.
It's also a very important move for Salmon Arm because 16 year old super rookie Jagger Dirk has left the team for Chicago of the USHL. That's the same team that sniped Patrick Raley from the Smoke Eaters and Sahir Gill from the Vipers. It's bad enough to have them take players from this league in the off season, but when it starts happening during the season? Yikes. Dirk has been a major player on Salmon Arm's young blue line. Ridley is going to have to replace Dirk's offensive production while making up for the loss of Puddifant's solid play in his own end.
...The Vernon Vipers have made a blockbuster deal sending a couple of very promising young players in Nick Amies and Drew George (plus futures) to Cowichan Valley for stud defenceman Curtis Gedig (plus futures). There are a couple of ways we could go with this one. One thought is why would the Vipers want to mess with their chemistry by making a move like this when they're already 28-1 to start the season. Let me again note that they've only lost one game!
Of course anyone saying that probably hasn't talked to Vipers Coach and GM Mark Ferner. Every time I've interviewed him this season he's made it clear he is not yet satisfied with how they've played. He judges the team on their performance not on their opponents and it seems like he still wants to see them play better. That's a scary thought for the rest of the BCHL. Plus while it's always tough to trade good young players like George and Amies, they aren't trading guys who were key cogs on either of their special teams units. We're not talking about core players or members of their leadership group. These are young players whose best seasons in the BCHL are ahead of them.
In return the Vipers get an NHL draft pick who is among the better all around defencemen in the league. Gedig may only have 9 points so far this season, but he's a guy who can play in every situation. I saw him dominate a game here in Trail. He was basically the only reason the Capitals were in that game and pushed them to a 3-2 win. That's just one example, but in talking to coaches, players, broadcasters and scouts around the league there's no question he's considered one of the better completely players out there. He'll also get a great opportunity to pad that point total playing with the deepest roster in the league.
As good as the Vipers are I'm not sure they had a defenceman with as much pure ability as Gedig. I think he can walk into that dressing room and take a spot on both of their top special teams units. I also know that he's a player who would have been a target for any other top team looking to improve their depth on the back end. Can you tell me that he wouldn't have been a welcome addition to Penticton, Westside and especially Salmon Arm? The Vipers in making this move both add Gedig to their line-up and make sure he doesn't end up with one of their closest rivals.
It's a good move. It's also a good move for the Capitals as they add top end young talent in Amies and George. There are also futures involved in the deal that could make it even more valuable depending on what they are. Will next year's Vipers miss those two young talents? Sure they will, but they're also a team that doesn't even have a slight problem recruiting good young talent. Do you think they'll have any issue filling those spots next year? It's all about winning a Royal Bank Cup again this season -- and this move makes that more likely.
Let us not forget that it also clears a roster spot heading towards the December 1rst deadline. The Vipers had 23 guys on their roster and now will be down to 22. I wouldn't be surprised to see them move one of their 8 d-men to move down to 21 before then. At that point their roster players and cards can only total 25. If Vernon had held on to all 23 players they'd have limited the amount of movement they could make at the trade deadline if any injuries or opportunities came up before then.
What do you think?
...The QuesnelMillionaires also got in on the act by picking up forward Jesse Verheyden from Winnipeg in the MJHL and Clayton Chessa from Surrey. Verheyden played last year for Burnaby and has also played for Merritt and Alberni Valley. Both forwards immediately jumped on to their top line with Trevor Hertz. I thought they were the only good line for Quesnel in their 8-2 loss in Trail. Perhaps Chessa is another player like Darnell Dyck was in Surrey -- just didn't get the opportunity to show what they're capeable of. The Millionaires certainly needed to add some forward depth. However, in doing that they appear to have let go of Eric Hansen. Are they much better off with Verheyden over Hansen? It's an improvement, but I don't know if it's a huge one.
...The KIJHL announced that they will welcome the expansion Osoyoos Coyotes into the league for next season. That will bring the league up to 8 Thompson/Okanagan teams and 10 Kootenay teams. Are we headed towards a split and the eventual formation of the Okanagan Junior Hockey League? All parties deny that at this point, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen. They're already cutting back the travel between the two conferences. With each up to at least 8 teams it will soon be easy for owners to say "well why not cut our travel bills and just stick to our own region?" I also think that the number of teams continues to dilute the talent pool in the league. They have the lowest number of 20 year olds of any Junior B league and that has allowed them to focus on being the best developmental Junior B league out there. However, with a limit of only 2 16 year olds and their limit of 20 year olds... it's going to be hard to fill 18 rosters with enough strong 17, 18 and 19 year olds. Especially with Major Midget, BCHL, WHL and now USHL teams all after the best young players.
...I'm still planning to do a full alumni update on the blog soon. If you want links to the graduated alumni you can find it on the official site by clicking here. I did want to note that Grant Rollheiser is back healthy and playing for Boston University. He'll be getting the start at the historic Madison Square Garden this weekend. That'll be an experience for the big guy! You should read the Terrior Hockey Fan Blog for the latest on BU. I also wanted to congratulate former Smoke Eater Travis Gawryletz who got the call up from the ECHL Elmira Jackels to the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters. Good luck to Travis as he tries to make an impression at the next level.
...Trail hosts Prince George Friday at 7:30pm and Penticton on Sunday at 3pm. Hope to see you there!
TRAIL, BC - The top line struck again for the Smokies in a 6-4 victory against the Merritt Centennials. Each of Scott Jacklin, Sam Mellor and Travis St. Denis scored and the line combined for 6 points. The three players are now tied for the BCHL scoring lead after the first weekend of the season.
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