Playoffs Game 2: Vernon 7 Trail 2

Don't forget tickets for Game 3 and a possible Game 4 are on sale at the Cominco Arena box office on Monday from 12pm to 4pm. Fill that barn up!

The Smoke Eaters are a confident group right now. They lost 3-2 last night, but the feeling around the room is that they were in the game and absolutely should be able to step up and earn a split here tonight. They're comfortable with the way the game went in a lot of ways. However, they want to make sure they don't take as many penalties (though they didn't like some of the calls) and get some more rubber on Gore in Vernon's net.

I think that's reasonable. It was a 3-2 game with some real close calls both ways. Stefan Decosse nearly put a puck in with two seconds left in yesterday's game. It was that close to an overtime. Put some more pucks on net and you never know what could happen.

The Smokies also realize they came out a bit flat. They think it was playoff nerves. They were a little hesitant in the first, but once they got a few chances they shook off the nerves and played with Vernon the rest of the way. They aren't expecting to deal with a nervous or tentative start today.

Vernon's Coach Ferner says they didn't get as much traffic as they wanted yesterday. He wants more guys going to the net for second and third chances. He liked their puck possession and wants to use their size and puck possession to take advantage of Trail's shorter bench and tire them out.

It's a huge game tonight. If Trail can earn a split we're guaranteed games Monday and Tuesday. Either way expect another great battle between teams who have been close every game this year. 6 out of 7 have been decided by one goal. There's very little reason to expect any different tonight.

What do you guys think? What are the keys for a Smokies victory? Let me know here or send me an e-mail at shawnsamsmullin@hotmail.com

Pre-game show starts at 6:45pm tonight on Mountain FM.

Game 1: Vernon 3 Trail 2

Click here for the boxscore.

Tickets for Game 3 and Game 4 are on sale Monday afternoon from 12pm to 4pm at the Cominco Arena ticket window. Head over during your lunch break and make sure you're hooked up. I really hope to see a big crowd out on Monday and Tuesday. This has been some great hockey lately, and boy would it make a difference to have a big and loud crowd at the rink. Tell your friends, tell your wife, tell your kids, your mother in law, your boss... it's the playoffs! As far as I'm concerned no hockey fan should miss seeing the playoffs live. Even if you don't go to any other game all year, the playoffs are something else. I expect all you fans to badger everyone you know until they say yes. I know I'm going to try, but I'm new in town so that doesn't work as well for me.

If you aren't convinced, remember that playoff time is your last chance to see all the departing players. Your last chance to see Fruitvale native and future Yale star Kevin Limbert's skill and determination, "Toe Drag" Stefan Decosse and his many dangles, the speed, grit and hard work of Casey Shade, the speed, acceleration, dangles and great shot of August Aiken, the alert plays of Westpoint Millitary Academy's Scott Warner, Senators draft pick Kevin Koopman's big shot and big hits, and possible future NHL draft pick, Boston University's Grant Rollheiser... the league's best goaltender in 2008. We're all going to miss these guys, and do yourself a favour, get at least a few last looks here and help them go on a big playoff run.

That out of the way....

I love the playoffs. Just love them. That passion, the intensity, the emotion. Every goal feels different. Every rush is five times as intense. The deeper you get into a playoff round the more you feel like you're going to have a heart attack every time the puck goes anywhere near the net. I don't think any other sport in the world can replicate playoff hockey.

Tonight the Vernon Vipers and Trail Smoke Eaters played a game that was typical of their regular season series. First of all, it was very close. For the sixth time in seven games this year the two teams finished the game one goal apart. The shots were similar to most games we've seen between the two teams as well. Once again Trail was outshot by a substantial margin. Tonight it was 40-22. Once again, Grant Rollheiser was strong in the Smokies net.

However, I think it's important to talk about what kind of shots we're talking about. In the first period especially, Vernon threw a lot of pucks on net without regard to where they were shooting from. The majority came from the point, and almost all were from the perimeter. That's not to say it's ever a bad choice to shoot, but Rollheiser handles those kinds of shots very well. For one he likes to get a lot of work. He also plays his angles well so those kinds of shots aren't nearly as dangerous against him even with tips. Lately his rebound control has also been outstanding. Every time they fired those long shots in, Rollheiser either held on or grabbed the short rebound with his glove immediately.

Mark Ferner told me part of their strategy was to fire a lot of pucks on net and try to get some traffic. Vernon has some big bodies and you could certainly tell that was part of their game plan. However, that act itself I don't think is going to get many through Rollheiser. Plus the Smokies D did a pretty good job of making sure Rollheiser could see those shots.

Where Ferner's plan to get traffic in front had success was in how it caused the Smokies to take some penalties. Specifically, their traffic on the power play twice caused Trail to get themselves into further penalty trouble. You can't get into a 5 on 3 situation against Vernon. That just gives them way too much room to operate. Their PP is actually pretty average 5 on 4, but 5 on 3 they're going to find something. If the attempt at creating traffic in front of Rollheiser can cause Trail to trip, hook, slash or cross check guys in front of the goal we could see that strategy burn the Smokies again.

It was also similar because the Smokies responded from early deficits by continuing to hang in there with the Vipers. They went down 2-0 and immediately made it 2-1. They got down 3-1 and immediately made it 3-2. That was also a hallmark of the games they played this season against Vernon. Why does that happen?

I think the Smokies have been playing a conservative game against the Vipers all year. They let Vernon's skill guys (those top two lines, top line especially) control the puck and take their outside shots. They don't take big risks and try not to make big mistakes, because they know that one blown play will turn into a goal in no time. They also know Grant Rollheiser is going to handle those outside shots as long as he can see them.

It's a strategy that has kept Vernon's usually high goal totals down against Trail. It's a tactic that has kept the games between Trail and Vernon close.

However, it seems like they wait and wait and wait until they get into a hole to start responding with pressure of their own. Once Trail went down 2-0 they dominated the play for the rest of the second period. When they really got the chip and chase game going, they were beating the Vipers to every puck. They used their speed on the big Vernon D, and they were creating some good chances and odd man rushes.

This is not to suggest that they have to open the game up. I think it's fair to say that the Vipers have more pure skill on their top unit so that would be dangerous. We saw what ca happen in that 7-2 game when things got a too loose. However, I do think there needs to be more urgency in Trail's attack early. You can't get 5 shots in the first period and expect to have a lead. It's OK to give them 16 if those shots are mostly easy stops, but you have to respond in kind. It seems like in most games with Vernon this year the Smokies aren't responding that way until they get into that hole. Three times that got them to overtime, but if they had that urgency earlier maybe it never would've got to that point.

The other problem with giving up so much puck control is that it does cause you to take penalties. There were two distinct periods midway through the second and third periods where the Smokies couldn't clear their zone. They hardly touched the puck. The Vipers didn't get a lot of great chances during those long stretches, but that puck control tired out the Smoke Eater players on the ice and a couple of times turned into penalty situations. In the third period fatigue from killing all two minutes of a Casey Shade penalty in the Trail zone caused a break down that forced Shade to take another penalty on a wide open Bishop right after Shade got out of the box. That Shade penalty turned into a 5 on 3 when Koopman went off for tripping (still on that extended period of close to 6 minutes without a clear) and that 5 on 3 turned into a 3-1 lead that was too much to come back from.

So that's why they lost, but why can they win? The Vipers do have some guys who can get frustrated and can take some bad penalties. Whenever Trail would get extended control in the Vipers zone they would end up on the PP. The Smokies have to take advantage of those chances, but that's been an issue all year.

Their speed can give some of the bigger, slower Viper players fits. When someone like Aiken gets going through the neutral zone, there are some defenders on Vernon who can't handle him. He can get to the outside and around them pretty easily. Were he to cut in on a couple of those rushes I imagine he'll get hooked or hauled down. Limbert was using his speed several times and got around the Viper D before driving the goal. The smaller, faster guys on Trail can really get going through the neutral zone if they can break out of their zone properly. They can also win a lot of races to the pucks on dump ins. Once Trail started getting the puck in deep, they were getting to most of those pucks first or at the same time as Vernon's defenders.

Trail also made the game tough on some of the smaller, skill guys on Vernon. Bishop had a goal and an assist on the night, but both came on the power play. One on a 5 on 3 goal that just happened to be sitting there for him after going off a leg in front. Even strength that line created very few dangerous scoring chances. The Smokies did a good job playing Team D once that line got the puck. I can't count how many times Bishop had a shot or pass blocked and deflected today. I also can't count how many times one of the Jones twins was knocked down or thrown hard into the boards. Those guys are very effective in controlling the puck, but knock them down hard and they can get frustrated. One example was when Kellen tripped Herold up for a penalty after Herold had knocked him down. That doesn't mean take a run at them, because all three guys will just step around you... which I saw a couple of times tonight. However, if you can force them into the corner, take away their space, and then finish the play with a hard shoulder into the boards you'll get under their skin and take away the room to be creative. Most of the game the Smokies were doing that effectively.

The extra size and strength for Vernon wasn't a factor tonight at all. If anything I would say the Smokies played a more physical game. They hit more, they knocked more guys down, and they were grittier. The size helped some in controlling the puck in Trail's zone. At least it did for a guy like Bellar who was very hard to move. Vernon had far more puck control and were more composed than in other games I'd seen them play. Again it was very surprising to me to see the Smokies take 8 minor penalties to only 5 by the Vipers. Given the penalty totals of each team this year it's not likely to continue that way. Vernon was shorthanded 414 times this year compared to only 312 for Trail. The Smokies took the fewest penalties in the league while the Vipers took the second most. So Game 1's trend probably won't last.

Finally, I thought the goaltending was a bit of a wash today. Rollheiser faced more shots and didn't look shaky on any of them but the first goal. He gets a pass for one that maybe he should've had. No goalie is going to go 2 full months without one soft-ish goal. Other than that he was money. However, Gore was forced to make a couple of spectacular saves at the end of the first period that were game changers. His stops on Limbert's 2 on 1 chance and Corcoran's all alone in the slot were massive. If Trail had escaped being outshot 16-5 in the first period with a 1-0 lead, that really could've changed the dynamic of the game. As a result, Gore's performance was a key tonight. However, I think the Smokies have a distinct advantage in goal for the series as a whole. Rollheiser is steadier, gives up fewer rebounds and covers the net a lot better than Gore does.

The Smoke Eaters MUST shoot the puck more to take advantage of this. Gore's obviously not an inadequate goalie, but if both teams took 40 shots I'm confident in saying I think he'd let in more than Rollheiser would. The save percentage indicates as much, and that's with Rollheiser likely facing more quality chances in the shots he saw. However, if Vernon outshoots Trail 40-22, all bets are off. They're not likely to win games when they get nearly doubled on the shot clock. That's the reality. They're also not likely to equal Vernon's puck control, but maybe they have to let a few more of those pucks go from further out when they're on the rush. Instead of taking a puck down the boards and deep into the Vernon zone, fire one from the top of the circle and look for a rebound off the pads. Make Gore work for it more than he had to in Game 1.

I think this game showed again that the Smoke Eaters can hang with the Vipers. Each team has their strengths and their weaknesses. Trail did a lot of things right tonight. Keep forcing the Vipers to the outside where Rollheiser can handle those shots. Keep taking away any room the Bishop line has at even strength. Keep taking the body as much as you can on both big and small players.

But Trail has to utilize their edge in speed more than they did. They have to work a faster transition game and go on the attack more than they did. They have to fire more pucks at Gore and drive the net looking for rebounds. Aiken's goal was simple. He took a shot, a bouncing puck deflected back to him and he just fired again. His shot was a beauty, but that's what it takes. Corcoran's goal was a smart play on a great feed by Koopman, but it also worked because the Smokies went to the net and created some havoc in front of Gore. That made it easier for Corcoran to slip in the back door and find an opening. They can do it, but I think they have to go on the attack earlier and more often than they did.

There seemed to be some opportunities to create neutral zone turnovers. The Vipers made a lot of long passes out of their own zone to the red line and the Trail blue line. Create some turnovers on those plays and suddenly you're generating odd man rushes with that speed advantage.

This was a long drawn out way of me saying I think the Smokies can take Vernon. That doesn't mean they will, but it does mean I think they can. There are some definite advantages for them in the match up if they play their game. Trail has a lot of players built for a tight checking playoff environment. Force them into that type of game and the Smokies can come out with 2-1 and 3-2 wins.

Yes, a lot of the things I saw in tonight's games were things I've seen in other games the two teams have played. However, this team is a lot more confident than that team was. This team is a lot more together than that team was. They can respond. I could tell on the bus that the Smokies believe they can beat Vernon and feel like they let this game slip away. That's the nice thing about this loss. They were beat, but not in a way that makes them feel overwhelmed or outmatched.

Vernon is expected to win both at home. Anything less for them is a disappointment. However, I don't think the Vipers are going home tonight feeling like they have a good handle on the Smokies. I bet some of them are wondering what would've happened if they didn't get that 5 on 3 chance. What if the linesman caught Kellen Jones (as some have suggested... would have to see the tape to be sure) for being a step offside on Vernon's second goal? What would've happened if that first goal didn't somehow handcuff Rollheiser. What if Gore didn't make that incredible save on Limbert late in the first period. Hockey can be a "what if" game, but there sure were a lot of them today. One of those things doesn't happen and suddenly we're having a very different conversation.

The records may indicate that Vernon is a substantially better team... that they are on another level. The game doesn't. But that series round up still says 1-0 Vipers, and now it's up the the Smoke Eaters to adjust and respond. Earn that split and anything can happen.

Game 2 is Saturday night at 6:45pm on Mountain FM.

NOTES

...The Smokies handed out their year end awards on Wednesday night. That should get a whole blog to itself but I have not had the chance to do one. Limbert and Rollheiser shared the MVP award. Limbert was top scorer. Rollheiser rookie of the year. Patrick Martin most improved. Ryan Bulach was the most dedicated. Brad Davis won most inpirational. I apparently won an award for ability to sleep in an odd position on the bus. Seriously it was great to see the Smokies recognize all the volunteers that make this team possible. Without them there would be no Smokies.

...The higher ranked team won every game on the first night of BCHL playoff action. Salmon Arm beat Prince George, Surrey beat Powell River and Burnaby beat Victoria. I guess all these teams are ranked where they are for a reason, eh? Come on underdogs, lets see some upsets!

...Kegan Little played his second game of the year as an AP for the Smokies. The Castlegar Rebel looked solid and created a good chance on Gore in the first. He had one of the few chances Trail had in that period. Didn't see a lot of ice during extended periods of penalty trouble, but played well when he had the chance.

Little and the Rebels were swept by Beaver Valley 3-0 in the first round of the KIJHL playoffs. Two of those games went to overtime. While there are a few former Nitehawks on the Smokies who certainly cheered their old team on, it would probably have been better for the Smoke Eaters if Castlegar won. They had a lot more potential AP players on the Nitehawks. But I suspect they'll continue to cheer on Justin Brown, Layne Stopanski, Grahame Proulx and the gang as they battle first place Nelson in the Neil Murdoch West Division finals. Game 1 of that series is Saturday night in Nelson. Take your walkman to the game! Watch good hockey live while listening to your Smokies on the radio.

...Kevin Koopman drove Zurevinski hard into the boards and actually caused a pane of glass to shatter midway through the second period. Some Vipers guys said the sticks probably had something to do with the glass busting, but hey that's something Koopman can tell his grandchildren someday. "When I was a young man I hit someone so hard it broke the rink! We used to have to ride something called a bus to hockey games back then..."

...I thought Patrick Raley played a very good game against his old team in Game 1. He seemed to have a step on a couple of their skill guys. Anticipated the play well in his own zone. Perhaps hsi shoulders were feeling lighter out there after he dumped some unwanted baggage in Vernon! That truck sure made for an interesting Thursday.

...Did you guys like the pre-produced intro we aired before the start of the pre-game show today? I thought it was a nice little addition to the broadcast. But I like cheezy hype packages. Made me feel like a low rent Bob Costas for a few minutes there.

...Finally, we changed up the way my broadcast was sent to the fan zone today. Hope out of town fans picked it up fine and it sounded OK. Let me know if you had any problems. Hopefully it works fine tomorrow too. If you ever have issues though send an e-mail to shawnsamsmullin@hotmail.com

The mood is still good on this team right now, Smokies fans. It's a loss, but it's no dagger in the heart. They're going to go hard for that split, and I think they've got a pretty good shot at getting it. You have to love playoff hockey. All the coaches and players are going through today's game in their heads as we speak. Adjustments will be made. Plans will change. The intensity level is only going to get higher.

You have to love it.

See you all Monday night!

(Photo by Randy Emery from the first game of the season. Wish he or Scotty were here to do some colour!)

Rollheiser to Boston (Plus Andy Balesky Audio)

Just talked with Grant Rollheiser who confirmed that he has committed to Boston University for next season. Congratulations to Grant who has worked his butt off to become one of the elite goaltenders in this league. Smokies fans should now take advantage of their last chance to see him in the Orange and Black during this playoff run. He's played incredible hockey in 2008, and Trail will try to ride that great goaltending and their veteran leaders to playoff succes this year. The whole team has been playing very good hockey lately so it'd be great to see them make a run here.

I watched Grant play in last year's KIJHL playoffs for Nelson and immediately thought he would be a strong Junior A prospect for this season. I thought he was a model of consistency for most of this season while the whole team battled to find their identity. In the new year he's taken his game to the next level. Rollheiser is a big, positional goaltender who makes the job look easy. That doesn't mean he's not making spectacular saves, but they just don't look that way because he's so poised and reads the play so well. In my opinion he's got the mental make-up of a top goalie. As much as I would've wanted to see him play again next year, I'm really happy for him. This is a wonderful achievement.

Rollheiser says he has been told he'll compete for the starting job next season. Seems he fell in love with the city and the school on his fly down. There have been a ton of schools after Grant lately. Schools and NHL scouts as well. This is a special player. All the best to him, and lets hope his final games as a Smokie are successful.

• Click Here for Part 1 of the Rollhesier interview on Overtime
• Click Here for Part 2 of the Rollhesier interview on Overtime
  

Wednesday night is the Smokies Awards Banquet and you have to think that this could be the second straight year that a goaltender takes home the MVP award. Kevin Limbert to me would be the other favourite for that particular award. Either way it's a nice celebration of the team.

NOTES

...The Smokies announced today that Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke will be at the head table for the Smokies fundraising dinner this summer. It's part of the great golf tournament weekend sponsored by the Terra Nova. They're teaming up with the local ALS charity this year to share the fundraising efforts. Watch the Smokies website for ticket information. Do you think I should mention to Mr. Burke that I'm an Oilers fan? Nah.

...Kevin Limbert finishes the regular season as the team leader in points while Brett Corcoran is the team leader in goals. Scott Warner leads the D in scoring and Brad Davis takes home the most penalty minutes. Trail wrapped up the season with four straight wins and five wins in their last six games. They're playing their best hockey at the exact right time. That 6-1 home win over Salmon Arm was sure a nice way to wrap up the regular season against a potential playoff opponent.

...Prince George beat Quesnel 4-2 in their second last game to come within one point of Trail. The final game on Wednesday night will decide the playoff match up. A PG win means Trail takes on Salmon Arm in the first round. A scheduling conflict in Salmon Arm would give the Smoke Eaters a home game to open that series. It would start Friday in Trail and then go to Salmon Arm for two games. Back to Trail for a fourth and then to Salmon Arm again for the fifth game. If Quesnel wins, the Smokies stay in 5th place and travel to Vernon for a Friday start against the Vipers.

...What a game on Monday night in the KIJHL! I was working at the station while the game was going on, but by the time the first overtime winner for Beaver Valley was called back I decided I had to get down to the game. Thanks to Guy Bertrand of the Trail Times and my friend Sarah for keeping us updated. I did some updates the rest of the way while watching the drama unfold. Just a classic playoff performance by Taylor Quinn of the Nitehawks. Castlegar got swept but in many ways deserved a better fate. The Nitehwaks were the better team in the series, but I think it's clear after this season that the KIJHL playoff format should move to a Conference set up similar to that in the BCHL. Having Castlegar and BV playing in the first round would be like Penticton and Westside playing in the first round. Quinn scored four goals including the eventual winner in an instant classic. There was great fan support for both teams. Really emotional finish especially when you consider that the Junior B careers of guys like Rockney, Steele and Dielwart are over. I'll have interviews with Cody Steele and Brent Heaven on Wednesday night's Overtime show on Mountain FM. Now Nelson and Beaver Valley will battle in a re-match of last year's division finals.

• Click here for an audio summary of the Game 3 marathon from Overtime.

...I received a couple of requests for copies of the interviews we did in tribute to Andy Balesky on Overtime. The Hall of Fame little league baseball coach will be honoured on Thursday night at the Cominco gym. I heard close to 1000 people are expected to attend. What a legacy and what a career. Balesky coached Trail ittle league ball teams to 5 Canadian and 11 provincial championships. If you're interested here are links to the interviews. Some great stories from great members of the Trail athletic community.

• Ray Ferraro (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
• Bob Moffat (Part 1, Part 2)
• Fred Romano (Part 1, Part 2)
• Cory Ross (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
• Neil Craig (Part 1, Part 2)

Playoffs!

The Trail Smoke Eaters made it into the big dance. In a season filled with massive challenges I think that qualifies as a nice accomplishment. There is no question that some fans expected them to be top 3 in the conference. Same can be said for Merritt, tonight's opponent for the Smokies at Cominco Arena. Predictions are an inexact science obviously. The Smokies battled through some really tough tests to get where they are today. January was so tough.. That schedule was brutal on top of the lost players and injuries.

However, after all that, I think they've found something new. The trip to Vancouver really seemed to do something to their mentality. I think the win against Burnaby could stand up as the moment when the Smoke Eaters finally found their identity as a team. They won that game with hard work, two-way play, driving the net and strong goaltending. That's the formula that is going to win this team hockey games. They know how to play at both ends of the ice. There's a lot of speed and grit on the team. They're strong penalty killers. I don't think this Smokies team is ever going to score a ton of goals each game but they're a team who can win with playoff style hockey.

After the big 2-1 win in Burnaby and fighting through some adversity in Surrey, I think they came out of the road trip a more confident and united group. It showed in two strong games against Prince George last weekend. The Smokies secured their playoff spot by using that same hard working, hard nosed style with more great goaltending. It's a recipe I think that they could have some success with come playoff time.

For a long time this year people called them disappointments. Now they're underdogs. Nobody expects anything from the Smokies now, and they may just surprise you. This team is more united than they have been all season long. I have a good feling that we're going to see their best hockey when the puck drops on the post season.

Tonight against Merritt is a good chance for the team to stay hot. Lets see if the put in another strong 60 minutes. Here's hoping. It's fan appreciation weekend so there are all sorts of deals tonight and Sunday afternoon at 3 against Salmon Arm. Season ticket holders can use any left over tickets to bring friends. Also some nice deals at the Sud Shack! Come on out and join us

After the game we'll be at Rave's for our post game show.

KIJHL

...The KIJHL playoffs start today in Fruitvale as the Beaver Valley Nitehawks host the Castlegar Rebels in the first game of a best of five series. These two teams are so close. BV had 72 points to Castlegar's 71. Just how close was the Neil Murdoch West Division? Nelson won it with 73 points. That's a three point seperation with the top three teams. Nelson gets the bye. It's a huge shame that either of them will be eliminated in the first round. The Nitehawks beat Castlegar in 7 games in last year's first round as well. Game two is tomorrow night in Fruitvale so all Smokie fans who went to today's game can head on down to the BV Arena. Then on Sunday the Smokies host Salmon Arm. The KIJHL series starts up again in Castlegar on Monday and Tuesday. Lots of hockey for local fans!

UPDATES

...Kevin Limbert has two goals and Koopman the other. Fights for Martin and Corcoran. Good game so far. Lots of fire. BV and Castlegar are tied at 2 after one.

...5-1 in the third period. Limbert has 2, Koopman has 2, Corcoran has the other one. Raley may be hurt. Hopefully not serious as he's really been fitting in well of late. Good game so far by Barclay. Apparenly 3-2 for BV after the 2nd period in Fruitvale.

Almost There

After last night's win over Prince George, the Trail Smoke Eaters have almost earned that final playoff spot in the BCHL Interior Conference. A Trail win tonight and a Quesnel loss against Vernon would guarantee the Smokies a trip to the playoffs. At times throughout the last two months I was really wondering if the boys would ever get back on track. However, once you're in the big dance it doesn't matter what place you start... only matters what place you finish.

I've really liked how the team has played over the last 3-4 games. It really started with the jump they had against Langley, and I think that mental toughness started to come around in the 2-1 win over Burnaby and that war with Surrey. I think the guys are starting to realize the kind of game they have to play. It's a hard working, blue collar style that is going to bring them success. There's lots of guys on the Smokies who can play that solid two-way game and they are starting to embrace it. The Smokies are going to score goals with a lunch pale style. Throw those pucks on net, drive the goal and look for rebounds. That's where their goals came from last night.

Grant Rollheiser was great again last night. 28 saves for his second BCHL shut out. He continues to develop into one of the top netminders in the league.

Casey Shade came through with a goal and an assist last night as well. He's one of those veterans who has to bring that scoring for the Smokies if they want to make something happen in the playoffs. Limbert and Davis had the other goals for Trail. For Davis it was his first goal of the season and a big monkey off his back He's looking more confident tonight all ready after finding the net. Coach Ingram says it was one of the biggest cheers of the year on the bench after Davis scored. He's really respected on the bench for how many times he stands up for the guys. Davis actually won a big fight in the first period last night knocking Lees down with a huge right hand.

There were four fights last night. Lots of scrapping from two teams fighting for their playoff lives. They've had great games every time they've hooked up. Nice to see guys like Kinnebrew, Warner and Ourosov drop the gloves and answer the bell.

After a big win over Grand Forks in their final KIJHL regular season game, Layne Stopanski and Steve Kosher of the Beaver Valley Nitehawks join the Smoke Eaters tonight. Beaver Valley could earn a first round bye in the KIJHL playoffs if Nelson loses tonight against Creston. Otherwise it's another big first round battle between the Nitehawks and the Castlegar Rebels.

Ryan Bulach and weekend notes

Not a lot of time again today, but it looks like two-way forward Ryan Bulach is going to be gone for the rest of the BCHL season. After being hit by Surrey's Pajimola behind the Trail net, Bulach fell backwards into the boards. He tried to get up and collapsed in a scary scene. Big thanks to the Surrey training staff for being so quick and efficient in helping Bulach out at the scene. Thankfully there was no head or neck injury. They took seveal minutes to make sure of that. However, after a quick trip to the hospital in Surrey, it looks like Bulach's season is done. From what I've read, a broken collarbone (which he has apparently sustained) can take between 6 and 10 weeks to heal. That would put us into at least April.

Bulach is a huge part of this hockey team. He's one of the better playmakers, scores goals, kills penalties, wins face offs and makes important plays in his own zone. He's a guy who would be expected to take on a huge leadership role on this team as a 20 year old next year. This year he's arguably been the #2 centre on the team behind Kevin Limbert. It's another huge blow for a Smoke Eaters team that can't seem to find a break.

They are now down to 10 healthy forwards and that includes Kevin Limbert who missed last night's game with an undisclosed injury. So really we're talking about 9 healthy forwards right now depending on Limbert's recovery time.

On the positive side they scored 4 goals in the last two games of the road trip. That's not exactly a ton of goals, but it's sure better than 3 goals in six games. They're working very hard and responded well to adversity in both Friday and Saturday's games. Only two points on the road trip, but I think the team and the coaching staff felt much better about their play. The Burnaby and Surrey games were playoff like, and the Smoke Eaters showed a lot of guts and tenacity. With Grant Rollheiser playing the best hockey of his career in the Trail net, anything can happen.

Quesnel is four points back of Trail for the final playoff spot with five games left. Trail has four games left. Prince George is four points ahead of Trail and they have seven games left. It's possible that the three teams could all finish in 5th, 6th or 7th but realistically the Spruce Kings are almost guaranteed a playoff spot. It's up to the Smoke Eaters to stay ahead of Quesnel with at least one or two wins in their remaining home games. Those include two this weekend with Prince George, one with Merritt and one with Salmon Arm. It'll be a challenge without Bulach, Brodie and possibly Limbert... but one this Smoke Eaters team seems ready and willing to meet.

NOTES

...Brian Youngson won't be behind the bench for the remaining home games. He has a personal matter to attend to in Vancouver before coaching Team Kootenay in the BC Winter Games. Despite silly rumours to the contrary, Youngson is as committed to his team as any coach in this league. Just wanted to make sure the truth was out there so nobody speculated when he wasn't there this weekend.

...Paul Mailey had a break-out weekend for the Smokies. He was their best skater all weekend. He also had three points on Friday and Saturday. Maily scored the winning goal against Burnaby, got Trail on the board against Surrey and made a beautiful two-line pass to set up August Aiken's goal in the Eagles game. Mailey also sees a ton of PK time as one of the team's most responsible two-way forwards. This weekend it seemed like he found an extra gear in his offensive game that could turn him into an elite player in this league.

...Stefan Decosse was back in form this weekend. As our guest colour comentator Scott McKinnon said on the broadcast, Decosse had the puck on a string. He set up several great chances while doing a great job on puck possesion in the offensive zone. Also made a ridiculous toe-drag move against Burnaby on Saturday that would've been a great chance if he didn't fall after.

...Scott Warner and Kevin Koopman are getting the job done as Trail's top pairing, but this weekend was also a really strong one for the other four guys on the blue line. I had a couple of scouts talk to me about how well Hill, Kinnebrew, Geerin and Raley played. How far has Kinnebrew's game come in the past two months? His physical game is at a level now that I didn't know he had. The whole group did a very good job keeping shooters to the outside and making the simple plays. They're going to be a tough group to play agianst down the stretch and in the playoffs. We can only imagine how tough they'd be with a healthy Cam Brodie.

...Rollheiser is emerging as an elite goaltender in the BCHL. He has more scouts than you can count following him right now. Don't be surprised to see his name in the NHL draft his year. Trail fans don't want to miss their chance to see him play.

...That was our last regular season road broadcast of the year. It's been a dream come true for me to be the play by play voice of a hockey team with this much class and tradition. Thanks to Mountain FM and the Smoke Eaters for that opportunity. Also thanks to John for being my regular producer. Randy Emery for his guest colour spots and "Dog Bites" or pieces of Smokies history that he sends my way. Thanks to my other guest colour guys Scott McKinnon, Jamie Paulsen, Ryan Hill, Stef Decosse, Logan Proulx and anyone I might be forgetting. It's always fun to have someone there to talk hockey with so you all don't get bored of my voice. The executive, coaching staff and players have treated me with nothing but respect from day one and I really do appreciate that. I'm lucky to be associated with the Smokies in my own small way. I may not be as loud a cheerleader for the team as some of the fans would like, but I really hope good things happen to everyone in this organization. Lets hope we have many playoff broadcasts to come!

A WIN!

Long time no talk. Sorry for the updating, but life gets busy sometimes. I'm actually having an issue with my laptop. Needless to say I'd advise you not to buy an ACER.

Anyway just a very quick update to say what a great win yesterday. As good a 60 minute effort as I've seen from the Smokies all year. Paul Mailey was an absolute FORCE last night. Best skater on the ice for both teams in my opinion. He and Decosse worked very well together. Corcoran jumped in there with them and scored a huge goal to break the goose egg. Despite no goals in the first period they didn't get down. Despite giving up the 1-0 lead they didn't get down. Few mental breakdowns. Very strong defensive play from the whole D core last night. A scout I talked to really liked what guys like Kinnebrew, Hill, Raley and Geerin were doing last night... and we always get really strong performances from the top pairing of Koopman and Warner.

That was playoff hockey from the Smoke Eaters. Play like that and they will scare some teams come playoff time. Ultimately the biggest reason for that fear will be between the pipers. Grant Rollheiser has found another gear lately. Scouts are all over him and the Smokies are going to ride this great play as long as they can. Just a pleasure to watch in goal and a guy who could end up drafted in the NHL come June. Don't miss your chance to see him in the final four home games of the year.

Surrey tonight. Limbert's out but hopefully only for the one game. Barclay's sick so Rollheiser will go again tonight even though it's three in three games. Lets hope for another great effort tonight and for a Vernon win over Quesnel. Smokies are 5 points up for that last playoff spot.

Tonight's game is live on Mountain FM at 6:45pm!