Game Report | TRA at VIC

Holly Hannah, what a game!

Judah Makway’s power play goal 1:28 into overtime got his teammates pouring off the bench in celebration and and thrilled the many Smoke Eater jersey-clad fans on hand, as Trail triumphed 6-5 in Victoria, ending a wild, wide-open display of offense by both teams.

It didn’t start well for the Smoke Eaters who found themselves down 2-0 just four minutes into the game.

Issac Fecteau got the comeback train chugging with his first snipe of the year into the short-side top corner converting a 4-on-1 rush just 40 seconds later.

Jason Stefanek’s first of two goals tied the game eight minutes later on a set up from Christian Kim’s spinorama backhand pass on play started by Attila Lippai in the neutral zone.

Trail took the lead three minutes later when Drew Anastasio saw Grizzlies goalie Tyler Hodges out of position and banked the puck in off the prone goaltender from behind the goal line.

But the lead only lasted just over a minute, as Victoria’s Chase Pirtle scored his first of two goals on a solo effort from the neutral zone and buried the backhander from in close on Smokies netminder Ryan Parker, as the Victoria area boy got the start in front of family and friends.
Pirtle restored the lead for the home side on an early second period power play shot from the slot, but again the Smokies replied.

Evan Sundar set up Lippai on a perfect pass during one of the seemingly endless odd man rushes, as Lippai swept in his own rebound just past the 13-minute mark of the middle frame.

It looked as if Trail had taken the lead on a late second period power play on Noah Ziskie’s one-time blast from the point, but the referee closest to the net indicated his shot hit the crossbar and the play was not reviewed.

The Grizzlies regained yet another one-goal lead early in the third period when Tom Molson hit the top corner, converting a cross seam pass on a two-on-one break, but Stefanek took advantage of one of the many crazy bounces on the night, when the puck landed on his stick in behind the Victoria defense, and the 20-year-old ripped a low stick-side shorthanded snapper past Hodges just 31-seconds later.

The scoring chances just kept coming at both ends.

Parker preserved the game for his teammates with a game-saving stop on Jacksenn Hungle who had an open look from the slot on a two-on one rush with just over 40 seconds remaining in regulation. The 19-year-old was positioned at the top of the crease and made a difficult stop, look routine.

Early in overtime, Makway drew a holding penalty on a power move to the net and moments later drained the dramatic game winner.

The 20-year-old from Trail won the net-front battle and swept in a pass from Kim for the Smokies lone, but timely power play goal.

The Grizzlies outshot the Smoke Eaters 38-34 and scored on two of their three power play advantages, while Stefanek’s shorthanded goal was Trail’s fourth of the season.

Trail was 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

The Smokies have the day off Sunday before opening their BCHL Showcase Monday at 1 p.m. in Abbotsford against former Smokie, Cam Keith’s Cowichan Valley Capitals.