Game Day | TRA at OKO

Trail, British Columbia (December 7, 2024) – The Trail Smoke Eaters sniped six second period goals on their way to an 11-0 beating of the beleaguered Bulldogs in Blackfalds.

Evan Sundar broke out of a 12-game scoring drought with three goals and added two assists to lead the Trail attack.

Sundar’s centreman Judah Makway was the game’s best setup man with four assists and if it wasn’t for a miraculous glove save by Bulldogs goalie Waylon Esche, the third member of that line Dylan Lariviere would have also hit the scoresheet.

Christian Kim opened the scoring with his first of two goals on the night and his second came after a slick move into the slot with a sizzling snapper into the top corner. Kim also set up a pair of goals by Jason Stefanek, whose second was the team’s league leading 8th shorthanded goal of the season.

Gryphon Bucci also buried two goals, with Noah Ziskie and Cash Carter rounded out the scoring.
Carter’s unassisted goal came after a terrific toe-drag past the lone defender in his way.
Lucas Lemieux potted a pair of assists, as did rookie defenseman Cohen Carter who recorded his first two points in the BCHL.

While the Trail troupe was firing 42 shots on Bulldogs goalies Esche and Dylan Adams, Teagan Kendrick was kicking out 23 shots for his first shutout of the season. That included a second period breakaway stop on Ryan Shaw, a sensational trapper tagging of a shot by Thomas Neu during a second period power play and a bolt across the crease for a backdoor save late in the third period.

The Smokies did not have a power play and killed off both Bulldogs advantages, running their streak of successful kills to 15, as well as 38-of-the-last 39.

Trail has triumphed in five straight games and have points in six in a row. The Bulldogs suffered their 11th straight setback.

The boys bussed to Okotoks after the game for Saturday night’s showdown against the Oilers.

Okotoks lost 7-3 Friday night in Spruce Grove, but beat Trail 3-2 in overtime in the first game of this season series two weeks ago, during the Smokies last trip to Alberta. On that evening, the Smokies battled back from a pair of one-goal deficits, including Cade De St. Hubert’s 1st BCHL goal that forced overtime.

The action begins at 6 p.m. Pacific time, on Mixlr and FloHockey.