Game Report

The defenses were solid and the goaltending was excellent.

However, when the ice chips cleared on Ladies Night in West Kelowna, the Warriors skated away with a 3-1 win over Trail in a game that wasn’t settled until an empty net goal by Callum Hughes with just four seconds remaining.

The game’s first goal didn’t come until about the 18-minute mark of the second period, when the puck deflected onto Eliot Compton’s stick at the side of the Smoke Eaters net on a Warriors power play, and he found the top corner of a wide-open net.

There were great opportunities at both ends earlier in the middle frame.

Warriors goalie Dawson Labre scrambled across the net to rob Gryphon Bucci, whose backhander of a bouncing puck looked destined for a wide-open cage.

Smoke Eaters netminder Teagan Kendrick’s most sensational of 31 saves was off a Jackson Kyrkostas breakaway as the speedy Warriors winger tried to put the puck between the 20-year-old’s pads.

The West Kelowna winner came over 14-minutes into the final frame when newcomer Sam Ledrew found the top corner, sniping a screenshot from the right wing circle, but the Smokies kept coming.

Dylan Lariviere stuffed home a loose puck from behind the goal line after a goal-mouth scramble following his power move to the net, but the Smokies were unable to bury the tying goal, despite one last push after killing off a late penalty.

Labre was named first star for his 22-save effort, Kendrick was the third star.

Trail was 0-for-3 on the power play, and killed off 3-of-4 Warriors advantages.

After splitting the home-and-home series against West Kelowna, the Smoke Eaters now get ready for a four-game trip to the island and lower mainland.

It begins Friday evening in Alberni Valley, with a Saturday night date in Victoria, followed by games Monday and Tuesday afternoon at the BCHL Showcase against Cowichan Valley and Powell River.

All games can be heard on Mixlr and watched on FloHockey.