The game was good, the goalies were great and it wasn’t settled until the shootout.
Jacob Terpstra got the game’s first goal and was the only successful sniper in the shootout, as Alberni Valley remained unbeaten in four home games, emerging with a 3-2 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters.
The Bulldogs got the lone goal in the opening frame when Terpstra had a wide-open net on a three-way passing play about five and a half minutes into the game.
Smoke Eaters goalie Teagan Kendrick made some big saves after Trail had a strong start to the second period to keep it a one-goal game and a Bulldogs goal was waved off as the officials ruled Kendrick was bumped during a goal mouth scramble.
The Smokies tied the game just shy of the 13 minute mark, when Judah Makway’s bulldozing backcheck forced a neutral zone turnover, springing Lucas Lemieux on a breakaway and he solved Bulldogs goalie Colin Winn with a sneaky glove-side snipe into the top corner for the defenseman’s fifth goal of the season.
But the Bulldogs replied just over a minute later on a similar play.
Jacob Winfield was among four players who stepped out of the penalty box after serving offsetting roughing minors and he scored on a breakaway lifting a shot into the top corner above Kendrick’s trapper.
The goaltenders shone the rest of the way.
Winn stole what looked like a sure goal away from Trail defenseman Noah Ziskie, who was set up on perfect back-door pass from Cade De St. Hubert, as the shot destined for the top corner ended up in the goaltender’s trapper.
The Smokies did get the tying goal with about 11-minutes remaining in the third period.
Christian Kim, seconds after hitting the goalpost, roofed a beautiful backhander on the power play, snapping Trail’s 0-for-7 run with the man advantage.
The Smoke Eaters had a power play in the final two minutes of regulation, but could not bury the go-ahead goal.
Overtime settled nothing, as Kendrick’s biggest of six extra-time saves came on a potentially buzzer-beating breakaway by Grayson Badger.
Trail also killed off a Bulldogs power play in overtime.
After Terpstra’s goal to open the shootout, the goalies shut the door.
Trail outshot the Bulldogs 36-31 through 70 minutes of action, went 1-for-3 on the power play and killed off all three Alberni Valley advantages.
The Smokies (4-2-1-1) play game two of this four game in five day road trip tonight (Sat) in Victoria against the Grizzlies (5-1). Their lone loss came last Saturday night to the Bulldogs in Alberni Valley. The Grizzlies had last night off.
The game can be heard on Mixlr and watched on FloHockey, starting at 6 p.m.
