Trail callup Craig Martin tucks home the fourth Smokies goal in the third period (Randy Emery photo)The Smokies set a new season high with six goals for, and three third-period tallies paced Trail to a second straight victory on home ice Thursday against Alberni Valley.
It was the Bulldogs who opened the scoring, as ex-Smoke Eater Daniel DelBianco snuck in from the point 4:54 into the first period to score only his third BCHL goal in his first game against his former team.
Trail answered back quickly, though. Erik Cooper received a generous bounce off the end boards and tucked a puck past an out-of-position Matt Larose 4:59 later, before Connor Tiechko put home a Joren Johnson point blast that squibbed through the Bulldog netminder's legs later in the opening frame.
The Bulldogs tied the game 5:28 into the second on a Cooper-esque end board bounce that was tapped home by Ryan Lough, but then a mid-period penalty to Alberni Valley served as the prequel to the eventual game-winner.
Marley Keca's one-timer landed on the stick of former Port Alberni resident Brent Baltus, who put home his third goal in as many games to put Trail in front before the second intermission.
The Bulldogs came storming out of the gate in the third period, similar to their first-period start, but Smokies goaltender Lyndon Stanwood made a number of saves (and received help from the crossbar on one occasion) to keep the Trail lead at 3-2.
A defensive zone turnover by Alberni Valley 5 minutes into the third precipitated a break for AP callup Craig Martin. The 16 year-old coolly outwaited Larose (after receiving a nifty pass from Riley McDougall) to deposit his fifth BCHL goal of the season.
Baltus would add his second minutes later after fishing a loose puck out of the top of the crease, before Tanner Clarkson wired home a wrister from the right circle later in the period to round out the scoring.
The game was not without physicality. The Bulldogs' Turner Popoff took exception to being thrust to the ground by Cooper in the first period after attempting to throw a check. The two exchanged blows before the Smokies' leading scorer was brought to the ice.
Then in the third period, Bulldogs defenseman DelBianco engaged Smokies rearguard Brandon Egli in front of the Trail goal. DelBianco was forced to the locker room after Egli landed a couple of blows late in the tilt.
Alberni Valley's Justin Morello also left the game in the second period and did not return.
Up Next: The Smokies are back on home ice in search of a better result against the Chilliwack Chiefs Saturday night. Trail led 3-0 a week ago at Prospera Centre only to fall 4-3 on a Shay Laurent winner.
6 comments:
Not sure what was said about me on the broadcast, but when Popoff threw punches at his downed opponent I said quite clearly I wasnt a fan of such actions, exactly the same thing I said when Elgi threw punches at his opponent when he was already also down later in the game. Reinforced my comment on Elgi by reminding that I said I didn't like it when Popoff did the exact same thing earlier.
I don't think anyone was implying that you were a fan of such actions, I just relayed to the ppv audience that you didn't like the fact Egli got two punches in after DelBianco was down.
Yes, it was similar to what happened in the first period between Popoff and Cooper, but I wasn't in any way trying to disparage you, Hammer, or your team.
Apparently there was some reference to Popoff doing it earlier. Was it relayed to them that I didn't like the fact that he did it either? No big deal and I'm going on third party info anyway but it was brought to my attention this morning.
As long as our fans know I'm impartial and call a spade a shovel whether it's one of "our" guys or "their" guys, that's all that matters to me!
There was a reference to Popoff doing it earlier because both fights ended similarly.
I'll admit I didn't make any reference at all to anything you might have said about the Popoff/Cooper fight, mainly because I didn't hear what you said. Again, not trying to paint anyone as a homer, and my apologies if that's how some people thought it came off.
I watched it. All good. Interesting set of circumstances that a similar incident happened with each team being guilty of going against "the code" - at least in my humble opinion. A strong reinforcement for me in my efforts to always call it down the middle and "how I see it", you can't applaud or ignore one side of the puck doing one thing and then highlight or chastise the other side for the same thing later in the game.
Chris Nice to see the TSE winning some games
Mike Roberts / Joshua's Dad here checking in check out Heisngers repoer NCAA D1 commitments
Joshua has comitted to ARMY
Let Bill Know ok
Mike
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