FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TuesdayNovember 9th
VEES DROPPED5-3 BY SMOKE EATERS IN TRAIL
TRAIL, BC ? ThePenticton Vees have lost two in a row to the Trail Smoke Eaters after Tuesdaynight?s 5-3 set back in the Kootenays.
With five of the BCHL?s best busy with Team Canada West atthe World Junior A Challenge, the Vees and Smokies fielded teams with acombined seven affiliate players in the line-up.
The Vees struck first blood when Mark Hall made a beautifultoe drag move on a two-on-one rush midway through the first period. Hall?s 3rdof the season had the Vees ahead until the Smoke Eaters struck for two quickstrikes on the power play.
Cullen Bradshaw gave the Smoke Eaters the lead when tallieda pair on the power play just 2:41 apart; Scott Jacklin, and Ryan Aynsley setup both goals.
The Vees tied the game when James Polk buried his fifth goalof the season just seven seconds into the Vees first power play of the night.
With the Vees back on the man-advantage late in the period,Jake Baker raced in on a breakaway for the Smoke Eaters, as time was windingdown in the period. Baker was taken to the ice just before time expired and wasgranted a penalty shot at the twenty-minute mark.
Baker made no mistake, scoring on the penalty shot to givethe Smoke Eaters 3-2 lead after 20 minutes – a lead they wouldn?t relinquish.
Scott Jacklin scored at even strength and Eric Cooper addeda 5th goal on the power play in a second period where the Veesallowed just a five shots.
In the third period Kyle Mountain scored for the Vees in thelate going, but his third of the season was too little too late.
With the loss the Vees fall four points back of the Smokiesfor top spot in the Interior Conference. The Vees hold a pair of games in hand.
The Vees would finish with one power play goal on fiveopportunities on the night, while the Smokies ended up three-for-four.
Joel Rumpel was stuck with all five goals against beforebeing spelled by Vees AP net-minder Kyle Laslo. Kiefer Smiley was strong in theTrail net allowing just three goals on 33 shots against.
Without Travis St. Denis and Sam Mellor in the Trail line-upthe Smoke Eaters didn?t miss a beat; BCHL assist leader Scott Jacklin combinedwith Cullen Bradshaw and affiliate Ryan Aynsley to score four of the fiveSmokies goals.
Jacklin finished with a goal and three assists, Aynsley hadfour assists and Cullen Bradshaw had two goals and an assist on the night – muchto the delight of the 875 fans in attendance.
Next action for the Vees comes on Saturday where the clubwill play its final game without the services of Mark MacMillan, BrendanO?Donnell, and Joey LaLeggia ? who are with Team Canada West for the WorldJunior A Challenge.
Team Canada West has suffered an overtime loss in roundrobin play at the WJAC. Canada will face Russia Wednesday at 7:30 at the SOEC.
The Vees don?t hit home ice until next Wednesday, Novemberthe 17th following Sunday?s conclusion of the World Junior AChallenge at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Vees game tickets and World Junior A Challenge tickets canbe purchased at the box office during business hours, or online atValleyFirstTix.com.
