FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SaturdayOctober 30th
VEES DROPPEDBY SMOKE EATERS 6-2 IN TRAIL
TRAIL, BC ? The PentictonVees have ten days to plot their revenge on the Trail Smoke Eaters following aa 6-2 loss on Saturday night in the Kootenays.
Leading just 1-0 through forty minutes, the Smoke Eatersblew open a tight game in the third frame by scoring five goals to beat theVees for the first time in their third meeting this season.
Despite the loss, the Vees remain in top spot in theInterior while the Smoke Eaters now sit just two points back of the Vees in atie for second spot.
Scott Jacklin had the lone goal in the opening forty minutesand added a second to put the Smokies up 2-0 just 3:52 into the final frame.Jacklin would finish the night with a pair of goals and assists good for fourpoints.
A Sam Mellor goal would put the Smokies up 3-0 at 7:09 ofthe period before the Vees got on the board.
Joey Benik would score to bring the Vees back within twogoals with his club best ninth tally of the season. Benik?s goals was set up bya Joey LaLeggia point shot that left a rebound at the side of the net, and apass to the point from Brad Robbins.
The Smokies would extend their lead to 4-1 when Travis St.Denis scored his first of two late goals, but the Vees would respond just tenseconds later.
Joey LaLeggia wired his ninth of the season from the top ofthe left circle bringing the Vees back within two goals at the 12:07 mark. BradRobbins and Troy Stecher got helpers on the goal.
LaLeggia with would finish with a goal and an assist in theloss, and leads all BCHL defenders with 28 points in 21 games played. Robbinsalso managed a multi-point evening with two assists to move his season total tofifteen points through 21 games.
Travis St. Denis?s and Ryan Aynsley – an affiliate player ?would add the final two goals of the night to ice the win and move the Smokieswithin two points of the Vees for top spot in the Interior Conference.
The Trail top line continues to post staggering numbers.Each Travis St. Denis, Sam Mellor, and Scott Jacklin had four point nights andaccounted for five of the six Trail goals.
The Vees power play finished without a goal on fouropportunities, while allowing as single goal while down a man. The Veessurrendered eight advantages to the Smokies with the bulk of those calls comingin the third period.
Billy Faust was stuck with the loss despite making 35 saves,while Kiefer Smiley earned his tenth win of the season stopping 25 shots in thewin.
Next action for the Vees comes a week from Tuesday in theKootenays where the Trail Smoke Eaters host the Vees for their final visit toTrail of the season.
The Vees won?t return to home ice until November 17thfollowing the conclusion of the World Junior A Challenge at the South OkanaganEvents Centre, which runs from November 8th until the 13th.
Vees game tickets and World Junior A Challenge tickets canbe purchased at the box office during business hours, or online atValleyFirstTix.com.
