Smokies Blanked By Centennials Tuesday
By Chris Wahl
Scott Patterson scored three times, and Devin Kero pitched a 28-save shutout as the Merritt Centennials upended the Smoke Eaters 5-0 in Trail Tuesday.
The loss was Trail’s third on home ice to start the season and for the second consecutive game, the home side outshot its opposition only to draw a blank on the scoreboard.
Merritt’s Patterson opened the scoring just past the 8-minute mark, taking advantage of a Smoke Eater turnover, snapping a wrist-shot past goaltender Adam Todd, off the post and in.
The second period would see the Centennials widen the gap on a pair of deflections. First, Patterson redirected a Shane Poulsen point shot to make it 2-0 at 8:22. Three minutes later, Jeff Wight tipped home a puck moments after the Smokies were denied a sure goal after a shot from the side of the net rolled along Kero’s goal-line and stayed out.Patterson completed his hat-trick at 14:41, tapping home a centring feed from Jake Clifford past Todd.
Merritt rookie Gavin Gould rounded out the scoring just shy of the midway mark of the third period, juking his way out of the right-wing corner and tucking his first BCHL goal beneath Todd’s pads. Twelve of Kero’s 28 saves came in the third period, while Todd stopped 20 shots in goal for Trail.
Retriev Technologies Three Stars:
1. Scott Patterson, Merritt
2. Devin Kero, Merritt
3. Jeff Wight, Merritt
Up Next: The Smokies and Cents meet again Friday night in Merritt in the first of a two-game road trip for Trail. The weekend concludes Saturday night in Prince George with a meeting with the Spruce Kings.
