Cents come close in 2-1 defeat to Trail

The Cents came out strong in the first period Wednesday in Trail. Playing shorthanded up front the Cents rolled the forward lines generating some quality early chances.

A bit of bad luck for Merritt lead to the opening goal of the game, as Will Bowman would have a skate issue, resulting in him colliding with Keegan Maddocks in the crease, leaving Zach Michaelis able to fire into the yawning cage to make it 1-0.

The Cents would keep pushing through the frame, including drawing a pair of penalties by Smokies captain Coalson Wolford. Score after 20 minutes 1-0 Trail.

Maddocks would stop 12/13 including a wild sequence where he would lose his helmet in the midst of making 3 good stops.

The Cents would begin the middle stanza on the powerplay, but fail to even register a shot on goal.

The Smoke Eaters would strike again a short time later, as the puck came to Cam Moger who’s shot was deflected on the way through beating Maddocks blocker side.

The Cents would stuck in their own zone for much of the second period, but would stand tall to keep the game at 2-0.

Late in the frame, the Smokies would go on 2-on-0 versus Maddocks, Josh Schenk would start and finish the give and go but Maddocks would turn it aside.

Maddocks stopping 25/27 through 40 minutes.

The first half of the final period would see chances both ways but neither team able to bulge the twine.

With under five minutes left in the contest Jerzy Orchard would break into the offensive zone fake and shot then bury the wrap-around to make it 2-1.

The Cents would continue to push, even pulling the goalie for a 6-on-5 but failed to find the equalizer.

Maddocks stopping 41/43 to earn third star honours in the loss.