The best 2 games the Bulldogs have played all season. Once this team practices together It should look very nice. The new guys looked great.
Judah Makway scored 1:12 into the game to make it a 1-0 game for the Smokies. The assists on the goal went to former Spruce Grove Saint Evan Sundar.
Former OHL Niagara Ice Dog Juan Copeland fired a shot from the high circle after coasting down the wing to tie the game up at 1 at 4:49 of the first period. The assist on the goal went to Brady Smith. That is Copeland’s first goal as a Bulldog and Smith’s first point as a Bulldog.
The Bulldogs did a defensive zone turn over and the Smokies scored short handed at 12:08 of the first period with Judah Makway getting his second goal of the night to give the Smokies a 2-1 lead.
Tyler Chiovetti tied the game up on a 5 on 3 Power Play while on the doorstep with the assists going to Juan Copeland and Gates Omicioli. Chiovetti also drew both of those penalties.
Trail scores from the point to make it a 3-2 game with the goal going to Drew Anastasio assisted by Ridge Dawson and Jack Zilliotto at 16:58 of the first period.
Trail outshot Blackfalds 11-10 in the first period
Trail made it 4-2 on the PP after Ridge Dawson was left alone to have about 20 whacks at the puck. Assists on the goal were chiseled to Evan Sundar and Jack Ziliotto at 6:21 of the second frame.
Jack Kennedy skated down and fired a shot on net from the point and made it a 5-2 game for the Smokies at 16:30 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Jack Ziliotto and Gryphon Bucci.
West Vancouver native Deacon Drummond scored from in close to make it a 6-2 game for the Smokies at 17:24 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Josh Evaschesen and Hopkins, Minnesota native Cade De St. Hubert. After that goal the Bulldogs looked like they wanted to go home. I was impressed with how they came out flying after the intermission.
Shots on goal in the second period were 15-11 for Trail. Lukas Fursten took over in net after the second period.
Newly acquired Will Mitchell goes 5 hole on the break away to get the Bulldogs within 3 at 1:22 of the third period unassisted. Mitchell came from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. 2 seasons ago Mitchell played on the Wellington Dukes of the OJHL with Jared Langdon. The team also had former Bulldogs Edward Moskowitz, Matheson Mason, and Ethan Morrow.
Christian Kim scores for the Smokies to make it 7-3 with a nice shot at 4:09 of the third period the assists on the goal went to Carter Matthews and Noah Ziskie.
Will Mitchell scores again shorthanded with his second of the game to make it a 7-4 game unassisted at 10:49 of the third period.
Noah Mertz cuts the game within 2 when he snipes a pass from Jared Langdon at 11:24 of the third period with the other assist on the goal going to Liam O’Keefe. Kind of looked like Neu tipped that up to them and not O’Keefe but what ever a goal is a goal.
Jason Stefanek adds a goal for Trail at 11:56 of the third period to make it 8-5 with the assists on the goal going to Christian Kim and Lucas Lemieux.
Shots on goal in the third period were 15-8 for Trail. Trail outshot the Bulldogs 41-29 in the game.
For the Smoke Eaters Ryan Parker made 24 saves on the 29 shots that he faced for the win. For the Bulldogs Russian Kirill Kapustin made 20 saves on the 26 shots that he faced in the first 2 periods of the game. For the final period Lukas Fursten made 13 saves on the 15 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Judah Makway 2) William Mitchell 3) Christian Kim
Attendance at Cominco Arena in Trail was 1613
Bulldogs next game is Tuesday December 31st New Years Eve in Blackfalds against the Okotoks Oilers
