Smoke Eaters gathering steam
Shut down — The Smoke Eaters took their show on the road last week. One stop included Quesnel where they left the Millionaires feeling a little bankrupt, 8-2.
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Updated: November 03, 2009 3:46 PM
The Trail Smoke Eaters have moved up into playoff contention sitting sixth in their division with 14 points, six wins and 14 losses.
The playoff spot is a positive step for the team, but head coach Jim Ingram doesn’t see it as any significant change to the way he is approaching the season.
“I don’t really look at the standings or read the newspapers. I like to focus on what I can do that makes a direct difference to the team,” he said in Trail after coming off a three game road trip.
“I think we’re doing alright we have a few guys sick and a few injuries, but we’re starting to get some guys back and see the benefits of the younger players we have been giving ice time.”
The team is without Ben Mathews, Wade Bennett and Mitch Kaufmann due to illness with a few guys on the team playing through a cough or cold.
Injuries have taken a few key players out of the lineup as well with some out for the last two to four weeks.
Justin Brown is still out with a shoulder injury, Graeme Strukoff is on the bench with his knee injury and Matt Wilkins is sidelined with a broken jaw.
The Smokies are sitting behind Prince George by two points and the Westside Warriors by 10 points in their division.
They are coming off three road games where they went 2-1 looking like they may be getting back on their feet.
They played a commanding game against Quesnel on Nov. 1 beating them 8-2 with seven different scorers on the Smokies and two goals by Trail’s own Travis St. Denis.
The night before, the Smokies spooked Prince George on Halloween night with a 4-3 win in an even-matched game.
The Smokies lost out their first game of the road trip in Williams Lake by a score of 6-1 where the travel time may have had a negative affect on the team.
Trail now looks at a double header at home Nov. 6 and 7 against Salmon Arm and Ingram knows the Smokies have to come out hot.
“It’ll be tough, they’re a good team and last time we caught them tired,” said Ingram, who hopes Strukoff and Brown will be back in the lineup.
“They’ll be ready to go and we will have to be, too.”
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