Trail, BC: After a successful two-game homestand, the Vernon Vipers hit the road again for three straight, starting tonight in Trail against the Smoke Eaters.
The Vipers (4-10-5-0) are coming off a statement win on Saturday — a 4-2 victory over the Interior West–leading West Kelowna Warriors. Deagan McMillan continued his hot streak with a pair of goals, while Dmitrii Kubantsev and Davids Livsics added singles. Between the pipes, Colton Jugnauth stopped 25 shots to earn his first victory as a Viper.
Trail (15-5-0-0) is in the middle of a five-game homestand. Last weekend, the Smokies split a pair of games against Brooks and Okotoks. Saturday’s 7-1 win over the Oilers was their most complete effort, led by Cade De St. Hubert’s three-point night (1g, 2a). Newly acquired goaltender Lyam Leblanc posted 32 saves in the win.
Recent form shows the Vipers at 2-6-2-0 in their last 10, while Trail is 6-4-0-0. On the road, Vernon is 2-6-1-0; Trail sits 4-3-0-0 on home ice.
Special teams could be a factor tonight:
• Vernon PP: 13.6% (19th)
• Trail PP: 20.7% (13th)
• Vernon PK: 84.5% (2nd)
• Trail PK: 81.7% (7th)
Players to Watch
Vernon:
• Deagan McMillan — 5 goals in his last 4 games
• Tyler Chiovetti — 5 assists in his last 7 games
Trail:
• Christian Kim — leads the Smoke Eaters with 7g, 14a; currently on a 7-game point streak (3g, 8a)
• Cade De St. Hubert — points in 4 straight (4g, 3a)
Tonight is the third of seven meetings between the teams. Both early matchups were tight, one-goal contests — 4-3 Trail in overtime and another 4-3 final on September 26.
You can catch all the action on 107.5 Beach Radio, Vernon Matters, or watch live on FloHockey starting at 6:45 PM.
#TimeToStrike
