Vees’ winning streak stalls in Trail

Smoke Eaters surge in 3rd to top depleted Penticton team 5-3

The Penticton Vees were playing a perfect road game until Kale Howarth got rolling. Howarth produced a natural hat-trick in a span of 4:21 early in the second period and Spencer McLean netted the winner with 6:39 to play as the Trail Smoke Eaters beat a depleted Vees team 5-3 in BCHL action Wednesday at Cominco Arena.

Luke Santerno added his team-leading 22nd goal and added two assists as Trail (15-13-1) beat the Vees for the first time in nine meetings.

Jonny Tychonick, Ty Amonte and James Miller scored for the Vees (23-5-0), who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Nolan Hildebrand started for the Vees and was replaced by Mat Robson after Howarth’s second goal at 4:21 of the second period. The Vees goalies managed just 14 saves on 19 shots.

Zach Dyment made 26 saves for the Smoke Eaters.

The Vees came out flying, outshooting Trail 11-2 early and grabbing the lead as Tychonick beat Dyment with a screened drive from the point off a pass by Ryley Risling at 13:26.

The Vees problems started with a penalty to Amonte 58 seconds into the middle stanza. Eleven seconds later, Howarth squeezed a shot by Hildebrand just inside the post.

Howarth made it 2-1 with a wrist shot from the left circle that ticked in off Hildebrand’s glove, prompting Vees head coach Fred Harbinson to bring in the veteran Robson.

But, just 1:09 later and 28 seconds into another power play, Howarth rapped a rebound of Luke Santerno’s shot past Robson to make it 3-1.

The Vees regrouped to start the third and quickly tied the game.

Amonte scored on a spinaround shot from a faceoff win by Owen Sillinger at 3:43, then Amonte set up Miller for a wrister from the left point that somehow drifted past a bewildered Dyment at 7:03.

But McLean restored the Trail lead, grabbing a loose puck and beating Robson between the pads right off a faceoff.

Santerno sealed the deal with a breakaway goal at 17:14, sending the Vees to just their third defeat in 18 road games.

The Vees return home to face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Friday at 7 p.m. and the Powell River Kings Saturday at 6 p.m.

ICE CHIPS: Howarth, McLean and Amonte were the three stars . . . . The Vees were without D Mitch Meek, who is out indefinitely with a head injury, and F Jamie Armstrong (mononucleosis). Also, D Gabe Bast missed the game but will be back for the weekend.