The Smithers Steelheads endured mixed fortunes on the road over the weekend, starting with a heavy 7-2 defeat to the Quesnel Kangaroos on Nov. 30, before bouncing back with an emphatic 6-2 victory over the Nechako Northstars on Dec. 1.
The weekend opener at the West Fraser Centre saw the Steelheads struggle to keep pace with Quesnel’s unrelenting offence, despite an early lead. Kodi Schwarz got Smithers off to a promising start, scoring just over a minute into the game. However, Quesnel's Alessio Tomassetti quickly equalized, sparking a dominant performance by the Kangaroos.
By the first intermission, Quesnel had piled on three more goals, with Brody Dale, Brayden Yager, and Eli Jarvis finding the net to put Smithers in a 4-1 deficit. The second period brought more frustration for the Steelheads, as Dale scored his second goal on a short-handed opportunity, and Christopher Thon extended the lead further to 6-1.
Smithers showed resilience in the third period, with Schwarz netting his second goal on a powerplay to narrow the gap momentarily. But Yager struck again for Quesnel, capping a commanding performance that left Smithers reeling with a 7-2 defeat.
The Steelheads turned their fortunes around the following night at Vanderhoof Arena against the Nechako Northstars. Dylan Oud opened the scoring for Smithers on a powerplay midway through the first period after a cross-checking penalty against Nechako's Tate Page. Nechako’s Quinn Moeller responded shortly after to level the score, leaving the teams tied 1-1 at the first intermission.
Smithers reclaimed the lead early in the second with another powerplay goal, this time from Cole Rennie following a boarding penalty. Caleb Goncalves briefly pulled Nechako back into contention, but Oud restored the Steelheads' advantage, ending the frame 3-2.
The third period was all Smithers. Schwarz struck shorthanded just 24 seconds in, setting the tone for a dominant finish. Brendan Moore and Jonathan Creswell added to the tally, sealing a decisive 6-2 victory for the Steelheads and ending their weekend on a high note.
The Steelheads are currently in sixth place in the league standings after 11 games played. With a record of three wins, eight losses, no ties, and zero overtime losses, the team has accumulated six points. While the Steelheads are ahead of the Kitimat Ice Demons and the Nechako Northstars, they face a significant gap in points compared to the top teams. The Terrace River Kings lead the league with 18 points, and the Quesnel Kangaroos hold 15 points with fewer games played.
The Steelheads next face off against the Prince Rupert Rampage Dec. 9 at the Smithers Civic Centre.
