CRANBROOK, BC: Liam Hansson and Noah Quinn both scored in the shootout, as the Cranbrook Bucks defeated the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 6-5 to split the weekend series.
The Silverbacks offence got off to an unbelievable start. The top line found the scoresheet just 45 seconds into the game when Noah Serdachny and Simon Tassy did some excellent work below the goal line to force a turnover, and Matt Bourgault was left wide open in front of the crease backhanded it home for his 7th of the campaign. The Silverbacks found the back of the net again at the midway point of the frame when Serdachny forced a turnover behind the net, and Simon Tassy directed it into the net with his knee giving the Silverbacks a 2-0 lead. The Silverbacks thought they had a 3-0 lead when Bourgault batted down a puck into the net, but the referee waved off due to a high stick Although the goal got disallowed the Bucks yanked goaltender Evan Gartner from the game. He allowed two goals on six shots. Then with the Backs on a powerplay in the late stanza of the period, the Bucks capitalized on a shorthanded opportunity. Jarred Smith beat Owen Say blocker side to cut the lead to 2-1. The Bucks outshot the Silverbacks 10-8 in the middle frame.
There were four goals combined in the second period, two from each side. First, Noah Serdachny tipped home a Lavigne point shot for his 20th season, giving the Backs a 3-1 lead. The Bucks would answer shortly after, as Tucker Hartmann turned the puck over in his own zone, and Johnny Johnson stripped him and beat Say glove side to cut the lead in half. The Bucks added another 1:11 later when Bauer Morrissey walked right into the slot, snapped home the tying goal, and sent the home crowd into a frenzy. However, with the Silverbacks on the powerplay they would get the lead right back, Noah Serdachny swatted home his second of the night past Airey to restore the lead for Salmon Arm. Tassy and Panetta picked up the assists. The Silverbacks were outshot 12-8 in the middle frame.
In the third period, with the Silverbacks ahead a goal, it didn’t start the way they wanted. Just :59 seconds into the period Kellan Hjartarson stripped Panetta off the puck, and quickly snapped it on goal and beat Say under the blocker to tie the game at four. The Silverbacks immediately responded. Nathan Morin picked the top corner near the goal line to give the Backs the lead again. It was his 5th of the season. The rest of the period was back and forth action, and the Backs held the lead up until 1:27 left in the game. Tyson Dyck tied the game with a shot from the top of the circle through traffic with the goalie on the bench. Meaning for the fourth time this season, the Backs were heading to overtime.
In overtime, there was one grade-A chance for either side. Noah Quinn danced into the offensive zone and got a good opportunity on Say, but he stood tall to deny him. Then Jake Lammens led a 3 on 1 rush in that same sequence, but Airey foiled him keeping it tied. The rest of overtime solved nothing meaning off to a shootout. Liam Hansson was the first to shoot, and he beat Say glove side. Serdachny, Jarred Smith, and Tassy all missed, meaning Noah Quinn had a chance to end it. He came down the right side and beat Say blocked side with a deke to the backhand, giving the Bucks a 6-5 Shootout win. The Backs pick up three of a possible four points during the trip and will be back in action Wednesday at home against the Penticton Vees.
