Saturday in Wenatchee was not for the faint of heart.
With a number of lead changes and game tying goals, both the Silverbacks and Wild had reason for optimism, but it was the home side coming out with a 6-5 win.
In their final regular season home game, the Wild got off to a good start as they aimed to end a six game losing streak in the Town Toyota Center. Off an Olson Werenka turnover three minutes into the game, Lucas Sowder spotted PJ Fletcher who wired a shot into the top right corner. Just over a minute later a point shot from Dylan Herzog rebounded out, and former Silverback Nathan Iannone knocked in the rebound for the 2-0 lead.
The Wild were riding the momentum, but a kneeing penalty from Herzog on Matthew Verboon gave the Silverbacks a five minute power play. Nick Unruh would score twice in just 26 seconds to tie the game up. With three minutes left in the power play, Werenka headed to the penalty box to make it four on four. A goal with five minutes remaining provided Salmon Arm their first lead of the game. Sam Schoenfeld took a hit to play the puck ahead to Brendan Pigeon. The Cariboo Cougar callup squeaked past his defenceman, and on a two on one fed the puck over to Olson Werenka who scored his sixth goal of the season. In the final minute, a shot slid through Ethan Langenegger, but he was able to clear it off the goalline at the side of the goal.
Austin Park started the game for Wenatchee, but was pulled heading to the second after allowing three goals on just ten shots. He allowed three goals on 16 shots Friday against Salmon Arm. That would make way for Cal Sandquist who was tested early in the period on a good chance from Akito Hirose. On a power play, Wenatchee tied the game at three with 7:28 on the clock. Chad Sasaki found Murphy Stratton backdoor for his 13th goal. On a late man advantage of their own, Salmon Arm would head to the third with the lead thanks to a shot from Darren Rizzolo that rebounded out and right to Akito Hirose who snuck in a sharp angled shot making the score 4-3.
Desperate for a win, Wenatchee scored a trio in the third to come away with their fifth win of the season when trailing after two periods. Walking in from the right side, an unpressured Chad Sasaki had time and space to pick the top right corner evening the game at 4-4 at 5:03 of the period. Wenatchee would give themselves a lead two minutes later with East Wenatchee product Avery Winslow taking a shot from the top of the left circle that went through traffic and into the net. Matthew Verboon evened the score for Salmon Arm with eight minutes to go, as Sam MacBean fed him the puck from the left wall, and at the top of the circle Verboon rang a shot in off the right post. The eventual game winner came on the power play for the Wenatchee Wild as AJ Hodges was setup by Lucas Sowder for the 6-5 lead.
Salmon Arm took a penalty with 2:11 to go, and would eventually pull the goalie to make it a five on five, but Wenatchee was able to push the puck into the Silverbacks zone killing off the remainder of the clock for the win.
With a win for Wenatchee, they clinch the third place spot in the Interior Division. Vernon scored three goals in the final five minutes in West Kelowna to come back and beat the Warriors 7-5 meaning the Vipers take over fourth place in the Interior Division.
KEY PERFORMER:
After the Town Toyota Center was rocking, two power play goals from Nick Unruh quieted the arena and gave Salmon Arm some great momentum in the first period. Missing Justin Wilson to injury heading into the game, and Matthew Verboon on the power play after taking the knee, the team needed someone to step up to score, and Unruh was that player.
