SALMON ARM, BC: Daniel Panetta and Zack Smith both recorded hat-tricks, and Liam Vanderkooi stopped 21 shots as the Salmon Arm Silverbacks stomped the Merritt Centennials 9-3 in front of 1200 fans inside the Shaw Centre.
In the first period, the Silverbacks scored four goals on 20 shots against Centennials goaltender Peyton Trzaska. First, Captain Daniel Panetta opened the scoring 2:04 into the game, as he slipped one five-hole for his 18th of the campaign. They doubled their lead just past the midway point of the first period. Simon Tassy made a patient play at the side of the net, and he passed it backdoor to a wide-open Zack Smith, and he jammed it home for his 5th of the season. Smith added another marker three minutes later on the powerplay, as Ethan Ullrick made a blind pass to Smith at the right point; he skated to the top of the right circle and beat Trzaska blocker side to extend the lead to 3-0. But they weren’t done there; Mat Bourgault tipped home a Mathieu Cobetto-Roy shot in for his 9th of the season and a 4-0 Silverbacks lead. The Backs outshot the Cents 21-8 in the opening twenty minutes.
In the second period, the Silverbacks continued to pour the goals on. This time it came with a man down as Cobetto-Roy was in the box for cross-checking. That didn’t matter for Panetta. He had two different breakaways on the kill, he was stopped by Baker the first chance, but he got another opportunity shortly after, as he beat Baker five-hole for his second of the evening. The Centennials would get one back 2:02 later as Jacksenn Hungle beat Liam Vanderkooi under the pads to cut the lead to 5-1. Panetta was able to complete the hat-trick on the powerplay. Tassy shot a puck on goal, and it went to Panetta at the side of the net for his 20th of the year. Panetta scored a goal even strength on a powerplay and shorthanded. The scoring wasn’t done there with 12 seconds left in the second period Will Lavigne shot a puck towards the goal, and it was directed into the net by Aidan Lindblad to make it 7-1. The Silverbacks outshot the Centennials 18-8 in the second period.
In the third period, the Centennials got on the board early in the third period, as Connor Farren connected on the powerplay, as he snapped it glove side on Vanderkooi to cut the lead to 7-2. The Cents got another late in the third period as Jackson Krill fooled Vanderkooi, and he put it under the pad to make it 7-3. The Silverbacks got a late powerplay, their fourth of the game. Smith cashed in, ripping a shot off the post and in to complete the hat-trick. The Silverbacks finished 3/4 on the powerplay. Kieran Rushcheinski added a 9th with 45 seconds left; it was his first goal of the season. The Silverbacks have points in their last five games, going 4-0-1 in that stretch. With the win, the Silverbacks improve to 35-8-5 on the season. They will be back in action next Wednesday on the road in Penticton.
