The Silverbacks allowed the first goal of the game for the fourth time this season last night as the Silverbacks and Vernon Vipers met for the first time in the 2014-15 regular season. The Vipers opened the scoring 8:24 into the first period as Luke Voltin carried the puck to the net down the right wing and Anthony Latina jumped on the rebound, flipping it up and over Angus Redmond at 8:24.
Taro Hirose tied the game at one just over three minutes later, as Hirose and Taylor Maruya skated in over the Vipers line along with Logan Mick who went to the net, Maruya passed the puck to Hirose on the right wing and he back handed it up and over Jarrod Schamerhorn at 11:48. The Vipers out-shot the Silverbacks 9-6 in the first period.
The Silverbacks took their first lead of the game just 1:19 into the second period and on the power-play as Shane Danyluk passed the puck from along the boards just inside of the Vipers line to Chase Priskie who was waiting out at the point in the middle of the ice and Priskie let a shot go that found it's way through traffic resulting in Priskie scoring his second BCHL goal.
The Vipers then got into penalty trouble with Thomas Aldworth and Anthony Latina both going ff for slashing within a minute of each other giving the Silverbacks a lengthy four-on-three power-play with Jack Berezan already off for interference. The Backs then weren't able to capitalize on an almost minute long 5-on-3 man-advantage and Thomas Aldworth beat Carson Bolduc to the puck in over the Silverbacks line along the right wing and Aldworth scored short-handed from Trevor Fidler to tie the game at two resulting in Aldworth's third of the season at 8:58. The Silverbacks out-shot the Vipers 11-10 in the second frame.
The only goal of the third period came with 1:58 remaining as Liam Coughlin in Silverbacks territory fired a shot from the left face-off circle just that just squeezed through the pads of Angus Redmond and trickled into the net at 18:02 and the Vipers went ahead 3-2 and hung on to win the first meeting of the season.
The Vipers out-shot the Silverbacks 11-6 in the third period, and out-shot the Silverbacks 30-23 overall. The Silverbacks finished one-for-five on the power-play, while the Vipers went 0-for-three with the man-advantage along with the shorthanded marker.
The Silverbacks have three wins, three regulation losses, and two overtime losses for 8 points in their first eight games. The Silverbacks are tied for fourth in the Interior Division with the Trail Smoke Eaters, two points back of the second place Merritt Centennials and West Kelowna Warriors.
The Silverbacks will play their third consecutive road game tonight, as they take on the Merritt Centennials for the first time in the 2014-15 regular season at 7:30 pm. at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena in Merritt. The Centennials have lost their last two games, including 7-1 in Chilliwack last night. The next home game for the Silverbacks at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm is on Friday, October 17 as the Silverbacks host the Victoria Grizzlies at 7 pm.
