The Silverbacks (18-24-2-3) scored a pair of power-play goals on Saturday night and defeated the Prince George Spruce Kings (20-21-2-3) 3-1 at the Shaw Centre, collecting 3 of 4 points in back-to-back games at home.
Neither team found the back of the net in the opening period on Saturday, Salmon Arm lead 10-8 on the shot clock. Justin Wilson opened the scoring in the second period, his 13th of the season and a power-play goal at 15:01. The visitors tied the game 1-1 with 2:01 remaining in the middle frame. The Silverbacks outshot Prince George 12-5 in the second period. Wilson restored the home team’s lead in the final period, his second of the game and 14th of the season and on the power-play at 7:56. Carson Bolduc finished the scoring into an empty Spruce Kings net, his 14th at 19:17 of the third. Salmon Arm outshot Prince George 14-6 in the final frame, and 36-19 Silverbacks total. Nic Tallarico got back in goal on Saturday and made 18 saves, including numerous gloves saves. Salmon Arm’s power-play was 2-for-4 on Saturday, while the penalty-kill finished a perfect 3-for-3.
Salmon Arm fell 4-3 in overtime at home to the Nanaimo Clippers (18-24-1-5) on Friday. The Silverbacks are now 7-13-1-2 on home ice, 4-6-0-1 versus Mainland Division opponents, and finished January at 3-4-1-1. The Silverbacks lost 6-3 in Prince George in the final week of November.
Riley Hayles left Saturday’s game due to injury. Ryley Booth missed his fourth consecutive game on Saturday with injury, and Connor Sundquist remains out with injury. Affiliate forwards Trey Thomas and Jacob Kennedy got back into the Silverbacks lineup on both Friday and Saturday. Kennedy is a 17-year-old of Delta, BC and with the Delta Hockey Academy Prep program. Thomas is also 17-years-old and of Williams Lake, BC. He is currently in the BC Major Midget League with the Caribou Cougars out of Prince George.
The Silverbacks next action is set for next weekend on the road in the Lower Mainland. Salmon Arm will visit the Chilliwack Chiefs (32-10-0-5) on Friday, February 3rd at 7pm, and the Silverbacks will take on the Langley Rivermen (25-15-2-5) on Saturday, February 4th at 6pm. The Silverbacks next home game will be Trail Smoke Eaters (23-21-0-4) on Tuesday, February 7th at 7pm at the Shaw Centre.
Each Silverbacks game is webcast PPV at hockeytv.com Each road game is broadcast live via voiceoftheshuswap.ca CKVS 93.7 FM and each home game is available audio only at mixlr.com/salmon-arm-silverbacks/ Tune into Salmon Arm community radio each Monday at 7pm, Tuesday at 7am for 30 minutes or more Silverbacks hockey talk.
