Wenatchee, WA — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks lost a heartbreaker on Friday night at Town Toyota Center, falling by a 6-5 score in regulation to the Wenatchee Wild.
The Backs battled back from a 3-0 first period deficit to take a 4-3 lead into the third, but former Salmon Arm defenceman Noah Lugli put the home side up 6-5 with 1:58 left in regulation, which turned out to be the game-winner.
GAME SUMMARY
The first goal of the evening came off the stick of Tyler Young just 4:23 into the first, after he was left alone in front and potted in a rebound on his backhand.
The Wild added to their lead late in the period on their first power play opportunity off the stick of Brett Chorske, who buried one right from the slot. Just 40 seconds later, Sam Marton would one-time a puck home from the left face-off dot to increase the Wild lead to 3-0.
As bleak as the first period was, the Silverbacks made sure it was in the past, as they netted two goals in the first 2:19 of the second period.
First, Lucas Breault knocked home a rebound after a Sam Schofield shot was stopped by the stick of Daniel Chenard. It was Breault’s fourth goal in four games as a Silverback.
Then, less than 30 seconds later, Simon Tassy redirected a Hunter Sansbury point shot for his fifth of the season to cut the deficit to one.
Midway through the frame — immediately following the media timeout — the Silverbacks converted off an offensive zone faceoff. Breault won the faceoff to Daniel Rybarik, whose initial shot was kicked out by the left pad of Chenard, but went right to Noah Wakeford, who made no mistake for his 13th of the season, knotting the game at three.
Before the period was done, Zach Gabruch whipped a shot from the high slot past the glove of Chenard to give the Silverbacks their first lead of the game at 4-3. It was Gabruch’s first career BCHL goal.
Most of the third period was a chess match, but with just under five minutes to go, the Silverbacks drew a penalty. Unfortunately, it was the Wild who took advantage of the situation, tying the game on a shorthanded breakaway from Hunter Hastings. Less than 30 seconds after Hastings’ goal, captain Brian Adams scored yet again for the Wild on the same penalty kill — the team’s league-leading eighth shorthanded marker of the season.
The Silverbacks responded right away, tying the game 5-5 with just over two minutes remaining on that same power play, this time after Wakeford redirected a Tony Andreozzi low point shot.
Former Silverback defenceman Noah Lugli and the Wild would have the last laugh, however, after his point shot found the back of the net with just 1:58 remaining in regulation. It was Lugli’s first goal of the season and held up as the game-winner.
In total, four goals were scored by the two clubs with under five minutes remaining in the game.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES
Noah Wakeford, Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Wakeford tied the game at 3-3 with his 13th of the season and scored a clutch goal with 2:29 remaining to tie the game 5-5. He has now set a new career high with 34 points.
Zach Gabruch, Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Gabruch tallied his first career BCHL goal in the second period to put the Backs up 4-3, but also was a steady force on the backhand.
Brian Adams, Wenatchee Wild: The Wild captain finished the game with a goal and two helpers and was buzzing all night long.
For the full boxscore, click here.
STAT OF THE GAME
3 Wild Goals in a Span of 2:05: While the Silverbacks did well to storm back in the second period, the Wild struck three times with under five minutes to go in the hockey game, including twice while down a man, That ended up being the difference, not the first period flurry.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Silverbacks only have one game remaining before the Winter Break, as they host the Trail Smoke Eaters in the annual Teddy Bear Toss game on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m.
The contest can be heard on 91.5 EZ Rock with the pre-game show starting at 2:30 p.m. Fans can also stream the game on HockeyTV.
