Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks hosted the Vernon Vipers to start off a home-and-home series.
Both teams find the net to remain tied after the first period. Two and a half minutes in, the Vipers strike first when Dario Lass scores his first career BCHL goal, making it 1-0. At the halfway mark, Koen Senft sets up at the left faceoff dot and riffles home a heavy one-timer, his 7th of the season, 1-1. The Silverbacks out shot the Vipers 16-9 in the first period.
Once again the game stays tied with a pair of goals in the second period. The Silverbacks take their first lead of the game when Luke Lepper crashes onto the rebound from the point and scores his 9th of the season, 2-1. The lead doesn’t last long as three minutes later, Oliver Czaja deflects a point shot to make it a 2-2 game.
There is no scoring in the third period as this game needs overtime. In the final frame, the Silverbacks had two chances on the powerplay but could not take advantage of either one.
Vernon capitalizes in overtime to grab the extra point. After a back-and-forth start to the extra frame, Dmitrii Kubantsev works his way down ice and into the slot where he rips the puck into the twine for the game winner, 3-2.
Daniel Dirracolo makes 21/24 saves in the loss as the Silverbacks out shoot the Vipers 40-24.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
