Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks welcomed in the Sherwood Park Crusaders for a big matchup at Rogers Rink.
Sherwood jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period. Seven minutes in, the Silverbacks get a golden opportunity when Kale Dach gets sent to the box for a high-stick. It is the Crusaders that take advantage when BCHL’s leading scorer, Jeremy Loranger strips the puck and gets a short handed breakaway goal. With only a couple of minutes left in the frame, Malachi McKinnon sends one on net, hits off a body of a Silverback and finds the back of the net, making it 2-0.
Adding a couple more in the second period, the Crusaders increase their lead. Seven minutes in again, Poul Andersen snipes one home to push the game to 3-0. Getting another quick goal, Jeremy Loranger finishes a scramble in front for his second of the game, making it 4-0. The Silverbacks kill off their only penalty of the game late in the middle frame when Donovan Hamilton gets called for tripping.
The Silverbacks late comeback effort falls short. A common theme in this game was action happening seven minutes into a period when Cooper Sharp scores to extend the lead to 5-0. With five minutes left in the game, Sherwood Park was not done, with Connor Gengle getting a goal, pushing the lead to 6-0. A minute later, the Silverbacks finally get on the board when Sawyer Prokopetz sends a point shot through traffic, his 3rd of the season, 6-1. Just eight seconds later, off the ensuing faceoff, Roenick Jodoin forces a scramble in front and puts the puck in, his 13th of the year, 6-2. 30 seconds later, Patrick Raftery throws one on net from a sharp angle that beats the goalie and makes it a 6-3 game with Raftery’s 8th of the season. The Silverbacks were able to score 3 goals in the span of 39 seconds but that is all as the late comeback falls flat.
In the loss, Andrew Ballantyne makes 19/25 saves.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
