Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks hit the road for the first time this preseason for a home-and-home against the Vernon Vipers. The Silverbacks were looking for some revenge after falling 1-0 to the Vipers on Friday night.
The Silverbacks came into the first period ready to play as the offensive pressure was turned up, generating some quality scoring chances right off the bat. Nearly seven minutes into the period, the Silverbacks got their first chance on the powerplay as Marcello Giorgi was called for hooking. A two minutes full of chances by the powerplay unit but unable to get by Vipers goaltender Ethan David. Three minutes later Liam Payne sends a pass off the boards that splits the defensemen and Jullian Facchinelli picks up the puck in stride and slides it between the legs of Ryan Tamelin for the 1-0 lead.
Coming into the second period the Silverbacks pretty well started with the disadvantage. 25 seconds into the middle frame, Isaac Lambert hit his man hard into the boards, which the referees deemed a boarding call and sent Lambert to the box for two minutes. On the powerplay the Vipers would strike and Adam Csabi launched the puck from the point and it was Payne who corrals the puck open in front of the net and lifts it over the leg of Tamelin, extending the lead to two. A minute later, the Silverbacks were looking to catch the same break as Jiri Duda was sent to the box for hooking. The second powerplay of the night wasn’t as productive as the first for the Silverbacks who couldn’t get past David. The Silverbacks headed into the final frame outshooting the Vipers 21-18.
Early on in the third, it was the Silverbacks running into more penalty trouble with Nathaniel Davis taking a holding call while defending the rush. The first successful penalty kill of the game for Salmon Arm and that momentum carried on to a couple of more. Three minutes later Matthew Gillard would go to the box, two minutes for tripping. Stepping back onto the ice after the penalty, Gillard instantly found himself in hot water once again as he was called for boarding as he laid a huge hit. Three successful penalty kills in a row for the Silverbacks. With less than seven minutes left in the final frame Erik Pastro found the back of the net to extend the lead out 3-0. Tamelin finished the game stopping 19/23 well on the other side of the ice David was a perfect 31/31.
Falling in back-to-back preseason opening shutouts, the Silverbacks look to bounce back against the Merritt Centennials on Friday, September 15. Puck-drop in that one is 7:00 p.m..
