PHOTO: LISA MAZUREK PHOTOGRAPHY
Vernon, B.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks showed more resiliency on Wednesday afternoon against the Vernon Vipers, tying the game late 5-5 after trailing 5-3, yet they only managed to get the single point, with Vernon securing the 6-5 win.
The Backs record is now 3-2-2, while the Vipers take over first place at 4-2-1.
GAME SUMMARY
The ups and downs of junior hockey were once again on display in this one, with flashes of what happened one week ago when Vernon also defeated Salmon Arm 6-5 in overtime.
This time, instead of coming back from a 5-1 deficit, the Silverbacks overcame a rocky start to take a 3-1 lead, but then watched as the Vipers scored four straight to take a 5-3 lead early in the third. Salmon Arm captain Hunter Sansbury would tie the game with 20 seconds left to force overtime, but Zack Tonelli ended the game with his first BCHL goal on a 2-on-1 rush with 1:09 left in the extra frame.
The Silverbacks had a hesitant start, yet found the back of the net first at the 8:47 mark, after defenceman Kieran Ruscheinski wristed a shot from the left face-off circle that just got past James Porter Jr.
It was Ruscheinski’s first career regular season goal, as the only tally he had previously was a massive playoff goal last spring in game four of the opening series against Victoria.
Hunter Donohoe tied the game on a slap shot just a few minutes later, but before the period was done, Danny Ciccarello notched his first career BCHL goal, entering the zone down the left side, cutting his way into the middle and ripping a shot off Porter Jr.’s glove and in.
After 20 minutes, the Backs led 2-1.
Ciccarello added to the lead 7:03 into period number two, after Salmon Arm took advantage of a bad Vipers change. Sansbury fed a long stretch pass up to Mathieu Bourgault at the offensive blue line, who entered on a 3-on-2 rush and found Julian Recine in the slot. Recine fired a shot that was stopped, but Ciccarello was there to put away the rebound.
Not long after, the Backs drew a penalty, however, instead of riding the momentum on the ensuing power play, they gave up a shorthanded goal to Jo-Jo Tanaka-Campbell, who made the score 3-2 at the 8:52 mark.
Seth Bafaro would tie the game 3-3 just under four minutes later, and that was the score after two periods of play.
Luke Pakulak put home a rebound just 1:24 into the third period to give Vernon three consecutive goals and 4-3 lead, which was quickly followed by a Tanaka-Campbell breakaway goal at the tail end of a Backs power play.
With the Backs down by a pair and the clock now firmly against them, the Silverbacks got their game going and the ice began to tilt in their favour.
Just before the halfway mark of the third, Mathieu Bourgault found a loose puck in the slot after Sansbury was stopped by Porter Jr. and put it away for his first career BCHL goal.
Then, with timing truly winding down, it was time for more late-game heroics, this time when Sansbury beat Porter Jr. with only 20 seconds remaining to force overtime, again.
It was the third consecutive head-to-head meeting between the two rivals that needed extra time, with Vernon previously winning 6-5 in OT on April 7 and Salmon Arm winning 2-1 in OT on April 10.
In sudden death, both teams had some really good looks, but it ended up being Vernon’s Zack Tonelli who ended the game with a well-placed shot on a 2-on-1.
For the full boxscore from Wednesday, click here.
3 STARS
- Jo-Jo Tanaka-Campbell – VER– 2G, 1A
- Danny Ciccarello – SA – 2G, 1A
- Zack Tonelli – VER – GWG, 1A
FORTIS BC ENERGY PLAYER OF THE GAME
Mathieu Bourgault – SA – 1G, 2A
WHAT’S NEXT
The Silverbacks take on the West Kelowna Warriors on Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. and then play Saturday and Sunday, and Tuesday and Wednesday, as they’ve just begun a stretch of six games in eight days.
Fans can stream all games on BCHL TV!
