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Silverbacks fall in overtime against Smoke Eaters, 2-1

(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)

Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks finished off a weekend at Rogers Rink against the Trail Smoke Eaters, playing them for the first time this season. It was also Breast Cancer Awareness Night in Salmon Arm.

Jumping out to an early lead, the Silverbacks find the back of the net in the first period. Five minutes in, the Silverbacks break into the offensive zone where Aidan Willis finishes off a scramble in front of the net for his third of the season. Neither team took a penalty in the first period.

An even second period saw no scoring. The first penalties of the game were handed out as a scrum breaks out after the whistle, which sees Sawyer Prokopetz getting a roughing call and Ridge Dawson handed an unsportsmanlike conduct. Shots on goal are tied up 23-23 after the middle frame.

The Trail Smoke Eaters fight back for a comeback in the third period, resulting in a crazy ending. Another four-on-four opportunity for both teams at the 14:58 mark goes by the wayside as the Silverbacks are still holding onto the one goal lead. Trail pulls their goalie with just over two minutes to go. With the extra attacker, the Smoke Eaters run into bad luck when Judah Makway gets an interference penalty with 30 seconds left, sending Salmon Arm to the powerplay. Winning a faceoff in their own territory and leading a rush up ice, with 6 seconds left, while pulling the goalie again to even things up on the ice, Ridge Dawson hammers home the puck with one second to go to tie this game and send it to overtime. The Smoke Eaters outshot the Silverbacks, 19-5 in the period.

The Silverbacks run into bad luck in overtime and fall 2-1. Starting the extra frame still on the powerplay, the Silverbacks were unable to capitalize before a miscue when they get called for too many men. A successful penalty kill in overtime for the Silverbacks before Carter Matthews gets the feed streaking to the net and roofs it for the game winner.

Andrew Ballantyne makes 44/46 saves in the overtime loss.

(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)