Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks took on the Penticton Vees for the fourth time this season looking to remain perfect.
Both teams light the lamp in the first period during an early battle. Nearly nine minutes in, Marcus Broberg takes a hooking penalty, sending the Vees and the number one powerplay to work. It only took ten seconds for Simon Meier to tuck the loose puck in the crease for the 1-0 lead. With less than a minute left in the opening frame, Isaac Lambert took the puck down the left wing on the rush and sniped the puck bottom corner to tie up the game.
The Vees offense explodes in the second. Halfway through the second period, a turnover in the neutral zone led to a brief two-on-one for the Vees which Simon Meier finished off for his second of the game. 30 seconds later, Cade Littler collects the puck in the high slot and rips it top corner to extend the lead 3-1. Looking to change momentum, the Silverbacks answered back quickly with a goal less than a minute later. Maddux Martin and Riley Ashe head down the ice two-on-one with Ashe finishing off the rush with a beautiful tip-in to make it 3-2. With a minute and a half left in the middle frame, Simon Meier tips in his third of the game to complete the hat-trick and make it once again a two goal game.
Down two in the third, the Silverbacks needed a big period but got stifled. Each team would trade penalties through the final period before it was time for the Silverbacks to throw one last comeback attempt. With three minutes left, the Silverbacks pulled their goalie for a six-on-five attempt but it back fired as Thomas Pichette potted the empty net.
Eli Pulver made 27/31 saves in the loss.
