Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks took on the Blackfalds Bulldogs for the final time this season.
The Bulldogs strike for two in the first period to take the lead. In the first five minutes, Nikita Ivashchenko snipes the top corner to give the Bulldogs the 1-0 lead. At the halfway mark in the frame, Keifer Miller trails behind the play and collects the drop pass and makes no mistake tying this game up with his 10th of the season, 1-1. In the final two and a half minutes, Duncan Thompson scores to regain the lead for the Bulldogs, 2-1.
Blackfalds takes advantage in the second period to extend their lead. Krisjanis Sarts finds the back of the net to make it a 3-1 lead. At the 11:30 mark, Mateu Späth gets sent to the box, giving the Bulldogs the powerplay. Scoring on the man advantage was Joey Melo to push the lead to 4-1. It’s the Silverbacks turn to create some offense with a powerplay of their own but the Bulldogs and Nick DiPaolo score shorthanded, 5-1. That would do it for Daniel Dirracolo, stopping 21/26 as Mikkel Christensen comes in relief.
The Silverbacks show some fight in the third period. In the opening two minutes, Nikita Ivashchenko gets his second of the game, 6-1. Then the Silverbacks offense wakes up. Luke Lepper follows along with the play and crashes on the rebound for his 8th of the season, cutting into the lead, 6-2. Two minutes later, Landon Mackie sits back post and tips in a beautiful pass to the open net, his 18th of the year, 6-3. The fight isn’t over yet, Anthony Cardilli bats in the loose puck out of the air for his 10th of the season, 6-4 with about three and a half minutes left. Pulling the goalie for the rest of the game the offense finds lots of solid chances but the Bulldogs and Nikita Ivashchenko completes the hat trick and put the game away, 7-4.
Daniel Dirracolo takes the loss but Mikkel Christensen finished the game stopping 8/9.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
