Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks hosted the Vernon Vipers in the 2024/25 home opener.
The first period was very much a feel out even period between these two teams. Neither team found the back of the net or took a penalty in a back-and-forth period. Shots on goal in the opening frame was 9-8 in favour of Salmon Arm.
The Silverbacks were able to find the scoreboard for the first goal at Rogers Rink this season in the second period. 55 seconds in, Riley Ashe drove the net and used his patience to find Maddux Martin back door for his third of the season. The Captain, Maddux Martin, scores the first goal at Rogers Rink for the 2024/25 season. The middle frame saw the only penalties of the game. The Silverbacks had one unsuccessful powerplay and two penalty kills.
Extending the lead, the offense comes to life in the third period. Another early goal see Caleb Mahar snap one short side within the first two minutes to extend the lead to 2-0. Coming out of the media timeout, the Silverbacks apply pressure causing a scramble in front of the net where Liam Bursaw is the last to get his stick on it for his second of the season. In the final two minutes, with the Silverbacks trying to keep the Vipers goalie in the net, Maddux Martin again finds the back of the net to make it a 4-0 game.
Ryan Grout gets his first shutout of the season, stopping 20/20 shots.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
