Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks hit the road to Alberta for three games, first against the Sherwood Park Crusaders.
The Crusaders take the lead after the first period. Three minutes in, the BCHL’s leading scorer, Jeremy Loranger, centers the puck from the end boards where it takes a bad bounce and finds its way into the back of the net, 1-0. Answering back three minutes later was Riley Ashe taking a stretch pass from Cole Cooksey, where Ashe makes a beautiful breakaway move to get the Silverbacks on the board, 1-1. The lead didn’t last long before Malachi McKinnon finished a rebound in front to get the Crusaders the lead again, 2-1.
The Silverbacks tie up the game in the second period. Halfway through the period, the Silverbacks find themselves on the powerplay where Roenick Jodoin rips one home, his eighth of the season, to tie the game up 2-2. Another chance on the powerplay to end off the period for the Silverbacks goes by the wayside.
Salmon Arm’s offence wakes up in a huge way to win the game in the third period. 12 minutes in, Tommy Cronin snipes the puck by for his third goal of the season, giving the Silverbacks their first lead of the game. Doubling up was Cronin yet again two minutes later, scoring on the powerplay for his second of the game, making it 4-2. Goals coming in bunches, the captain Maddux Martin one-times from the slot his seventh of the season. Shortly after, Caleb Mahar takes a roughing penalty sending the Crusaders onto the powerplay where Matthew Frost takes advantage, 5-3. Off the ensuing faceoff, 14 seconds later, Maddux Martin again strikes when he finds the top corner, knocking the water bottle off the net, to make it 6-3.
Andrew Ballantyne makes 21/24 saves in the win.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
