Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks traveled up the highway to Kal Tire Place for the first time this season to take on the Vernon Vipers.
The Vipers start off hot but the Silverbacks answer in the first period. In the first two and a half minutes, Vernon head down on a two-on-one rush with Toms Trockis finishing it off for the 1-0 lead. Halfway through the opening frame, the Silverbacks get their first powerplay when Evan Sundar gets sent to the box for slashing. It only takes 30 seconds of the man advantage for Mateu Späth to send a shot through traffic for his 4th of the season, 1-1.
Grabbing the lead in the second period, the Silverbacks find the back of the net. Five minutes in, Anthony Cardilli gets the puck and sets up at the left faceoff dot and snipes home a perfect shot past the glove for his 3rd of the year, 2-1. The Silverbacks would then have to kill off back-to-back penalties to stay in the lead after two.
Vernon isn’t done yet and ties it up in the third. A scramble in front of the net to start off the period has Lane Sim found the loose puck and tie up the game 2-2. Salmon Arm can’t take advantage of another powerplay as this game needs more hockey.
An overtime controlled by Salmon Arm pays off. In the final couple of minutes, a rush into the offensive zone sees a shot on by Cole Longacre with a rebound corralled by Späth and into the net for his second of the game, 5th of the season, to secure the 3-2 win. The Silverbacks out shot the Vipers 5-1 in OT.
Mikkel Christensen gets his second win of the season, stopping 34/36 shots.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
