Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks were looking for the weekend sweep against the Prince George Spruce Kings in game two.
The Silverbacks jump put to a huge lead in the first period. A minute in, the Silverbacks get called for a penalty, giving the Spruce Kings an early powerplay. Maddux Martin gets sent down the ice on a shorthanded breakaway and makes no mistake for the early 1-0 lead. Four minutes later it was the Silverbacks turn on the powerplay and with one second left with the man advantage, Nick Wellenreiter sneaks backdoor for a tap-in goal. Back on the powerplay, five minutes later, the captain Nathan Mackie collects the puck in the slot, drives the net, and beats the goalie over the shoulder to make it a 3-0 lead with all special team goals. The Silverbacks weren’t done scoring in the opening frame as JJ Monteiro forces the goalie to turnover the puck with a heavy forecheck, resulting in an empty net goal for Monteiro.
The second period was complete opposite, with tempers starting to flare. At the 7:19 mark of the middle frame, Ty Paisley and Tristan Taylor drops the gloves and start trading punches. Each of them would be given five for fighting and a game misconduct. With the period coming to an end, Nathaniel Davis and Isaac Lambert get into a wrestling match with Kazumo Sasaki and Skogen Schrott, which results in 10 minute misconducts being handed to both Lambert and Sasaki.
The Silverbacks would extend their lead while the physicality remains in the third. Striking early right out of intermission, Lian Gayfer collects his own rebound in front of the net and pops it over the pad of Charlie Zolin to push the lead to 5-0. Five minutes later, Jonah Aegerter picks up the puck at the half boards, drives the net, and flips the puck over the should to make it half a dozen goals for the Silverbacks. Halfway through the period, another fight breaks out, this time Riley Ashe and Owen Goodbrand chucking knuckles, which results in another five for fighting and a game misconduct for both of them.
Ryan Grout picks up his first career BCHL shutout, stopping 22/22 shots.
(Photo Credit: Vicki Brown)