Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks started an Alberta road trip against the Brooks Bandits.
Both teams are able to score in the first period for a tie game. Six minutes in, Matej Teply grabs the puck from the blueline and works his way towards the net, finishing it off blocker side for the Bandits, 1-0 lead. Coming out of the BCHL media timeout, one of the Silverbacks newcomers, Antonio Bevacqua finds himself on a breakaway and snaps it five hole for his first career BCHL goal, tying up the game 1-1.
Brooks takes the lead in the second period. In the final four minutes of the frame, Davide Patella cuts across the middle of the slot and finds the back of the net to give the Bandits the lead again, 2-1. Salmon Arm had two chances on the powerplay in the period but were unable to capitalize.
A big third period for the Silverbacks sees them tie the game up and sent it to overtime. In the first four minutes, the Silverbacks push offensively with a scramble in the crease where Riley Ashe grabs the loose puck sends it in for his 8th of the year, tying up the game yet again 2-2. The lead didn’t last long as two minutes later, Parker Lalonda from a sharp angle scores to make it 3-2. Halfway through the period Ashe is sent to the box for a hooking penalty, giving the Bandits the chance on the powerplay. The Silverbacks kill it off cleanly and Ashe makes up for his penalty by going on a breakaway right out of the box and sniping it top corner to tie the game, 3-3.
Both teams had their chances in overtime but the goalies remained perfect in the extra frame to send it to the shootout of the first time this season for the Silverbacks.
Liam Bursaw scored the only shootout goal as Andrew Ballantyne stops all three faced and the Silverbacks win 4-3.
Ballantyne made 28/31 saves in the win.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
