Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Salmon Arm Silverbacks returned to Rogers Rink for the first matchup of the season against the West Kelowna Warriors.
An even first period sees neither team find the back of the net but lots of rough stuff. In the first two minutes, the Silverbacks are tasked with their first penalty kill of the game when Kaycee Coyle heads off for a hooking penalty. Coming out of the media timeout, Patrick Raftery and Laz Giardina drop the gloves and get into a fight that sends them to the dressing room with five minutes for fighting and a ten minute fighting misconduct. The Warriors get another chance with the man advantage when Tanner Walos takes an interference call. The Silverbacks finish the frame a perfect 2/2 on the penalty kill but trailing 13-6 in the shots on goal.
Salmon Arm takes the lead in the second. In the final five minutes of the period, the Silverbacks charge up the ice on an odd-man rush with a beautiful passing play, Kaycee Coyle to Riley Ashe to a back-door tap-in by the captain Maddux Martin to give the Silverbacks the lead, 1-0. The period ends with a four-on-four as both Carson Olsen and Owen Drury getting penalties during a scrum after the whistle.
The third period sees this game get tied up and need an extra frame. An early opportunity for the Warriors as Cole Cooksey takes an interference penalty in the first 30 seconds, but it is another successful penalty kill for the Silverbacks. At the five minute mark, Sam LeDrew hammers home a one-timer to tie up the game 1-1.
Three-on-three overtime saw a beautiful goal from the Silverbacks to win the game. Four minutes into the extra frame, Roenick Jodoin forces the turnover in the offensive zone, cuts towards the front of the net, and while falling is able to roof it glove side of Warriors goalie, Dawson Labre.
Andrew Ballantyne gets the win, stopping 31/32 shots faced.
(Photo credit: Kristal Burgess)
