So many great story lines.
Stellar goaltending. Shutdown penalty kill. FIRST SHOOTOUT.
All of these came into play in a nail biting 3-2 shootout win for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks that saw them erase a 2-0 deficit against the Vernon Vipers.
Coming into the game, Salmon Arm was on the hunt for their first win of the pre-season coming short both times against West Kelowna last weekend.
Things didn’t get off to a great start for the home side though, as it was former AP Elan Bar-Lev-Wise scoring the first goal of the game 7:21 in. From the right corner, the Ohio State commit centred the puck and had it bank into the net off a defenceman’s skate.
In the second Vernon got off to good start with their second unassisted goal. Off a turnover, Nicholas Wildgoose (great name) came down the middle and was able to beat Devin Chapman to make it 2-0. The Silverbacks would reply just 16 seconds later though, as Marr Verboon came down the left side and picked the top left corner over the shoulder of Aidan Porter making it a 2-1 game. Both goalies got swapped out halfway through the game with Ethan Langenegger coming in for Salmon Arm, and Aidan Hosein taking over for Vernon. The Vipers would nearly restake their two goal lead on a man advantage, but Langenegger came up with a glorious blocker save. The Silverbacks would earn a late power play of their own, but were unable to even the score.
In the third it was 16 year old Wyatt Marlow tying the game just past the four minute marker. An original point shot by Andy Stevens hit a mass of bodies in front of the goal, and eventually came free to Marlow at the top of the left circle. The young forward ripped a shot beating Hosein an tying the game. Both sides would have to kill off power plays in the final frame sending the game to overtime.
Coming off an OT game that ended five seconds in, and not in their favour, the Silverbacks showed their maturity in bouncing back this time around. As you would expect in three on three action, the play was back and forth with Teddy Woodling from the Vipers getting the best chance on a breakaway, but was thwarted away by Langenegger. With 2:30 to go, the Silverbacks would take a penalty, but were able to survive the do or die situation.
With the extra frame solving nothing, the two sides would head to a shootout for the first time. Woodling was up first for Vernon, and seemed to have Langenegger fooled, but the new netminder found a way to slide across and get his toe on the puck. Justin Wilson took the first shot for the Silverbacks and made it look easy, coming down and without a fake fired a shot past the blocker of Hosein. Bar-Lev-Wise looked to even the score, but Langenegger AGAIN made a left toe save. Verboon started the scoring for the Silverbacks, and he would end it Friday night coming down and winning the game on a clean shot like Wilson.
The win marked the first for Salmon Arm in the pre-season, and was the first loss for Vernon coming off a pair of wins against Merritt. The two teams will face off again Saturday night, with the battle shifting to Kal Tire Place in Vernon.
Both penalty kills were strong with Vernon going 3 for 3 and the Silverbacks going five for five (including the one in overtime)
