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Strong Start Falls Short in Penticton

Salmon Arm dominated Penticton in the opening frame, but were unable to beat Jack LaFontaine and it would eventually come back to bite them losing 4-2 in Penticton.

Shots were 12-3 in the first period, and Salmon Arm had a pair of breakaways. No one would score for the Silverbacks though allowing them an early lead.

Penticton struck first in the second period, converting on their third power play of the game. Salmon Arm had the original four minute man advantage, but with a minute left in the PP, Olson Werenka went off for roughing. Leading the defence in scoring, James Miller would tally another as his long wrister from the top of the left faceoff circle found it’s way to the top right corner. The Vees nearly scored two minutes in but an Andre Ghantous breakaway was fended off by Matthew Armitage making his third start.

Replying for Salmon Arm with less than two minutes in the second was Nick Unruh. Noah Wakeford swept behind the net, and from beelow the goal line spotted Unruh out front. A shot beat LaFontaine to tie the score at one. Cassidy Bowes nearly restored the Penticton lead with 40 seconds left, but was denied on a breakaway.

With just two goals in the first two periods combined, the teams would combine for four in the third. A point shot from Connor Hutchison went wide left of the goal, but rebounded off the wall and right to Ryan Sandelin who scored his 12th goal of the season to tie Eric Linell for the team lead in goals. On the power play three minutes later, Vees Captain Massimo Rizzo danced into the offensive zone, and had the puck knocked off his stick but it went straight to Sandelin. He would rip a shot in giving Penticton a 3-1 lead with 8:10 remaining.

Famous for third period comebacks this season, Salmon Arm would score two minutes later to get within one. LaFontaine couldn’t control a Sam MacBean point shot, and the rebound went right to Aiden Jenner who tapped in his third of the season.

Armitage would be pulled for the extra attacker, but with Salmon Arm changing a player late, the replacement couldn’t get to the puck in time and Eric Linell won the race to a puck chipping it ahead, and eventually scoring into the empty net for his 13th of the season.

Key Performers:

Stopping 28 of 31 shots and a huge second period performance, Matthew Armitage was named the third star of the game. Three games into his BCHL career, he has yet to allow more than one even strength goal in any of his starts. Heading to the third period, the score could have been much worse if not for a few highlight reel stops from Armitage.