CHILIWACK, BC- In the Opening frame of the Silverback’s final Showcase game, they got off on the wrong foot after defenceman Mike Ladyman turned over the puck at the blue line, sending Jeremie Payant on a partial break, and he slipped it past Owen Say to make it 1-0 Clippers. Then the Silverback’s powerplay exploded. After Brandon Santa Juana was drilled from behind by Sean Donaldson, it gave the Silverbacks a 5-minute major. It was looking like the Backs would come out empty-handed, but Captain Daniel Panetta had other plans. A puck popped into the slot, and he snapped it past Jayden Shull to tie the game. It was Panetta’s first of the season, and he celebrated in style, tossing the monkey off his back as he went by the bench. Ethan Ullrick ripped a shot under the bar glove side nine seconds later, doubling the Silverbacks’ lead. The Nanaimo Clippers continued their parade to the penalty box; as they were set to get a slashing minor, Tristan Fraser nailed Owen Desilets from behind. Desilets was forced to leave the game as blood poured down his face. The Silverbacks again made the Clippers pay. It was Cobetto-Roy in the identical spot that he scored his first BCHL goal. He got a pass from Ladyman and wired it top corner over the glove of Shull to make it 3-1. All three coming on the powerplay. The Silverbacks outshot the Clippers 13-4 in the opening twenty minutes.
In the middle stanza, the Silverbacks gave up a few chances early, the best opportunity for the Clippers coming off the stick of Tristan Fraser, who was stopped not once but twice by the left pad of Say to preserve a 3-1 Backs lead. Santa Juana and Fraser went off for roughing, opening the ice up for two minutes of four on four hockey. The Clippers got a four-on-three advantage when Lucas Matta got a tripping penalty, but as it has been all year long, the penalty kill remained strong, killing it off. They were a perfect 3/3 on the PK through 40 minutes. The Clippers edged the Silverbacks 11-10 in the shots in the second period, but the Silverbacks overall half the advantage 23-15 combined.
Late in the final frame, the Clippers began to push and attempt to get back into the Hockey game, but Say stood tall for the Backs, stopping numerous chances in front, keeping it a 3-1 game. Then with five minutes to go in the game, Ethan Ullrick put the game to bed, snapping his second of the game over the shoulder of Shull to put the Silverbacks up 4-1.
With the win, the Silverbacks improve to 4-0-1, while the Clippers fall to 2-3 on the year. The Backs’ will have the weekend off. They will be next in action next weekend when Victoria comes to town.
