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Salmon Arm minor hockey teams kick off their first season as Silverbacks

Bantam female rep and midget teams hit the ice, make exhibition wins
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The bantam rep female Silverbacks team kicked off their season Oct. 13-14 with two games against the Kamloops Blazers, taking a 6-3 loss and a 3-1 victory in the back-to-back games. (Image contributed)

The 2018-19 season brings with it a series of firsts for Salmon Arm Minor Hockey, chief among them being a new look and team identity as Silverbacks.

Along with this partnership with the Silverbacks, Salmon Arm is fielding an all-female bantam rep hockey team, an exciting step forward to supporting girls in hockey and opening up the sport to all who enjoy some time on the ice.

Bantam female rep season kicks off

The Salmon Arm Elite Hockey School Female Bantam A hockey team opened their 2018-19 hockey season with an exhibition game Saturday, Oct. 13 in Kamloops, falling to the Bantam Blazers by a score of 6-3.

They fared better on Sunday when they welcomed the Blazers to the Shaw Centre for a rematch however, as they defeated the visitors by a 3-1 final score.

The Silverbacks female bantam rep roster includes Goaltender Chelsea West and skaters Jada Brown, Kaisy Huber, Natasha Kociuba, Ali Logan, Mykal Martin, Hayden Meade, Hanna Menzies, Jaylen Moraice-Budalich, Reanne Muller, Brooklyn Sewell, Chassie Valin and AP’s Hailee Hunt and Parker Davidson.

Coached by Renee Huber and assistant coach Hailey Haskell, this team is the culmination of years of effort to have female rep hockey at the Bantam level in Salmon Arm. The league consists of teams from Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George and Williams Lake.

Travel is common in female hockey, with both Kociuba and Huber travelling to Vernon last season to play for the Bantam Vipers.

Regardless of the outcome on the score sheet, commitment and effort should see these young ladies find success this season.

Salmon Arm will be playing exhibition games and in tournaments in October before the season officially opens with a game against Kamloops in November.

Midget team wins on opening weekend

The Salmon Arm Rona Silverbacks tier three midget team kicked off the 2018-19 hockey season last Saturday at the Shaw Centre, defeating the visiting Clearwater Ice Hawks by a score of 3-1.

David Kline opened the scoring for Salmon Arm halfway through the first period, the goaltender stopping his first attempt, but sliding out of position and leaving a yawning cage for the rebound.

Bradley Hlina put the Silverbacks further ahead with a wrist shot up over the goalie’s glove in the second, and Connor Kociuba’s rocket one-timer on a sweet pass from Lane Bull on the power play would seal the victory for the Silverbacks.

Salmon Arm faced off against the Winfield Bruins on Sunday, and as expected, the Bruins proved to be a tough opponent both defensively and when they opened the scoring in the second period.

The Silverbacks never gave up, however, and with time winding down in the third Ty Bailey would bank a backhand off the opposition netminder to tie the game at 1-1.

Both teams pressed hard for the win, but the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Salmon Arm welcomes the Summerland Jets to town Saturday, Oct. 20.

Submitted by Peter Kociuba