Having your hockey season come to an end is a bitter pill to swallow, even it was a favoured team with consecutive national titles that beat you.
Just ask Salmon Arm SilverBacks head coach Tim Kehler, whose team was up 2-0 in their Interior Conference final series against the Vernon Vipers only to lose four straight to conclude the campaign.
“You’re always disappointed when you don’t achieve what you hope to,” said Kehler. “We put ourselves in a position to win it all...”
Yes, two more wins would have sent the Vipers packing but the Gorillas couldn’t get the crucial goal or win to put them over the hump. They lost 5-1 in Game 3 and suffered one-goal defeats of 3-2, 3-2 in overtime and 5-4 as the Snakes closed it out.
“Vernon showed why they’re the champions; they certainly played their best hockey the last four (games),” said Kehler. “They did the things they needed to do to win; they executed in critical moments and are deserving conference champions.”
The team that scored first won every game of the series and the SilverBacks produced a clunker in Game 3 on home ice as Vernon scored the first two goals of the game before Brett Knowles, still the league-leading playoff scorer, tallied. Vernon tacked on a single in the second and two more in the third.
Game 4 saw Salmon Arm down one after one, but consecutive goals from Bryce Gervais put them in the last lead they’d have this season. Malcolm Lyles and Trevor Fitzgerald scored in the second for a 3-2 final.
Game 5 brought controversy after Salmon Arm tied the game 2-2 on goals by Morgan Zulinick and Clint Atkinson to force overtime. Near the six-minute mark of OT, Vipers defenceman Steve Weinstein put a shot on net that dribbled off Kris Moore and lay in the crease but out of sight of one of the officials who Kehler heard blow his whistle before Aaron Hadley chipped the puck in. One referee waved it off but the other signalled goal. The Vipers poured off their bench but Kehler was apoplectic on his.
“My frustration came from the fact there was a quick whistle; one ref thought (Moore) had the puck covered which he actually did not,” said Kehler. “To my mind, there was no doubt the whistle blew; it was disappointing but it would have been a big-time break for us.”
Now up 3-2 in the series, Vernon took a 3-1 edge in the first period of Game 6 and despite Salmon Arm’s efforts, they couldn’t make up the difference.
“Game 6 I thought was a game that we certainly dug ourselves a hole that was too big to get out of,” said Kehler. “…We ended up getting down 4-1 and we certainly had opportunities to pack it in but we didn’t; we got some chances and got some buzz going in the rink but it just wasn’t to be.
“We deserved what we got.”
Kehler says the team he took over late last summer provided him a rewarding year, all in all.
“We certainly had an enjoyable year with the kids; they were committed and I thought right until the final whistle, we competed as hard as we could. We’re disappointed but proud of the efforts of our group.”