Two three-goal first periods helped propel the Silverbacks to victory this weekend against West Kelowna and Surrey.
The Warriors’ Reed Gunville opened the scoring, Friday evening in the Okanagan, but Salmon Arm’s Marcus Mitchell, who was named BCHL Player of the Week, replied two minutes later. New kid on the block Haydn Hopkins made an early impact in his first game as a Silverback when he scored the go-ahead goal, which was followed by Connor Sundquist’s fourth this season.
The second was scoreless and in the third, Chase Dubois got West Kelowna within one but Jared Turcotte soon restored the ’Backs two-goal lead. West Kelowna’s Connor Sodergren and Salmon Arm’s Spencer Hora traded goals after that as the final decision was 5-3.
The ’Backs head coach Brandon West seems to have decided upon the club’s stating goalie as Brandon Kegler made his third start of the season in a row and earned his first win, making 40 saves in the process.
The following night at the Shaw Centre, The Silverbacks stuck to the same script from the previous night as they scored another trio of first-period goals.
The deciding marker for the Silverbacks came off the stick of Justin Wilson’s tally in the third, his first goal in the BCHL, that was the winner in a 6-3 win over the Surrey Eagles.
Turcotte, Grayson Constable and Marcus Mitchell put the ‘Backs up 3-0 after one. Getting the start in goal for Surrey was former Silverback Michael Botiz. Two quick goals in the first three and half minutes chased Botiz from the crease, making way for Daniel Davidson.
The second was scoreless and Wilson scored to make it 4-0 early in the third before Andrew Kemp got Surrey on the board, ending Kegler’s shutout bid.
Darius Davidson got the Eagles within two but Akito Hirose restored the Salmon Arm cushion, scoring his first goal in the BCHL courtesy of a favourable deflection.
Jeffrey Stewart and Mitchell traded tallies late in the third as Kegler made 30 saves for his second win of the season.
Joining Carter Cochrane on the injury list this weekend was Cameron Trott and Carson Bolduc.
The Silverbacks will look to make it three wins in a row this season on the road against the Smokies this evening.
On Friday at 7 p.m. the Warriors will visit the Shaw Centre before completing the home-and-home series against West Kelowna Saturday.