Aaron Van Wie scored two goals, including the game-winning marker at 10:56 of the third period, and the Salmon Arm Silverbacks beat the banged-up Penticton Vees 2-1 at Rogers Rink on Friday, Nov. 22.
Van Wie, who entered the game with just one assist in 11 games, scored his first-career BCHL goal in the first period before doubling down in the final frame to push Salmon Arm (15-4-2-0) ahead of Penticton in the Interior Conference standings.
Louie Wehmann scored the only goal for Penticton (15-6-0-0), who iced just 17 skaters as it was missing three regulars from its lineup due to injury. The Vees' goal-leader Max Heise was among those to miss to Interior Conference clash.
Silverbacks netminder Andrew Ballantyne made 29 saves to record his seventh win of the season. His counterpart, Penticton's Will Ingemann, stopped 26 shots and was tagged with the loss.
"We were a little slow out of the gate in the third, but we made a push but just came out just short," said Penticton assistant coach Matthew Vanden Berg. "It felt like a game a bounce was going to be the difference, and Salmon Arm got it tonight."
Salmon Arm is now in sole possession of second place in the Interior, four points behind the conference-leading Brooks Bandits.
Entering Friday's showdown, the Silverbacks had gone winless against the Vees in two tries this season. The teams will meet again on Jan. 10, in Penticton.
After Van Wie opened the game's scoring at 17:52 of the first period, Wehmann replied for Penticton early in the middle frame.
The Minnesota-born forward has three goals in four games after signing with the Vees in early November.
Van Wie broke the 1-1 tie midway through the final frame, with Caleb Mahar and Easton Walos adding assists.
Penticton is back in action on Saturday, Nov. 23, when it hosts the Vernon Vipers at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Salmon Arm, meanwhile, is off until Sunday, Nov. 24, as the Shuswap-based club visits Vernon at Kal Tire Place.
