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Salmon Arm Silverbacks fall to Merritt, Trail in back-to-back games

‘Backs take advantage of scoring chances but were hurt by power-play
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Silverbacks defenceman Olson Werenka celebrates teammate Trevor Adams’ goal against the Merritt Centennials at the Sept. 15 game in Salmon Arm. (Jodi Brak/Salmon Arm Observer)

The Silverbacks looked to make a repeat of their season-opening victory against Merritt during a rematch Sept. 15 but came up short as the power play worked against them.

The ’Backs played a pair of games over the weekend, one in Trail against the Smoke Eaters Sept. 14 followed by the rematch against Merritt Sept. 15.

Trail would open the scoring just three minutes into the first period on an early power-play, with Hayden Rowan putting one past Devin Chapman who started in goal for his first game with the ’Backs.

Related: Silverbacks defenceman Akito Hirose signs to Minnesota State NCAA team

Salmon Arm would answer this goal just a half-minute later as Tyson Gayfer scored his first BCHL goal off an assist from John Little.

Just over halfway into the first, Salmon Arm would take a short-lived lead during a power-play as Hudson Schandor fired one into the Trail net off an assist from Olson Werenka. Salmon Arm saw multiple penalties eat up their ice presence through the remainder of the first and Trail tied up the game with a goal from Levi Glasman.

The second period saw the Silverbacks on the penalty-kill for close to half the period, with Trail putting in two goals over the period.

In the third period, Silverbacks forward Trevor Adams put a shot into the net to make it 4-3, assisted by Akito Hirose and Andy Stevens. Trail would put in two more shots by the end of the third, however, ending the game 6-3 in favour of the Smoke Eaters.

The Silverbacks were back on home ice the next night for a rematch against the Merritt Centennials, looking to replicate their 4-2 victory from the week before but coming up short.

Merritt started off the scoring 12 minutes into the first, with a goal that would be answered a mere 15 seconds later by Silverbacks forward Trevor Adams, assisted by Nick Unruh and Hudson Schandor.

Related: Silverbacks drop Merritt 4-2 in home-opener game

Going into the second things started to get away from the ’Backs as Merritt put in their second goal of the game. With two skaters off the ice due to penalties, Merritt had a two-man advantage and capitalized on it for a quick goal. Talon Zakall of the Centennials would score another one for Merritt late in the second to make it 3-1.

The Silverbacks got a chance to even up the game a bit in the third off a penalty shot from Johnathan Krahn, but it was stopped just short by goaltender Austin Roden.

Merritt would put two more on the board in the third period with Matthew Kopperud scoring the first off a rebound and Bradley Cocca, the team’s leading scorer, putting Merrit’s fifth point on the board with five minutes remaining.

Salmon Arm would come back with one more goal before the night was out as Matthew Verboon scored his second point of the season off an assist from Noah Wakeford.

The Silverbacks are back on the ice for a three-game series on the road Sept 21-23 against Victoria, Alberni Valley and Coquitlam, followed by a Sept. 28 match in West Kelowna and a return to home ice Sept. 29 against the West Kelowna Warriors.


 

@Jodi_Brak117
jodi.brak@saobserver.net

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Silverbacks forward Justin Wilson squares off with a Merritt defender during their Sept. 15 matchup at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. (Jodi Brak/Salmon Arm Observer)
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Silverbacks forward Logan Shaw looks to cut off Merritt Centennials forward Mathieu Gosselin as he skates the puck out from behind the net during the Sept. 15 game at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. (Jodi Brak/Salmon Arm Observer)
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Silverbacks forward Trevor Adams grapples for the puck against a Merritt player during their game at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm Sept. 15. (Jodi Brak/Salmon Arm Observer)
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Silverbacks forward Nick Unruh looks to get around a Merritt defender while fellow Silverback Hudson Schandor trails close behind and watches for a pass during the Sept. 15 game at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. (Jodi Brak/Salmon Arm Observer)