The Salmon Arm Silverbacks let their home opener against the visiting Vernon Vipers get away from them; when the final buzzer sounded the score was 5-1 Vernon.
Vernon opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game as a shot from Jagger Williamson made it past Bo Didur in net for the Silverbacks.
Jesse Lansdell struck again for the Vipers before the end of the opening period assisted by Williamson and Michael Ufberg.
Josh Latta of the Silverbacks had a scoring opportunity on a breakaway in the final minutes of the period but couldn’t solve goaltender Anthony Yamnitsky.
Lansdell scored again after the midway point of the second period — flicking the puck over Didur as he dove for a rebound.
Vernon tallied up two more goals from Jack Judson and Alex Swetlikoff early in the third.
Just seconds after Vernon’s last goal the Silverbacks avoided a shutout with a goal from Justin Wilson, assisted by Max Wutzke and Mitchell Stapley.
The Silverbacks and Vipers face off again in Vernon at 6 p.m. on September 9.