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Silverbacks win in Washington

Long road trip ends in a loss in Penticton and a win south of the border.
9551507_web1_SA-Backs-wild-Oct.-17
Julian Timba tries to take the puck from Wenatchee Wild defenceman Slava Denim during a game at the Shaw Centre on Oct. 17.-image credit: Pure Life Photography

The Salmon Arm Silverbacks split the weekend road trip between a loss in the south Okanagan and a win south of the 49th parallel.

On Friday night in Penticton a late comeback by the Silverbacks was shut down in the first overtime period.

Penticton kicked off the scoring five minutes into the first with a goal from Nicky Leivermann.

Neither team could solve the opposing goalie again until late in the second frame when Massimo Rizzo tallied up a power play goal for the Vees assisted by Grant Cruikshank and Cassidy Bowes.

Tanner Campbell got the Silverbacks on the board with a goal in the final minute of the second period — his fourth of the season.

Penticton protected their lead into the last three minutes of the game before Rhett Kingston scored the equalizer for the ‘Backs sending the game into overtime.

The Silverbacks’ comeback hopes were dashed just 42 seconds into overtime as Owen Sillinger fired the game winner past Kyle Dumba.

“It’s a tough weekend. We were on the road against two very good opponents. I thought the team came out a little bit soft in the first period but I thought we found our legs and made a great game of it,” said Silverbacks’ head coach Scott Atkinson.

The Salmon Arm Silverbacks held off the Wenatchee Wild’s potent offence to pick up a win in a close Saturday-night game on the road.

Wenatchee lit the lamp first, 16 minutes into the opening period. With Silverbacks d-man Trevor Longo serving a two-minute cross-checking penalty, Wenatchee’s Murphy Stratton got the feed from Slava Denim and fired the puck past Dumba between the pipes for the ‘Backs.

‘Backs captain Grayson Constable tied the game up with an unassisted marker as first frame entered its final minutes.

Dumba faced 14 shots in the opening period while the Silverbacks put six on the Wenatchee net.

Early in the second period Dumba had to face Josh Arnold one-on-one as the Wenatchee forward was awarded a penalty shot. The Wild peppered Dumba with 15 shots in the second stanza, none of which made it past the six-foot-tall netminder from Calgary.

“While I wasn’t happy that we gave up that many shots, I was happy that we didn’t give up a whole bunch of Grade-A opportunities,” Atkinson said.

He added he feels acquiring Dumba has been a significant improvement for the team’s goaltending.

As the clock ticked down with the score still 1-1, Josh Latta tallied up his seventh goal of the season assisted by Julian Timba.

The Silverbacks protected the lead through the final minutes to pick up the win.

The ‘Backs are leading the season series against Wenatchee 2-0, having also beaten the wild on Oct. 17 at the Shaw Centre.

“I think anytime you’re successful confidence grows and everyone knows confidence is huge factor,” Atkinson said.

Wenatchee will get another crack at Salmon Arm in front of the home crowd at the Shaw Centre on Friday, Dec. 1.



Jim Elliot

About the Author: Jim Elliot

I’m a B.C. transplant here in Whitehorse at The News telling stories about the Yukon's people, environment, and culture.
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