Shea Busch's 11th goal of the season for the Vernon Vipers in overtime was crucial, as the marker gave the Vipers a weekend split against a pair of Okanagan rivals.
Despite 13 shots in the first from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on a four-game win streak, new goaltender Jari Kykkanen would hold his own, stopping all 13 in the frame. Vipers' Busch would score his 10th goal of the season in the period, despite being down a man.
Maddux Martin would finally solve Kykkanen in the second, to knot the game up at 1-1.
In the third, Cole Cooksey would put the 'Backs up on the power-play, however Corban Almen's second of the season just three minutes later would tie the game up.
Just 28 seconds would be needed in the overtime period, where Busch's 11th of the season would win it for the home team.
Kykkanen's 25 saves on the afternoon would be enough for his first win in his first game with the club. He was acquired off waivers from the Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets. Salmon Arm's (15-4-3) Andrew Ballantyne's 27 saves on 30 shots gave him his second loss of the season.
Vernon was in Penticton on Saturday, Nov. 23, to face the Vees.
The Vipers would fight valiantly, but a three-goal third period from the home team led to a 6-4 Penticton victory.
Four times the Snakes held the lead against their arch-rivals, and four times the Vees rallied.
The opening frame, both teams would trade goals, with Vernon getting markers from Will Schumacher, Jordan Gudridge and Noah Grolnic. Penticton sandwiched the Vipers tallies with snipes from Max Heise (two) and Anselmo Rego. Rego's eighth of the season came on a penalty shot, after getting hauled down with a minute left in the frame.
In the second, Charlie Kresl would give the Vipers the lead on the power-play. But just 44 seconds into the third, the Vees would knot the game up again from the stick of Ryden Evers, scoring short-handed.
Landon Wright put the home team up two minutes later, before Heise's hat-trick marker into an empty net to secure the two points for Penticton (16-6-0)
Ethan Bonaventura made 20 saves for his second win of the year while the Vipers' Marko Bilic stopped 32 of 37 shots for his fifth loss of the season.
Vernon (7-11-4) begins a three-game road trip that takes them to the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast Wednesday, Nov. 27. The Snakes play the Express in Coquitlam Wednesday before heading to Nanaimo to face the Clippers Friday, Nov. 29, and finishing the jaunt Saturday, Nov. 30, in Powell River against the Kings.
The Vipers' next home game will be against the league best Brooks Bandits (18-2-0) Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. at Kal Tire Place. The Bandits are three points ahead of the Silverbacks in the Interior Conference, and four up on the Vees.
