Salmon Arm Silverbacks fans received a Family Day gift with the defeat of the Vernon Vipers.
The 'Backs began their weekend with a trip to Trail's Cominco Arena for a Friday, Feb. 15 game versus the Smoke Eaters. Over the first two frames the Trail crowd was treated to steady back-and-forth action with neither team finding the back of the net. That changed halfway through the third period, when Salmon Arm's Keifer Miller lit the scoreboard with a goal assisted by Cole Cooksey and Riley Ashe. In the last minute of the game, Cooksey single-handedly rippled the mesh of the empty Trail net, giving the Silverbacks a 2-0 victory.
Salmon Arm goalie Andrew Ballantyne denied 26 shots on net.
On the following Monday, Feb. 17, the Silverbacks hosted the Vipers for an afternoon game at Rogers Rink. Salmon Arm was quick to light the scoreboard this time, with a marker from Scott Miner about four minutes into first period, assisted by Tucker Shedd and Riley Ashe. Vernon's Talan Blanck responded a minute later, with teammate Kyren Gronick adding a second goal closer to the halfway mark. Salmon Arm's Maddux Martin, assisted by Shedd, tied things up at 11:57, and the score remained at 2-2 to the end of the frame.
Early in the second period, the 'Backs were able to capitalize on penalty trouble for Vernon, with Dakota MacIntosh adding a goal assisted by Ben MacBeath and Ballantyne. Salmon Arm continued to dominate second period, with Ryan Philbrick and Martin bringing the tally to 5-2.
MacIntosh delivered his second goal of the game at 13:19 in the third. This was followed by a single by Vernon's Charlie Kresl. The game ended in a 6-3 win for Salmon Arm.
Ballantyne stopped 18 shots while his Vernon counterpart blocked 33.
Next up for the 'Backs is a pair of home games, the first versus the Penticton Vees on Feb. 21, followed by a game versus the Cranbrook Bucks, Feb. 22. For more information, visit sasilverbacks.com.
