Nothing like beating your closest geographical rival twice in less than 24 hours to close out the year.
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks completed a B.C. Hockey League home-and-home sweep of the Vernon Vipers Sunday, Dec. 29, at Rogers Rink, downing the Snakes 5-3 in front of a holiday crowd of 1,840.
The 'Backs took the front end Saturday at Kal Tire Place in Vernon, beating the Vipers 4-3 in overtime with 3,052 fans in attendance. It was the first game for both teams following the Christmas break.
Aidan Willis' goal at 5:02 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie Sunday, with Ben MacBeath scoring a shorthanded, empty-net goal at 19:25 for Salmon Arm.
The Vipers jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead on goals from Simon Binkley and Daniil Dozhenko, before Liam Bursaw got Salmon Arm on the board in the final minute.
Scott Miner's powerplay goal at 18:16 of the second period was the only goal of the frame, and Salmon Arm took its first lead of the game 2:59 after the ice clean on Tanner Walos' first goal.
Landon MacDonald, with his team-leading 13th of the season, tied the game for the Vipers less than two minutes later at 4:52.
Jari Kykkanen made 40 saves in goal for Vernon while Andrew Ballantyne stopped 25 shots in the Silverbacks net.
Riley Ashe was Salmon Arm's hero on Saturday, scoring a powerplay goal at 5:57 of overtime with one second remaining in a holding minor to the Vipers' Luke Bibby.
Ashe was stopped by Kykkanen on a first-period penalty shot.
Payton Nelson opened the game scoring for Salmon Arm with the only marker of the first period, setting the stage for a wild second period that saw five goals scored in the first 14 minutes.
Vernon took a 2-1 lead on a pair of goals from MacDonald, the second coming with the man advantage. Salmon Arm tied the contest just 23 seconds later, courtesy of Bursaw.
The Vipers regained the lead at 9:47 from newly acquired Talan Blanck, only to see Salmon Arm's Cole Cooksey even up the game with a powerplay goal at 13:55.
There was no scoring in the third period.
It was Ballantyne who was the busier of the two goals Saturday, making 32 saves, while Kykkanen finished the night with 19 stops.
With the victories, Salmon Arm (18-8-4) moves into third place in the Interior Conference with 40 points, one point back of the Trail Smoke Eaters. Both teams have played 30 games.
The Vipers (9-15-5) are 10th in the Conference, four points behind the West Kelowna Warriors for the eighth and final playoff spot, but with two games in hand.
The Silverbacks kick off 2025 with a four-game road trip beginning New Year's Day in Brooks against the league-leading Bandits. Brooks beat Salmon Arm twice in December, outscoring the Gorillas 13-0.
Salmon Arm plays in Blackfalds Friday, and Okotoks Saturday. Next home game for the Silverbacks is Saturday, Jan. 11, against Blackfalds (6 p.m. start).
The Vipers host West Kelowna Friday, Jan. 3 (7 p.m.), and entertain the Sherwood Park Crusaders Saturday (6 p.m.).
