The Salmon Arm Silverbacks clinched a spot in the playoffs with a pair of out-of-town wins over the weekend.
On Friday, the March 7, the team made a stop at Western Financial Place to face off against the Cranbrook Bucks.
After a busy but scoreless first frame, second period began with Cranbrook's Jacob Fletcher making up time in the sin bin for a slashing call. Salmon Arm capitalized on the man advantage, with Patrick Raftery lighting the scoreboard assisted by Dakota MacIntosh and Easton Walos. The Bucks replied five minutes later with a goal by Blake Cotton.
The intense action continued with Salmon Arm's Keifer Miller scoring at the halfway mark, assisted by Donovan Hamilton. This was followed five-minutes later with a goal by teammate Sawyer Prokopetz, off of Caleb Mahar and Tanner Walos. About a minute later, the Bucks added their second goal, which was followed by an unassisted marker from Roenick Jodoin.
The Bucks' final goal of the night was delivered early in the third period, while Scott Miner was doing time for a hooking penalty. But the Silverbacks remained revved and continued to dominate the frame. Jodoin added his second goal of the night at 3:16, assisted by Aidan Willis. Payton Nelson rippled the mesh at 9:07, off of Mahar and Tanner Walos. MacIntosh was last to score, assisted by Ryan Philbrick, giving the Silverbacks a 7-3 win.
In net for Salmon Arm was Daniel Dirracolo, who made 20 saves. Goaltending duties at the opposite end of the ice were shared by Jaden Cholette and Kolton Bourret, who stopped a total of 34 shots.
On Saturday night the Silverbacks were in Okotoks where they mopped up the Oilers with a 6-2 win.
First goal of the night was scored at the end of first period by Salmon Arm's Payton Nelson, assisted by Hamilton and Tanner Walos. The Silverbacks went on to dominate the first half of the second frame with goals by Philbrick, off of MacBeath and Willis; Maddux Martin, from MacIntosh and Raftery; and Willis, from MacIntosh and Hamilton. The Oilers two goals were delivered at 15:10 and 15:46 by Ryan Boyce and Spencer Rheaume.
Salmon Arm added two more goals in the third frame, the first an unassisted marker at 1:18 scored by Scott Miner, the second, at 10:18, scored by Easton Walos, from Willis and Miner.
In net for Salmon Arm, Andrew Ballantyne tallied 24 saves, while Oiler Oilivier Ciarlo stopped 26 shots on net.
The Silverbacks are back at Rogers Rink next weekend with a game versus the Powell River Kings on March 14 and the Spruce Grove Saints on the 15th. For more Silverbacks information, visit sasilverbacks.com.
