Both the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and the Sicamous Eagles are wrapping up pre-season exhibition games before the hockey season starts.
The Silverbacks nabbed their first win of the pre-season, with a 3-1 home ice victory over the Merritt Centennials Friday, Sept. 15.
Within the first minute, both teams recorded shots on goal, before Tristan Allen and Lorin Froidevaux teamed up for the first Salmon Arm goal. The game was tied at one in the second, when Merritt’s Damon Jugnauth found the back of the net. The rest of the period was littered with penalty calls and time in the box before Luke Drury’s distance shot was tapped in by Cole Cooksey.
The 3-1 lead was then found when Riley Ashe fired a shot over Merritt goaltender Stefan Carney’s glove.
Physicality was seen from both teams in the third, with pushing, roughing and a rare gloves-off fight.
Salmon Arm goalie Ryan Grout made 30 saves out of 31 shots, his first BCHL pre-season win.
The next game for Salmon Arm is in Merritt tonight (Sept. 16). Puck drop is at 7 p.m. and regular season play begins Sept. 22 at home against the Vernon Vipers.
The Sicamous Eagles were also busy Friday, as pre-season sweeps through the Shuswap.
The Eagles battled the North Okanagan Knights at home, also taking home a 3-1 win.
First period saw one goal for the Eagles by Ashton Angle, at the 14:44 mark.
The second period was without any action in the back of the net, although four penalties were racked up evenly by the two teams.
Goal number two for the Eagles was scored 52 seconds into the final frame, by Brendan Calahasen on a power play. The Knights answered with their only goal of the game, a 2:37 shot by Maguire Nicholson. The Eagles ensured a win with a goal by Cortt Callison at the 4:53 mark, and the game would conclude with two more Knights penalties in another physical game on Shuswap ice.
Exhibition season also ends for the Eagles tonight (Sept. 16) in Armstrong at 7:15 p.m. Regular season starts Sept. 22 in Sicamous.
Read more: PHOTOS: Vancouver Canucks’ top prospects shine in Penticton
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