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SALMON ARM SILVERBACKS
Daniel Panetta and Zack Smith both recorded hat-tricks, and Liam Vanderkooi stopped 21 shots, as the Salmon Arm Silverbacks stomped the Merritt Centennials 9-3 in B.C. Hockey League action Saturday, March 5, in front of 1,200 fans at the Shaw Centre.
In the first period, the Silverbacks scored four goals on 20 shots against Centennials goaltender Peyton Trzaska. First, Captain Daniel Panetta opened the scoring 2:04 into the game, as he slipped one five-hole for his 18th of the campaign. They doubled their lead just past the midway point of the first period. Simon Tassy made a patient play at the side of the net, and he passed it backdoor to a wide-open Zack Smith, and he jammed it home for his fifth of the season.
Smith added another marker three minutes later on the powerplay, as Ethan Ullrick made a blind pass to Smith at the right point; he skated to the top of the right circle and beat Trzaska blocker side to extend the lead to 3-0. But they weren’t done there; Mat Bourgault tipped home a Mathieu Cobetto-Roy shot in for his ninth of the season and a 4-0 Silverbacks lead. The Backs outshot the Cents 21-8 in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second period, the Silverbacks continued to pour the goals on with Jackson Baker now in the Merritt net, replacing Trzaska. This time it came with a man down as Cobetto-Roy was in the box for cross-checking. That didn’t matter for Panetta. He had two different breakaways on the kill; he was stopped by Baker the first chance, but he got another opportunity shortly after, as he beat Baker five-hole for his second of the evening.
The Centennials would get one back 2:02 later as Jacksenn Hungle beat Vanderkooi under the pads to cut the lead to 5-1. Panetta was able to complete the hat-trick on the powerplay. Tassy shot a puck on goal, and it went to Panetta at the side of the net for his 20th of the year. Panetta scored a goal even-strength, on a powerplay and shorthanded.
The scoring wasn’t done there as with 12 seconds left in the second period Will Lavigne shot a puck towards the goal, and it was directed into the net by Aidan Lindblad to make it 7-1. The Silverbacks outshot the Centennials 18-8 in the second period.
In the third period, the Centennials got on the board early in the third period, as Connor Farren connected on the powerplay, as he snapped it glove side on Vanderkooi to cut the lead to 7-2. The Cents got another late in the third period as Jackson Krill fooled Vanderkooi, and he put it under the pad to make it 7-3.
The Silverbacks got a late powerplay, their fourth of the game. Smith cashed in, ripping a shot off the post and in to complete the hat-trick. Salmon Arm finished 3-for-4 on the powerplay. Kieran Rushcheinski added the last goal with 45 seconds left, his first goal of the season.
The Silverbacks have points in their last five games, going 4-0-1 in that stretch. With the win, the Silverbacks improve to 35-8-5 on the season, but gained no ground on the Interior Conference-leading Penticton Vees, as Penticton thumped the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters 8-2 Saturday. Salmon Arm is still seven points behind the Vees, and the two teams meet for the final time in the regular season Wednesday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The Backs have seven games remaining before playoffs, one more than the Vees.
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