The Salmon Arm Silverbacks split their games over the weekend with back-to-back matches against the Smoke Eaters in Trail.
On Friday night, March 21, the 'Backs picked up the first game 4-3 in overtime when Easton Walos secured the win with his second of the night.
Though Trail smoked the first goal in just over three minutes in, Salmon Arm slammed in three of their own within six minutes of each other, as Walos, Dakota MacIntosh and Roenick Jodoin all found the back of the net. Collecting the assists were Aidan Willis, Jodoin, Patrick Raftery, Maddux Martin, Walos and Tucker Shedd.
The Smoke Eaters recovered in the second, however, adding two more a tie that, after a scoreless third forced the game into OT where Walos struck at 9:21 with the game-winning marker off Shedd and Riley Ashe.
Daniel Dirracolo made 20 saves in the win, while the team also out-shot the Smoke Eaters with 30 shots on net.
Saturday's game, March 22, had a far different outcome as the 'Backs suffered a 4-1 loss, with the game decided in the first two frames. The Smoke Eaters opened scoring in the first and notched another just 10 seconds into the middle frame before MacIntosh capitalized on a power play, assisted by Shedd and Roenick. Trail then potted two more in the definitive win.
Andrew Ballantyne was tagged with the loss in net, deflecting 28 shots.
In their final two games in the regular season, the 'Backs are at home on Friday, March 28 as they host the West Kelowna Warriors, then head to Penticton to take on the Vees on Saturday, March 29. The puck drops at 7 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively.
