For some, it would be easy to look at the Salmon Arm SilverBacks results last weekend that brought three of a possible four points on home ice and feel pretty good about things.
But with the way it’s shaping up in the BCHL’s Interior Division, head coach Troy Mick can’t afford to be easily satisfied after a 3-2 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters and a 3-2 double-overtime loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings.
“I’m too competitive (so) it’s never enough,” said Mick. “Three out of four is better than zero; it was parents’ weekend and we put on a good show so that’s important.”
Each year, the team invites all players’ parents to Salmon Arm for a weekend and this past weekend was well received by all. They saw a Trail team taking shape under new bench boss Nick Deschenes that put up a stiff challenge, taking a 2-0 lead at one point in the second period.
Landon Smith started the ’Backs rally in the second and a pair of goals from Jeff Kennedy in the third completed the comeback win. Mick says it was good to see his line, along with Alex Jewell and Bryden Marsh, get rewarded for their blue-collar play.
“Everyone knows we have a very good top line (but Kennedy and linemates) are our meat-and-potatoes line,” said Mick. “They were finally rewarded; they’re always working hard and they’ve got to get goals the old-fashioned way through hard work.”
Salmon Arm outshot Trail 39-23 for the game but former SilverBacks goalie Dustin Nikkel was strong against his former team.
“The shots were indicative; we were going at them pretty hard,” said Mick. “We could have sat back and said ‘Poor us,’ but we came back and made it entertaining and it sure made the (parents’) meet-and-greet enjoyable afterwards.”
On Saturday, Prince George made their lone stop at Shaw Centre for the season and managed to skate away with two points on Brogan O’Brien’s winner with 1:31 left in double overtime. The visitors forced extra time when Karan Toor scored on a power play late in the third period.
“It was just a very good game; I’m not going to say woulda, coulda, shoulda but we were up 2-1 late in the third and you should never relinquish that,” said Mick.
Salmon Arm remains the highest-scoring team in the Interior but goals have been a bit tougher to come by in November as the opposition adjusts. Not having Alex Gillies for the last two weeks has affected the lineup as well as he’s been away with Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge.
“I think our league is the best league in Canada and coaches, when they pre-scout us as the season goes, it becomes a little tougher to score,” said Mick. “Our division has so much parity and teams are so much better coached than ever before.”
Currently, Salmon Arm sits fifth but is just four points out of first. The team visits West Kelowna Tuesday night (past Observer deadline), host Cowichan Valley on Friday in a 7 p.m. start and travel to Trail Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. start.
