A two-goal lead was not enough to ensure victory for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks when the Vernon Vipers came to town on Jan. 13.
After most of the first period passed scoreless, Drew Bennett lit up the board after getting the puck on a play set up by Coalson Wolford and Nick Martino. Bennett’s hot streak held through the first intermission as he scored his second of the game four minutes into second period.
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Dawson Holt got the Vipers on the board just over a minute later. He found his way to the goal on a short-handed play to score Vernon’s first goal of the night.
Max Bulawka evened the score with five minutes left in the period.
Shortly after Bulawka’s goal, Colby Feist of the Vipers and the Silverbacks’ Sam Schofield dropped the gloves, leading the refs to send both men off with a fighting major and a game misconduct.
With ‘Backs D-man Devan Newhook serving a holding penalty, the Vipers ended the period with a last-minute goal to give them a 3-2 lead heading into third period.
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Ben Helgeson stretched the Vipers’ lead to 4-2 early in the third, but Daniel Rybarik quickly scored to keep it a one-goal game for the ‘Backs.
The Vipers scored again off the stick of Christian Felton just after the halfway point of the period and the Silverbacks were unable to reply, wrapping up a 5-3 win for the visitors.
Up next for the Silverbacks is a Jan. 15 home game against Prince George followed by a road trip that will take them to Penticton and Vernon on Jan. 18 and 19.
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