The Scotiabank Tier 2 Bantam Silvertips played host to an 11-team field for their home tournament last weekend, and strong play saw them finish third.
The ’Tips played a pair of games on Remembrance Day.
Their first opponents were the Castlegar Rapids.
Constant pressure was the obvious game plan for the Silvertips, as the opposition were barely able to get the puck out of their zone in the first period.
After trading goals early in the first, the ’Tips would score to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
That seemed to bolster the Silvertips who then proceeded to run away with the game, Carson Irmen slamming the door the rest of the way home for a 7-1 final.
Salmon Arm continued strong play in the second game against Williams Lake, again opening the scoring in the first period, firing on all cylinders.
Gage Ostoforoff scored a beauty in the second, freezing the puck on the penalty kill in the deep corner before spinning off the back wall and driving through two defenders to bank the puck into the net off of the back of the goaltender’s leg.
The Silvertips would give up another late in the second, but that would be as close as Williams Lake would come. Goaltender Gabriel Murrels-Allaway got the win for the Silvertips.
Saturday saw the strongest competition to date for the ’Tips, as they faced off against Prince George.
After establishing a three-goal lead in the first period, the ’Tips would surrender four unanswered, falling behind 4-3 going into the first intermission.
Lucas Piekarczyk would score a beauty to tie it up in the second, showing great patience and out-waiting the sprawling goaltender before sliding it around him into the back of the net. Unfortunately, the ’Tips would have to settle for a tie, giving one up late in the third.
After defeating North Van 4-1 in a make-up game late on Saturday, the ’Tips rested up for their playoff game on Sunday morning, finishing the round robin in second place.
Playing Prince George for the second time in two days, they would lose 3-0, finishing up their weekend in third place.
The Silvertips welcome Penticton to Enderby next Sunday.
