#28 Tyler Cristall’s 4th power play goal of the Pod season made it interesting but still wasn’t enough as the Silverbacks added and empty net goal to make it 5-2 Wednesday night. (Tami Quan Photography)
Photo Credit: Tami Quan Photography
Wednesday April 21st, 2021
VERNON B.C. – Despite going two for three on the power play, the West Kelowna Warriors find themselves on the wrong end of a 5-2 score courtesy of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
With the injury bug still biting, the West Kelowna Warriors entered their third consecutive contest sporting a line-up of ten forwards and eight defenseman. Unlike the first time a line-up of this structure faced off against Salmon Arm, it was the Silverbacks scoring first. Simon Tassy netted the game’s first goal just after the midway mark of the first. Assisting on Tassy’s goal was Noah Serdachny who leads all players in the Vernon pod with 16 points.
Tassy extended the lead early in the second. On a partial breakaway he was able to settle the puck down before finding an opening through Warriors’ netminder Johnny Derrick. West Kelowna managed to narrow the gap with a power play marker from Friday’s lone regulation goal scorer, Carter Wilkie. However, that lead was short lived as a Tucker Hartmann shot put the Silverbacks ahead by two once again. In the closing moments of the period, the Warriors found themselves on the wrong end of a hockey bounce. After being denied by Derrick, Cameron Recchi’s centering pass went off of a Warriors’ defender and into the net. The two teams finished 40 minutes of play with Salmon Arm holding a 4-1 lead.
Coming out of the second intermission down three, Tyler Cristall’s team leading fifth power play goal cut the lead in half. That would be the only goal the Warriors could muster in the third. Salmon Arm added an empty net to finish the game and leave Wednesday night’s contest with a 5-2 victory.
Thursday April 22nd brings an off day for the entire BCHL. The Warriors will be active when the action resumes on Friday. They will take on the Vernon Vipers at 7:00pm. Fans can catch the action on BCHLTV (formally HockeyTV) or on the free internet radio stream on Mixlr.
