Salmon Arm, BC: The Vernon Vipers wrapped up 2024 with a hard-fought battle against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks but came up short, falling 5-3 at Rogers Rink.
The Vipers got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. Simon Binkley opened the scoring with his third goal of the season, followed by Daniil Dolzhenko netting his first career BCHL goal. However, the Silverbacks struck late in the period when Liam Bursaw buried a shot to cut the deficit to 2-1 heading into the intermission.
Salmon Arm dominated possession in the second period, heavily outshooting the Vipers. Despite the pressure, Vernon had a golden opportunity to extend their lead when Kyren Gronick rang a shot off the crossbar. Late in the frame, Scott Miner tied the game at 2-2 with a powerplay goal, threading a wrist shot through traffic.
The Silverbacks carried their momentum into the third period, as Tanner Walos scored early to give them their first lead of the game at 3-2. The Vipers responded just minutes later, with Landon MacDonald finding the back of the net for his 13th goal of the season, showcasing his consistency. Unfortunately, the tie was short-lived. Just 10 seconds later, Aidan Willis capitalized on a turnover to restore the Silverbacks’ lead. An empty-net goal from Ben MacBeath sealed the 5-3 victory for Salmon Arm.
Despite the loss, Vipers’ goaltender Jari Kykkanen was stellar, turning aside 40 of 44 shots and earning third-star honors for his performance.
The Vipers will look to rebound as they kick off 2025 at home on Friday night against the West Kelowna Warriors. The game is Feed the Valley Night presented by Valley First, and fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to support the cause. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM at Kal Tire Place.
