Third period goals by Matthew Verboon and Nick Unruh paced the visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks to a 4-3 win over the Chiefs at Prospera Centre Saturday.
The loss, just the second on home ice this season, dropped the Chiefs to 16-7-0-0 on the season.
Tasked by their coaching staff to be the first on loose pucks, the Chiefs were just that early on and it led to a 1-0 lead.
After a strong fore-check by Carter Wilkie, the puck took a bounce of Wilkie’s skate behind the Silverbacks net to Skyler Brind’Amour in front who made no mistake one timing his fifth of the season behind Salmon Arm starter Ethan Langenegger.
The Silverbacks took over the next ten minutes building an 8-1 lead on the shot clock and getting the tying goal from Hudson Schandor who knocked the puck past Mathieu Caron in a goal mouth scramble for his seventh of the season.
The visitors took a 2-1 lead with 2:49 left on the first period clock.
Wyat Marlow’s point shot was wide but Yewta Plamondon was quick on the puck as it bounced off the end boards and knocked his second of the season past Caron.
The Chiefs came close to tying the game late in the period but Matt Holmes breakaway chance was turned away by Langenegger.
Shots after one period favored the Silverbacks 12-9.
Chilliwack tied the game at two with a shorthanded goal at the 10:00 minute mark of the middle period.
Kevin Wall was the goal scorer using a forehand to backhand deke on a breakaway to score his league leading 17th goal of the season. The goal was the Chiefs fifth shorthanded marker of the season, tying them with Prince George for the league lead.
Period two ended with the visitors leading 29-13 in shots and the game tied at two.
Trailing 4-2 with 6:19 to go in the third, Harrison Blaisdell scored his 15th of the season to get the Chiefs within one but that’s as close at the Chiefs would come.
Chilliwack finished the night 0/6 on the power play and 3/4 on the penalty kill.
Final shots favored the Silverbacks 40-22.
Chilliwack finishes the weekend with a home game Sunday afternoon against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Game time is 2pm.
