The Bulldogs and Silverbacks were meeting for the second time this season but they wasted no time getting down to business as there was no feeling out period and great pace from the outset making the hockey fun to watch with great pace. The Silverbacks would get the first power play of the game but the Dogs killed it off thanks to a great right pad save by Jay Deo on a great cross-ice set up onto the tape of Steven Iacobellis. The Dogs would quickly reply to take a 1-0 lead on a power play goal of their own as Teal Burns walked to the slot off the right wing boards and went top corner, short-side off the crossbar and in on Angus Ferguson. Assists went to Matt Hansen and Manny Gialedakis at 11:37 of the first. The Dogs pushed hard on the next few shifts to build the lead but Angus Redmond stool tall in the Salmon Arm net. To end the period it was the Silverbacks pushing hard to even it up, with Jay Deo making at least half a dozen quality saves over the late moments of the period to keep it 1-0 Dogs after one.
The second period saw a little bit of everything, starting with a 2 on 0 Bulldogs breakaway being called back by the referee on an interference penalty. The Dogs would then race in on a shorthanded 3 on 1 rush where the trailer was hauled down – but they couldn’t buy a penalty call. The Silverbacks would turn up ice and tie it at 1-1 on a rebound at the side of the net that was lifted home by Harlan Orr before Jay Deo could recover. Assists on the play went to Alex Gillies and Brandon Mistal at 4:40 of the second. Less than two minutes later the Dogs took the lead back on a gorgeous goal by Chase Van Allen who took a pass from Bo Pellah and raced down the right wing past a defender before cutting in on goal where he went top corner short-side on Redmond to make it 2-1. Assists went to Ryan Lough and Bo Pellah at 6:01 of the second. The Dogs would have a glorious chance to take a 3-1 lead when they were awarded a penalty shot shortly afterwards but Evan Tironese appeared to just lose the handle as his shot appeared to hit the side of the net. The Silverbacks would tie it up late in the period when Anthony Croston deflected a Brayden Sherbinin point shot through the five hole of Jay Deo at 18:19 of the second to make it a 2-2 tie after two periods.
The Dogs would quickly take the lead in the third period on a loose puck in front that was found by Jon Brumwell off a Ryan Buse point shot. Chase Paylor also picked up an assist on the play at 3:43 of the third period. The score stayed that way with the game being tight checking until the back half of the third period when action picked up in a big way. The Bulldogs would pick up a four minute penalty well after the whistle after a discussion with the Officiating crew but it was the Dogs that found the net when Bo Pellah picked up a Matt Hansen clear and walked in on goal down the left wing where he went top corner short-side on Redmond to make it 4-2 with assists to Chase Paylor and Tryg Strand at 13:32 of the third. The Silverbacks would fire back on the back-half of the the double minor as Alex Gillies lifted a loose puck home in the slot after a Chase Van Allen shot block. Brayden Sherbinin and Shane Hannah picked up the helpers to make it 4-3 at 14:13 on the power play. The Bulldogs would then pick up a penalty from the bench shortly afterwards resulting in a 5 on 3 from Salmon Arm, but the Dogs killed it off to protect the one goal lead. Shortly afterwards they would get some insurance on the rush as Chase Van Allen put a perfect cross-ice pass ahead to spring Hunter Stewart up the right wing on a 2 on 1 rush with Ryan Lough where he centered the puck and Lough tipped it up and over Redmond to make it 5-3 at 18:18. Just 9 seconds later it was a 6-3 game when the Silverbacks were caught trying to pull their goalie without getting the puck deep as Tryg Strand broke it up at the Dogs line where Jon Brumwell found it and raced in on Redmond who was a good 40 feet out of his net. Brumwell would squeak it through the goalies legs before picking it up behind him and tapping it into the open cage for the 6-3 final.
Final shots favoured the Silverbacks 49-44 with Jay Deo picking up the win while Angus Redmond was tagged with the loss. The Dogs went 1 for 4 on the power play while the Silverbacks went 2 for 7.
