The Blackfalds Bulldogs came out firing on the road last night, taking down the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 7-4 in a wild, goal-filled BCHL clash at Rogers Rink. The Bulldogs jumped ahead early with a couple in the first period, including Nikita Ivashchenko’s 24th of the season assisted by Liam Loughery around the four-minute mark, while the Silverbacks answered back once through Keifer Miller (his 10th, set up by Cooper Conway) to make it 2-1 after one. Blackfalds really took control in the second with three more tallies to build a commanding lead, then held off a late Salmon Arm push in the third where the home side managed three goals but couldn’t close the gap. It was a high-energy, back-and-forth night with plenty of offense on display, and the Bulldogs’ finishing touch proved the difference as they skated away with the solid road win.
Nikita Ivashchenko makes it a 1-0 game at 4:08 of the first period with the assist on the goal going to Liam Loughery.
Former Spruce Grove Saint Keifer Miller ties it up for the Silverbacks at 11:08 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Cooper Conway and Scott Miner.
Duncan Thompson gets his first goal as a Bulldog and 7th goal of the season to make it a 2-1 game at 17:39 of the first period with the assist on the goal going to Matthew Croxall.
Shots on goal in the first period were 14-8 for the Bulldogs
Krisjanis Sarts makes it a 3-1 game for the Bulldogs at 5:21 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Antoine Gauthier and Duncan Thompson. Magnuss Avotins did alot to set the goal up, too bad there wasn’t credit for a third assist.
Joey Melo scores on the Power Play to make it 4-1 for the Bulldogs at 11:56 of the second period while on the Power Play. The assist on the goal went to Nikita Ivashchenko. The goal went to review, but was obviously a goal so they just wasted everyones time to get the refs a rest.
Nick DiPaolo then scored short handed for the Bulldogs to make it a 5-1 game at 12:36 of the second period. The assist on the goal went to Thomas Neu. That marker also marked the end of Silverbacks goal Dirracolo’s night.
Shots on goal in the second period were 15-11 for the Bulldogs
Nikita Ivashchenko makes it 6-1 for the Bulldogs with his second goal of the night at 1:56 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to Nikita Meshcheryakov and Nikolaj Rupi.
Silverbacks get on the board at 10:50 of the third period when former Flin Flon Bomber Luke Lepper cuts the defiect and makes it a 6-2 game. The helpers on the goal went to Brady Craik and Former Pentivton Vee and Arizona State commit Booker Toninato.
Silverbacks score again to make them get within 3 when Landon Mackie scores his 18th goal of the season at 12:44 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to 20 year old Andover, Minnesota native Cooper Conway
Silverbacks score again to get within 2 with 3:24 left in the game almost like the Bulldogs have fallen asleep or something, and Anthony Cardilli scores his 10th goal of the season. The assist on the goal went to Downer’s Grove, Illinois native Anthony Preskar.
Nikita Ivashenko gets a hat trick into the empty net with 20 seconds remaining in the game to end it with a 7-4 final. The assist on the goal went to Nikolaj Rupi.
Shots on goal in the third period were 13-7 for the Silverbacks. The Bulldogs outshot the Silverbacks 36-32 in the game.
Carson Mertz made 28 saves on the 32 shots that he faced for the win for the Bulldogs. For the Silverbacks Daniel Dirracolo made 21 saves on the 26 shots he faced until getting yanked on the DiPaolo goal in the second period. He was then replaced by former Bulldog goalie Mikkel Christensen who stopped 8 of the 9 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Nikita Ivashchenko 2) Duncan Thompson 3) Landon Mackie
Attendance in Salmon Arm was 1340
Bulldogs next game is Tuesday February 24th at 11:30 am in Okotoks for their hockey hookey day
