Vernon, BC: The Vernon Vipers played their second preseason game in as many nights, falling 8-4 to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at Rogers Rink.
Vernon put together a solid opening half, but the game got away from the visitors during the second half as Salmon Arm pulled away.
The contest featured a little bit of everything, including plenty of special-teams action, defensive breakdowns, impressive individual efforts, several big saves and even a penalty shot.
Van Martin led the Vipers offensively with a pair of goals. Mykolas Skadauskas and Oscar Bjork also found the back of the net for Vernon.
For the second straight game, the Vipers split their goaltending duties. Lane Maarhuis started and stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced. Jack Carter took over for the back half of the game and made eight saves on 14 shots.
Alexis Beaulieu led the Salmon Arm attack with a hat trick, while Cash Olson scored twice and Jared Rothman collected three assists. Kasey Fuson made 18 saves on 22 shots for the Silverbacks.
The Vipers return home Friday night for a rematch with the Silverbacks. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Kal Tire Place, with tickets available for just $10.
