Salmon Arm won their first game in the Vernon hub, edging the West Kelowna Warriors 4-3 in overtime

Photo: Tami Quan

Riley Sharun celebrates his first BCHL goal Thursday.

It was a bittersweet day for West Kelowna Warriors rookie Riley Sharun.

The 17-year-old West Kelowna native scored his first two BC Hockey League goals, but they came in a losing cause, as the Warriors fell 4-3 to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in overtime in the Vernon pod Thursday afternoon.

Sharun's first goal late in the opening period knotted the game at 1-1. His second near the midway point of the third sparked a late comeback, forcing the game into overtime.

The Silverbacks, winless coming into Thursday's matinee, led 2-1 after two and 3-1 seven minutes into the third before the Warriors mounted their comeback.

Sharun's second, the Marcus Joughin with his first in the BCHL with 54.7 seconds left in regulation and Zach Bennett on the bench for an extra attacker, pulled the Warriors even and forced overtime.

Simon Tassy scored the game winner for the Silverbacks 1:48 into the extra period. Noah Serdachny set up the winner, his third point of the afternoon.

Assistant coach Ayrton Nikkel said he was proud of the comeback in the third, but obviously was disappointed not to pick up the extra point in overtime.

Most of the damage offensively was done by the hard working third line with Sharun, Damon Jugnauth and Brennan Nelson.

The goals weren't pretty, but they all counted just the same, he said.

"They were all ugly, coming from hard work, especially that last one where we had four guys in the crease battling for the puck," said Nikkel.

"They don't ask how, they ask how many."

The Warriors and Vernon will battle at Kal Tire Place Friday afternoon.