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S’Backs Weekend Preview

The Silverbacks (0-2) host the Chilliwack Chiefs (0-1) tonight (Friday) at 7pm at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. And the ‘Backs will be at home tomorrow (Saturday) night as well, at 7pm versus the Coquitlam Express as the Silverbacks will play three of their first four regular season games on home ice.

The Silverbacks opened the BCHL regular season last weekend, falling 6-3 at home to the Vernon Vipers on Friday and lost 5-3 in Vernon on Saturday. The ‘Backs power-play finished three-for-11 and allowed two short-handed goals on opening weekend. The penalty-kill was three-for-five and potted one short-handed marker.

Chilliwack won 6-3 in Langley last Friday, the Chiefs lone game after losing to the West Kelowna Warriors last season in six games in the BCHL championship Fred Page Cup final.

Leading returning scorer, Jordan Kawaguchi put up 83 points for the Chiefs last season. The Chiefs power-play is two-for-two in 2016-17, and Chilliwack’s penalty-kill is five-for-six.

Carter Cochrane had a power-play goal last weekend and will face his former team tonight. The Silverbacks 20-year-old defenseman had 16 goals and 45 points and 68 penalty-minutes with the Chiefs in 2013-14.

Silverbacks captain Mitch Skapski watched opening weekend with an injury but is scheduled to be back in the lineup tonight.

‘Backs second season forward Marcus Mitchell has committed to the Michigan Tech Huskies of the WCHA for the 2018-2019 season. The Kelowna, BC product will be 18-years-old in October and had nine goals, 21 points and 67 penalty minutes in 52 regular season games last season.

Michigan Tech has four Backs Alumni on their current roster, Alex Gillies, Shane Hanna, Evan Anderson and Angus Redmond.

Each Silverbacks game is webcast PPV bchl.fasthockey.com, each road game is broadcast live via voiceoftheshuswap.ca CKVS 93.7 FM and each home game is avail audio only bit.ly/1s0deO7