SALMON ARM, BC: Tonight, the Salmon Arm Silverbacks welcome the Merritt Centennials to town for the 7th and final meeting of the season. The Silverbacks are 6-0 this season series outscoring the Centennials 32-15. The most recent game came here at the Shaw Centre on February 12th. It was a 5-4 Overtime victory on the backs of defenceman Tucker Hartmann. The Backs trailed late in the third period in that game, and it was a Brandon Santa Juana powerplay goal tying the game at four, sending it into overtime. The Silverbacks currently sit second place in the Interior Division with a 33-8-5 record. This is the first home game for the Silverbacks since February 23rd, a 1-0 loss to the Vees. After that, they went on the road for four straight, including two in Prince George, where they won both games. Then they went down to the Kootenays for a pair of week-day games, picking up a victory on the road in Trail, then falling 2-1 in OT to the Cranbrook Bucks. This is the second game at the Shaw Centre that will be full capacity.
Players to Watch:
Simon Tassy: He has 12 points in 6 games this season vs the Centennials. The 2001-born forward has 13 points in his last 12 games and has points in 9 of those games. Tassy in second in BCHL, scoring with 71 points, he trails Victoria’s Matt Wood, who has 78.
Mathieu Cobetto-Roy: He is picking up his production as of late; he has five points in his last four games, including four goals. Cobetto-Roy scored the game-winning goal on the road in Trail. He is 7th on the team scoring with 11 goals 11 assists.
A Look At The Opposition:
The Merritt Centennials sit at the bottom of the Interior Division with a 3-37-3 record. In their last five games, they are 1-4, their lone win coming against the Trail Smoke Eaters. It’s been a tough go for them all year long, as they are still winless on the road holding a 0-18-1 record.
