SALMON ARM, BC: The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are looking to bounce back after an ugly 6-0 loss on the road in Penticton. It was their first regulation loss on the road all season. They are now 19-1-5 on the road. Owen Say was pulled for the first time in the loss, allowing five goals on 28 shots.
Tonight is the first of two home games this weekend; it’s the fourth meeting of the season; the Silverbacks have won all three matchups. The most recent matchup was a come-from-behind 5-3 victory. The Backs were down 3-1 in the second period at one point. The Backs sit in second place with a 34-9-5 record. The Backs will play for the Wenatchee Wild tomorrow night for Billet Appreciation night. The Silverbacks are in the home stretch of the regular season with only six games left.
Players to Watch:
Mike Ladyman: Ladyman has enjoyed some success against Trail this season. He has one goal four assist in three games. Ladyman, 20, is having a good season for the Backs on the backend. His 37 points are good for 5th in team scoring.
Mathieu Cobetto-Roy: The rookie forward is up to 7th in team scoring. He leads rookies in scoring with 11 goals and 24 points. He has enjoyed some success vs the Smoke Eaters this season, with four points in three games. He has seven points in his last six games.
A Look At The Opposition:
After an ugly loss to Penticton, the Smoke Eaters responded well with a 2-1 road win in Wenatchee. Trail and Wenatchee play four more times down the stretch to decide who gets 7th and 8th in the Interior Division and ultimately who will play the Vees and Silverbacks in the first round of the Shaw Playoffs. The Smoke Eaters currently are 8th with an 18-24-4 record; just one point separates the two teams.
