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Backs Look for Repeat Effort in Rematch with Vipers

Salmon Arm, B.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks (21-14-2) wrap up a home-and-home with the Vernon Vipers (19-15-2) this afternoon at the Shaw Centre.

This is the fourth of six head-to-head meetings this season. The Backs are 1-1-1 so far against the Vipers, dropping a 2-1 decision in a shootout on Nov. 22, getting shut out 2-0 on Nov. 30 and winning 5-2 last night.

The two clubs also play one another on Jan. 12 and 19.

Today’s game has a 3 p.m. puck drop.

Last Time Out

The Backs offence kept on rolling last night, scoring five or more goals for the third straight game.

The Backs checked off a lot of boxes in Saturday’s contest: they scored first, got two power play goals, went perfect on the PK and shut things down in the third when leading, as Vernon only had five shots on goal in the entire final period.

The victory was their second in a row and first road win since Oct. 26.

A Closer Look

Salmon Arm got yet another two-goal performance from forward Lucas Breault on Saturday, who now has six goals and two assists in six games since coming back to junior from Union College in the NCAA. Also recording multi-point games were Akito Hirose (39 points this season), Noah Wakeford (38 points) and Hunter Sansbury (nine power play points this season).

The Backs scored two power play goals in a game for the first time season Nov. 15 against Penticton.

Ethan Langenegger equaled his win total from last season in seven fewer games, recording his 18th ‘W’ thanks to a 26-save performance. He is now 18-10-1 on the year with a 2.61 G.A.A. and .915 SV%.

The Opposition

The Vipers have now lost three straight, but won five in a row before that. They have scored just six goals in their last four games. Vernon was out-shot for the sixth straight time on Saturday.

The Vipers are 11-8-2 on the road this season. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Notable Versus Vernon

After Vipers goaltender Reilly Herbst stymied the Backs in the first two head-to-head games with 64 saves on 65 shots (and two wins), the Backs beat him five times on Saturday on 29 shots.

Noah Wakeford and Dawson Holt are the only two players with a point-per-game or better in the three head-to-head games this season.

Players to Watch

SILVERBACKS: COALSON WOLFORD

Wolford’s seventh of the season was a thing of brilliance, but he also factored in physically and on the penalty kill.

VIPERS: CONNOR MARRITT

Marritt had the primary assist on Holt’s goal on Saturday and now has eight points in his last five games.

Upcoming Milestones

Nick Unruh: 4 points from 100 career BCHL points. Also 3 games from 150 career games.

Noah Wakeford: 4 points from 100 career BCHL points.

Tune In

Pre-game coverage on EZ Rock starts at 2:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m. The game will also be streamed live on HockeyTV.