Crossing over to the island, Salmon Arm will be hoping be cash in some wins. With four straight losses, the Silverbacks haven’t lost their 5th place spot in the Interior Division, but teams placed 1-4 are starting to distance themselves. With fewer games played than anyone else in the Division, Salmon Arm does have the opportunity to catch up and put themselves in a good position heading to the Christmas break.
The youngest team in the Interior Division takes to Powell River Friday night to begin a three game road trip. They play in Hap Parker Arena Friday, Victoria on Saturday, and Surrey on Sunday.
Having played the Alberni Bulldogs and Victoria Grizzlies twice this season (once at home and once at the BCHL Showcase) the Silverbacks sport a 3-0-1 record against Island teams. Taking on Interior teams, Powell River is 2-4 this season. Last season in Powell River, the two teams tied 3-3. That won’t be the case this year with the league eliminating ties in favour of shootouts.
A seven game home stand ended as the Kings played on Wednesday in Cowichan Valley. In those seven games the team went 4-3. Tuesday night against the Capitals, Powell River shutout the the home side 4-0 getting four different goal scorers and going three for eight on the power play. The Kings were also shorthanded with just 16 players and their two goalies.
This season the Kings sit second in the Island Divison with 37 points which is six ahead of the Silverbacks. Powell River has played two extra games though, and plays in a division with three of the four lowest seeded teams in the entire league. Their last six games have been against Alberni Valley and Cowichan who are 15th and 16th in the BCHL.
To Watch:
Silverbacks: Technically Powell River isn’t on Vancouver Island, but it will be the first game in the area for John Little who is one of two Vancouver Island natives on the Silverbacks roster. He’s on a current seven game point drought which is the longest of his rookie career with the Silverbacks. With Akito Hirose out due to suspension, there will be more pressure on Andy Stevens and the rest of the d-corps to produce offensively. For Stevens this will be a homecoming against the team he played 203 games for. From Campbell River, which is just across the Strait of Georgia from Powell River, look for there to be a heavy cheering section for the Silverbacks in this game.
Kings: With twice as many goals as the second scorer for the Kings, Ryan Brushett is a player that needs to be shutdown. He is on a seven game point streak and with his goal on Tuesday has 13 points and eight goals in that stretch. He is already the owner of two eight game point streaks this season, and will be looking to make it three times against Salmon Arm. A player familiar with the Silverbacks will be Levi Glasman. The former Trail Smoke Eater had two goals against the Silverbacks when Salmon Arm travelled to play in Trail early this season prior to the trade that sent Glasman to the Island.
TUNE IN
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