Salmon Arm, B.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks (20-14-2) play a massive Interior Division rivalry game tonight against the Vernon Vipers (19-14-2) at Kal Tire Place.
This is their first game following a 13-day lay-off for the winter break and the third of six head-to-head meetings this season. The Backs are 0-1-1 so far against the Vipers, dropping a 2-1 decision in a shootout on Nov. 22 and then getting shut out 2-0 on Nov. 30.
The clubs will finish up the home-and-home on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Shaw Centre, and also play one another on Jan. 12 and 19.
Tonight’s game has a 6 p.m. puck drop.
Last Time Out
The Backs last played on Dec. 15, pulling off a gigantic 7-4 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Salmon Arm erased a 2-0 deficit and entered the third period tied 3-3, before lighting the lamp four times in the third to pick up their 20th win of the season.
The victory broke a nine-game slide and was the second straight game with at least five goals scored.
A Closer Look
Salmon Arm got two-goal performances from three different players in their last game — Akito Hirose, Daniel Rybarik and Logan Shaw — the first time this season that has happened. Hirose re-took the team lead in points with 37 and is just one of two defencemen in the BCHL with a point-per-game or better.
The Backs also recorded a power play goal for the third time in their last four games, after going five straight games without one.
Salmon Arm is looking for their first road win since Oct. 26.
The Opposition
The Vipers have been off since Dec. 18, when they lost 4-1 to the Smoke Eaters. They’ve scored just four goals in their last three games.
Matt Kowalski leads the Vipers in goals (19) and points (36). Only three players on the club have more than 15 points.
Vernon is 8-6 on home ice this season. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games.
Notable Versus Vernon
The Backs and Vipers have faced off twice this season and in both games the goals were sparse, with scores of 2-1 and 2-0. That’s because goaltenders Ethan Langenegger and Reilly Herbst were fabulous in both games, stopping a combined 130 of 134 shots faced.
Drew Bennett has the lone Silverback goal in the two head-to-head games.
In both previous games, the referees let the clubs play, as each team had just two power play opportunities per contest.
Players to Watch
SILVERBACKS: LOGAN SHAW
Shaw tallied two goals in a game for the first time in his career on Dec. 15 and has proved to be a very reliable bottom-six forward and penalty killer this season, with six points in 19 games, one off his total from all of last season.
VIPERS: REILLY HERBST
Herbst recorded a 34-save shutout the last time these two teams met and has only lost three times in 17 starts. Although he’s had the Backs number, he has also struggled in his last two starts, giving up seven goals on Dec. 8 to Merritt and four goals on Dec. 14 to Penticton.
Upcoming Milestones
Nick Unruh: 4 points from 100 career BCHL points. Also 3 games from 150 career games.
Tune In
Pre-game coverage on EZ Rock starts at 5:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will also be streamed live on HockeyTV.
