Salmon Arm, B.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks (13-3-1) go for their third straight victory on Friday night when they take on the Wenatchee Wild (9-5-2) at Town Toyota Center for the first game of a double-header.
The Silverbacks are coming off a 4-1 win over the Surrey Eagles on Wednesday night at home, where they outshot the opposition for the 14th time this season.
This is the second of seven head-to-head meetings between Wenatchee and Salmon Arm. The Backs beat the Wild 3-2 in the first meeting on Oct. 4 at the BCHL Showcase. The Interior Division rivals will also battle on Nov. 17 and 21 in Salmon Arm, on Dec. 13 back in Wenatchee and on Feb. 16 back at the Shaw Centre.
The Wild are coming off a 6-0 shutout victory at home over the West Kelowna Warriors.
Tonight’s game has a 7:05 p.m. puck drop.
3 Storylines
1) Division Implications
The Silverbacks still sit in first place in the ultra-competitive Interior Division but things continue to stay tight, not just with the Penticton Vees, who sit two points behind Salmon Arm, but also with Wenatchee and Trail. The Wild and Smoke Eaters each have 20 points this season, seven points behind the Backs, but with two head-to-head games up for grabs, the landscape can change big time following the weekend.
2) Ethan Langenegger
Here are the numbers from Silverback’s goaltender Ethan Langenegger’s last four games: 33 saves on 33 shots; 41 saves on 43 shots, 20 saves on 20 shots, 32 saves on 33 shots. That means Langenegger has allowed just three goals on his last 130 shots faced (.977 SV%). He was named the BCHL’s player of the week twice in a row and carries a 10-1 record this season. He will definitely play a factor in tonight’s outcome.
3) Special Teams
It’s no secret the Silverbacks penalty kill has been fantastic as of late, going 27-for-28 (96.4%) in their last six games, but Wenatchee’s power play is also 6-for-16 in their last three games (37.5%). In fact, the Wild carry the league’s best power play this season, at 24.7%, and are slightly better at home, at 25.6%.
The Backs are the most penalized team in the Interior Division and the second-most penalized team in the BCHL so discipline will be key. Wenatchee also leads the league with five shorthanded goals this season, which is something to keep an eye on.
Players to Watch
SILVERBACKS: WILL POIRIER
Poirier scored his ninth goal of the season on Wednesday and it was a thing of beauty. It was surprisingly his first point in the last five games, but also his 17th point of the season, tied for third on the Silverbacks.
His nine goals are also tied for the second-most in the BCHL with teammates Daniel Rybarik and Noah Wakeford.
WILD: TYLER YOUNG
Young recorded three assists in Wednesday’s 6-0 win and now has seven points in his last five games (2G, 5A). Just four of his 13 points this season have come on the man advantage.
Upcoming Milestones
Daniel Rybarik: 4 points from 125 career CJHL points (including AJHL)
Nick Unruh: 4 assists from 50 career BCHL assists
Noah Wakeford: 1 goal from 25 career BCHL goals
Tune In
Tonight’s game will be on EZ Rock as usual and will also be streamed live on HockeyTV.
