Salmon Arm, B.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks (18-5-1) and Penticton Vees (18-5-1) go toe-to-toe yet again on Friday night, this time at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
This comes just two days after the Backs edged the Vees 4-3 on home ice and hopped them for first place in the division at the same time.
The Silverbacks also won the first meeting 5-2 on Oct. 16. The Interior Division rivals will also play one another on Jan. 3, Jan. 18 and Feb. 7.
Tonight’s game has the usual 7 p.m. puck drop.
3 Storylines
1) Strong Start for the Backs a Must
The Silverbacks were outshot 8-0 in the first half of the opening period on Wednesday and that just can’t happen again.
They’ll look to replicate the same road start Penticton had on Wednesday in tonight’s game.
2) Backs PK Struggling
The Silverbacks penalty kill in the first eight games of the season had an 84.1% efficiency. In the next eight games, it was 90.2%. The last eight games? 76.9%. In four of the last eight games, Salmon Arm has surrendered at least two power play goals against.
They’ll be playing with fire if they allow three power play goals against the Vees like they did on Wednesday.
3) 12-game Point Streak for Hirose
Silverbacks captain Akito Hirose extended his league-leading point streak to 12 games with a third period assist on Wednesday. In those games, he has two goals and 15 assists.
Last season, two Silverbacks topped that mark, with John Little and Matthew Verboon recording the second and third-longest point streaks in the entire league at 15 and 14 games, respectively.
Players to Watch
SILVERBACKS: SAM SCHOFIELD
Schofield scored his second goal of the season on Wednesday, which was a huge momentum changer, getting the Backs on the board after a slow start.
The 17-year-old now has four points in his last seven games, after three in his first 11 games.
VEES: LUKAS SILLINGER
Sillinger was arguably the best Vees player on Wednesday and notched his 10th goal of the season in the second to tie the game 3-3.
Wednesday his seventh multi-point game of the season. His 26 points on the year currently rank just outside the top-10 in the BCHL.
Upcoming Milestones
Nick Unruh: 1 assist from 50 career BCHL assists.
Current Point Streaks
Akito Hirose: 12 games (2G, 15A)
Drew Bennett: 3 games (1G, 3A)
Noah Wakeford: 3 games (1G, 2A)
Tune In
Tonight’s game will be on EZ Rock as usual and will also be streamed live on HockeyTV.
