The Silverbacks (4-3-0-2) are at home this weekend for a pair of games in Salmon Arm after three consecutive road games. The 'Backs host the Victoria Grizzlies (4-3-0-1) tonight at 7 pm before the first Sunday afternoon game of the season at the Shaw Centre versus the Langley Rivermen at 3 pm.
The Silverbacks are coming off of a 6-1 victory in Merritt on Saturday, October 11. The 'Backs ended their four-game losing streak by opening the scoring in the first period in the Nicola Valley as Andrew Farny scored the first of his two on the night while adding an assist. Farny leads the 'Backs in scoring with four goals and five assists in our first nine games. Bennett Morrison and Marcus Russell each scored their first BCHL, while Angus Redmond made 20 saves for his third win of the season.
The Grizzles lost 4-3 at home to the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday and seven of Victoria's first eight games have been decided by one goal. The Grizzlies are 2-2 on the road this season and begin a three-game Interior Division road trip in the Shuswap. Victoria won 5-4 in overtime over the Vernon Vipers at the Bauer BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack last month, the Grizzlies only game against an Interior Division team this season.
Five Grizzlies have returned from the 2013-14 team which finished first on the Island (37-15-3-3), with 80 points before losing to the Vernon Vipers and Coquitlam Express in the BCHL Semi-Final. The Grizzlies won the 2013-14 season series with the Silverbacks 1-1-0-1, as both teams scored ten goals in the three games. The Grizzlies won 3-2 at the Shaw Centre in November and finished 18-8-2-1 on the road last season. The Silverbacks were 2-3 at home versus Island Division teams in 2013-14, and 3-8-0-1 overall.
The Silverbacks have 10 points in their first nine games and are in a four-way tie for third in the Interior Division, along with the Trail Smoke Eaters, West Kelowna Warriors and Merritt Centennials. The Vernon Vipers have 11 points and are in second place behind the Penticton Vees who lead with 16 points.
