The Silverbacks (7-7-0-0) will host the Merritt Centennials (4-9-0-2) tonight (Saturday) at 7pm at the Shaw Centre. Salmon Arm began the weekend with a 6-1 loss last night (Friday) at the Chilliwack Chiefs (7-6-1-1).
The home team opened the scoring on Friday, as the Chiefs potted a short-handed goal at 6:44 of the first period. Chilliwack went ahead 2-0 at 16:04 and on the power-play, as Demetri Kambeitz was off for slashing. The Silverbacks went 0-for-3 with the man-advantage in the first. Salmon Arm outshot the Chiefs 10-6.
The Silverbacks had the first power-play of the middle period but Chilliwack went ahead 3-0 at 2:45 with another short-handed marker. The Silverbacks then took four consecutive penalties, Marcus Mitchell for tripping at 6:21, Spencer Hora for cross-checking at 7:32, Noah Wakeford for tripping at 10:44 and Akito Hirose for tripping at 18:21. The Chiefs took a 4-0 lead into the third and finished the scoring in the middle frame at 19:22 and with the man-advantage. Chilliwack outshot Salmon Arm 14-5 in the second, 20-15 Chiefs overall.
Mitch Stapley got the visitors on the board in the third and on the power-play, Stapley’s second of the season at 4:10 cut the deficit to 4-1. But Regan Kimens scored his third of the game and fifth of season at 10:17, 5-1 Chiefs and Kimens potted all three of his goals short-handed. Chilliwack’s sixth goal came at 16:03, 6-1.
The Chiefs outshot the Silverbacks 13-3 in the third, 33-18 Chilliwack total. Bo Didur stopped 27 in his sixth loss of the season.
Salmon Arm finished 1-for-6 on the power-play and allowed three short-handed goals, the Silverbacks were 4-for-6 on the PK. The Silverbacks power-play is still ranked first in the BCHL at 23-percent, with 17 goals and five short-handed goals-against. Merritt’s man-advantage is at 16-percent, with 11 goals and two short-handed goals-against. The Cents PK is at 84-percent, with three short-handed markers and 13 power-play goals-against. Salmon Arm’s penalty-kill is at 75-percent, without a short-handed goal and with 19 power-play goals-against. The Silverbacks have 204 penalty minutes, while the Centennials have 203.
Merritt lost 4-2 on the road to the Penticton Vees (9-1-1-0) on Friday. The Cents are now 1-5-0-1 on the road, 2-3-0-2 in October and 1-6-0-1 versus the Interior Division. The Silverbacks are 4-2-0-0 in the second month of the regular season, 2-6-0-0 in the Interior, 5-4-0-0 on home ice, 2-3-0-0 on the road.
The Silverbacks will finish this weekend on home ice tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon versus the West Kelowna Warriors (10-4-0-0) at 3pm at the Shaw Centre. This Sunday will also be the first of three SASCU Skate with the ‘Backs following the game.
Silverbacks home game tickets are available at the Box Office at the Shaw Centre. Adults $14, Seniors $12, $7 for Children under 12-years-old. Also, a family pack for $25 includes 2 Adult tickets, 2 Children’s tickets, along with 4 complimentary Silverbacks hats. Contact the Silverbacks at (250) 832-3856 and www.sasilverbacks.com
Each Silverbacks game is webcast PPV at hockeytv.com Each home game is broadcast, audio only at mixlr.com/salmon_arm_silverbacks/ Each road game is broadcast live via voiceoftheshuswap.ca CKVS 93.7 FM
