Taking on Powell River for the first time Friday night, Salmon Arm will face another new opponent Sunday afternoon. In an afternoon tilt, the Eagles and Silverbacks clash for the first time this season.
It’s the third game in as many games this weekend for the Silverbacks as they wrap up their longest roadtrip to date. The team started things off with a 3-2 win Friday night in Powell River snapping a four game losing streak. Noah Wakeford had two goals while Justin Wilson provided the game winner. Ethan Langenegger made 33 saves on 35 shots and was named the second star of the game. Saturday night taking on a depleted Grizzlies roster the Silverbacks were shutout 2-0.
Surrey has had just one other game this weekend as they played last night losing 8-4 to the Coquitlam Express. Surrey led 3-2 after the first period, but allowed three goals in each of the final two periods.
In the standings, Salmon Arm sits in fifth place and Surrey is dead last in the league. After an impressive season last year that saw them make it to the second round of the playoff and lose in seven games to the eventual Coastal Conference champions Prince George Spruce Kings, Surrey has again fallen on tough times with a 7-24-0-2 record. Normally home ice is a safe place for any team, but this season on the Olympic sized ice surface, the Eagles are just 1-12-0-2 and their lone win was in a shootout.
Against the Surrey Eagles last season, Salmon Arm was 2-0-1. All three games went to overtimes between the two teams.
Salmon Arm has another triple header next weekend when they play in Wenatchee Friday night, and return for home games Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Saturday against the Cowichan Valley Capitals is the Silverbacks annual Teddy Bear Toss, and Sunday is the team’s final home game before the Christmas break. It will be Vernon coming to the Shaw Centre for the third and final time this regular season.
Players to Watch:
Silverbacks: From Vancouver, Hudson Schandor will likely have some fans in attendance in South Surrey. The Silverbacks were 0-4 in his absence, but since his return Friday night, they are 1-1. Salmon Arm now has their top two centres in him and Wilson, which is the first time the team can say that since October 5th when Wilson went down with an injury.
Eagles: Dominant since his acquisition from the Trail Smoke Eaters, Jeremy Smith as a defenceman has nine points in just six games. He debuted with a pair of goals, and has four points in the last two games for Surrey.
