The Silverbacks (16-24-2-2) host the Penticton Vees (32-9-0-1) on Sunday afternoon at 3pm at the Shaw Centre, less than 24 hours after Salmon Arm lost 5-1 on the road at the Merritt Centennials (18-17-2-8). The Centennials lead from start to finish on Saturday night. Merritt scored twice in the first period, once in the second and two more goals in the final frame.
The Centennials outshot the Silverbacks 17-9 and 12-8 through 40 minutes, but 11-8 Salmon Arm on the shot clock in the third. Merritt outshot the Silverbacks 37-28 total. Carson Bolduc scored the Silverbacks lone goal, his 13th during a 5-on-3 power-play in the second period. Trevin Kozlowski took the loss in goal, stopping 32 of 37 shots. The Silverbacks finished 1-for-5 on the power-play on Saturday, and 4-for-5 on the penalty-kill. The season series is now tied with three wins each and the Silverbacks will finish the regular season series at home to Merritt on Sunday, February 19th at 3pm.
Salmon Arm allowed five straight goals on Friday in a 5-3 loss at home to the Powell River Kings (30-16-0-1) at the Shaw Centre. The Silverbacks are now 11-11-1-1 on the road, 5-13-1-1 on home ice and 1-4-1-0 in January. Penticton won 4-2 at home over the West Kelowna Warriors (22-20-0-1) on Saturday. The Vees are 3-3-0-0 in 2017, and have a road record of 15-5-0-0. The Silverbacks lead the season series with two victories, one regulation loss and one overtime loss. Salmon Arm won 5-1 at home versus Penticton on December 17th, the Silverbacks fell 3-2 in overtime in the South Okanagan on December 16th, Salmon Arm won 4-3 in double OT in Penticton on December 2nd, and the Vees began the season series with a 4-1 win in Salmon Arm on November 4th.
Marcus Mitchell got back into the lineup on Saturday, after a four game suspension for head contact in Trail earlier this month. Ryley Booth sat out on Saturday after suffering an injury on Friday at home versus Powell River. Connor Sundquist remains out due to injury. Affiliated players Michael Lenoury and Daniel Fisher got into the lineup in Merritt. Lenoury is an 18-year-old defenseman in the KIJHL with the Nelson Leafs, and 18-year-old Fisher is a forward with the Revelstoke Grizzlies.
Each Silverbacks game is webcast PPV at hockeytv.com Each road game is broadcast live via voiceoftheshuswap.ca CKVS 93.7 FM and each home game is available audio only at mixlr.com/salmon-arm-silverbacks/ Tune into Salmon Arm community radio each Monday at 7pm, Tuesday at 7am for 30 minutes or more Silverbacks hockey talk.
