The Silverbacks (25-14-4-3) visit the the Trail Smoke Eaters (19-28-0-2) tonight at 7:30p.m. Tonight will be the first of four meetings in this final month of the regular season.
The Silverbacks are 12-9-1-1 on the road and are coming off of a 6-1 win at home over the Vernon Vipers (21-24-0-3), this past Saturday at the Shaw Centre during ‘Hockey Day in Salmon Arm.’ The Smoke Eaters are 12-10-0-1 in Trail and lost 4-3 at home to the Penticton Vees (41-6-1-0) on Saturday.
The ‘Backs begin February after a record of 4-5-2-1 to begin 2016, meanwhile the Smoke Eaters were 2-8-0-2 in January.
The Silverbacks lead the season series, losing 6-3 in Trail on December 18th after a 6-3 victory in Trail on October 17th and a 5-2 win at home over the Smoke Eaters on October 3rd at the Shaw Centre.
The Silverbacks have scored 182 goals in 46 games and are tied for the sixth highest total. The Smoke Eaters have 144 goals in 49 games which ranks 14th of the 17 teams. The ‘Backs have allowed the fifth fewest amount of goals in the BCHL with 140, while Trail has 204 goals against and the fourth highest total.
After tonight, the ‘Backs will host the Smoke Eaters next Tuesday, February 9th at 7p.m. and again on Saturday, February 20th at 7p.m. at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. The season series will finish with the Silverbacks back in Trail on Tuesday, February 23rd at 7:30p.m. The ‘Backs will play 12 games in 29 days in February.
Another Silverbacks victory combined with a Merritt Centennials (17-26-1-4) loss will mean the ‘Backs have locked up a playoff spot. The Silverbacks sit third in the Interior Division, six points back of the West Kelowna Warriors (30-16-1-2) who have now officially clinched a playoff spot. The ‘Backs right now have three games in hand over the Warriors. And the Silverbacks have a home-and-home set with the Cents which begins on Friday in Salmon Arm at 7p.m., the ‘Backs will be in Merritt on Saturday at 7:30p.m.
Vernon leads the Smoke Eaters by five points in the battle for the final playoff spot in the Interior, and the Vipers have one game in hand going into tonight’s action. The Merritt Centennials (17-26-1-4) are just one point back of Trail and six behind Vernon.
Each Silverbacks and BCHL game is webcast live, PPV http://bchl.fasthockey.com as well as each ‘Backs road game is broadcast live at CKVS 93.7 FM http://voiceoftheshuswap.ca Each home game is broadcast at http://bit.ly/1s0deO7 Tune into CKVS each Monday night throughout the season beginning at 7p.m. for 30 minutes or more of Silverbacks talk, including interviews and news from around the BCHL.
