The Silverbacks (3-2-0-1) and Surrey Eagles (1-4-0-2) meet tonight in the Lower Mainland for the second time already early in BCHL season. The Backs are coming off of a 4-3 double overtime loss at home to the Penticton Vees on Saturday, October 4 at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm. The Silverbacks earned just one point in their home-and-home set with the Vees last weekend. The Eagles come into tonight's game after their first victory of the 2014-15 campaign, 3-1 against the Langley Rivermen on Sunday, October 5 in Surrey. The Silverbacks opened the regular season with wins over both Surrey and Langley at the Bauer BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack in September. The Eagles got out to a three-nothing lead in the first period on Sunday afternoon at the Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. Jack Berezan scored the first Silverbacks goal in the second period, short-handed. And, Andrew Farny and Carson Bolduc each potted power-play markers in the middle frame to tie the game at three. Taro Hirose finally broke the 3-3 deadlock in double overtime, giving the Silverbacks a 4-3 victory. The Backs out-shot the Eagles 59-32 in the five periods as Christian Short made 55 saves in the loss for Surrey, while Zach Dyment stopped 29 shots for his first regular season win in the BCHL.Josh Blanchard and Andy Chugg will meet their former teams tonight, as the Silverbacks and Eagles completed a deal last week. Blanchard had one assist against the Silverbacks, along with two penalty minutes in his five games with the Eagles this season. The 18-year-old forward from Kelowna, BC was traded to Surrey from Penticton last season. Chugg, a 19-year-old defenseman from Mesa, Arizona has played two games with the Eagles after four games with the Silverbacks to start 2014-15. The Silverbacks split the 2013-14 season series with Eagles, beginning with a 5-4 victory in Salmon Arm in January, before the Eagles won 5-1 in Surrey in February. The Silverbacks finished with a record of 4-4-0-2 versus the Mainland Division in 2013-14, and 1-3-0-1 on the road. The Eagles have just three returnees from last season's team, which finished fourth in the Mainland Division (25-30-1-2). Surrey has lost its top six scorers from 2013-14, with only Chase McMurphy, and Joseph and Brian Drapluk returning.The Backs are 0-1-0-1 in October, the Silverbacks finished 6-2-1-0 in October of 2013, their best month of the season.Tonight is the first of three consecutive road games for the Silverbacks, as the Backs will be in Vernon for the first time this regular season on Friday night, October 10 to take on the Vipers. The Silverbacks will then finish the weekend on Saturday in Merritt against the Centennials.The `Backs will host two games at the Shaw Centre the following weekend. Friday, September 17 the Victoria Grizzlies will be here to play the `Backs at the Shaw Centre at 7 pm and Sunday, September 19th the Silverbacks will take on the Langley Rivermen for a 3 pm game followed by a fan favorite public skate with the `Backs.
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