It’s playoff time!
The Smokies host Salmon Arm in tonight’s opener of their best-of-seven BCHL opening round series.
The season series and comparable statistics suggest it will be close.
Trail won the head-to-head showdown 4-3, with the opening win coming in a shootout.
Christian Kim had four goals and four assists versus the Silverbacks and got the shootout winner back on September 20.
Zach Coutu scored five times and added three assists, with Cash Carter collecting three goals and three helpers. Those three comprise Trail’s top line heading into the postseason.
Defenseman Josh Lepper was Salmon’s points leader vs Trail with nine, on two goals and seven assists, while Landon Mackie, acquired in a trade with Victoria, had three goals and one assist in his two games against the Smokies.
Trail’s power play finished the regular season at 22.4%, with Salmon Arm coming in at 22.3%, while both scored five goals head-to-head with the man advantage.
The Smokies have the penalty kill advantage at 78.6% opposed to 75.4% for Salmon Arm.
The statistics suggest it will be a low scoring series as Trail averaged 3.22 goals for through 54 regular season games, and the Silverbacks 2.85.
The teams are close when it comes to goals against. The Smokies average was 3.26, Salmon Arm’s came in at 3.37.
The teams were among those with the least shots on goal per game. Trail averaged about 27 and Salmon Arm just over 31, with both surrendering about 30 shots against.
The series could also feature a duel between two 20-year-old goaltenders.
Cooper Michaluk of the Smokies was 14-9 during a season that included a three month injury absence. He had a 3.07 goals against average and .899 save percentage.
Daniel Dirrocolo of the Silverbacks had a record of 15-17, with a 3.05 goals against average and a save percentage of .896.
Both teams will also try to rebound from second half struggles.
The Smokies were 10-17-1 after Christmas and went 1-5-1 in the last seven games after clinching second place with a win over the Silverbacks.
Salmon Arm was 6-16-1 after Christmas and won just two of their last 14 games.
All of this points to a tightly played defensive series, typical of playoff hockey.
Games tonight and Saturday at Cominco Arena start at 7 o’clock, with the series shifting to Salmon Arm next Tuesday and Wednesday.
