After fireworks on Friday night at the Shaw Centre, the Smoke Eaters and Silverbacks go back at it tonight in Salmon Arm.
Regular season series vs Salmon Arm Silverbacks
September 13th @ Trail Memorial Centre 4-2 L (BOXSCORE)
September 14th @ Trail Memorial Centre 3-2 OTL(BOXSCORE)
November 1st @ Shaw Centre 5-4 W (BOXSCORE)
November 2nd @ Shaw Centre (6pm)
December 15th @ Shaw Centre (3pm)
February 21st @ Trail Memorial Centre (7pm)
The Smoke Eaters are coming off a Friday night thriller where the captain and the goaltender carried the load, as the Smokies picked up a 5-4 win over the 1st placed Silverbacks. It was a game that had a bit of everything. The Smoke Eater will want to work on their start and time of possession, that being said they’ll be happy with the fact that they converted on their limited chances during last nights game. They also managed most of the game down a defenceman, after an equipment issue forced Diarmad DiMurro out of the game from the first period on.
They went 2/2 on the powerplay and were also perfect on the penalty kill. Despite being outshot 44-17, the Smoke Eaters held their ground and saw the game out. Philippe Lapointe who didn’t get a star nomination was clearly the best player on the ice last night with a goal and three assists. His play in the first period allowed the Smoke Eaters to be in control of the game after 20 minutes. Jeff Tambellini and his staff will be hoping for more of that tonight. Logan Terness, who also didn’t get a star nomination saved the game for the Smoke Eaters with that diving blocker save and this penalty shot save in the final 2s of the game.
Smoke Eaters leading Scorers:
Johnson (15-25-40)
Colella (12-23-35)
Ozar (10-16-26)
DiMurro (5-14-19)
Ghirardosi (7-6-13)
The Silverbacks will be wondering what they need to do differently to beat the Smoke Eaters, after what they will feel was a strong performance on home ice. They’ll be looking at their goaltender Ethan Langenegger who allowed 5 goals on 10 shots in the opening two periods. Aside from that the Backs controlled most of the play and as mentioned put 44 shots onto Terness. They’ll also be happy with taking only two penalties last night, as the Backs are the most penalized team in the league taking 109 penalties thus far. But the Smokies made them pay on those two opportunities.
Salmon Arm have not lost back to back games in regulation this year, they did however lose to 4-1 to Cowichan in September and then 3-2 in overtime the following night against Coquitlam. The Backs now sit at 7-3-0 in their last ten games. But they’ve been one of the best teams on home ice this year as well receiving only their second loss last night, with nine wins at the Shaw Centre.
Salmon Arm leading goal scorers.
Hirose (2-23-25)
Wakeford (9-15-24)
Rybarik (13-8-21)
Poirier (9-12-21)
Unruh (5-8-13)
Tonights game goes at 6pm in Salmon Arm as the Smoke Eaters look to pull the weekend double and even up the season series against the Silverbacks. Catch the game starting at 5:50 on HockeyTV or Mixlr with Ben Phillips.
