Game Preview: 1st Round-Game 1 Salmon Arm @ Vernon:

Salmon Arm (25-29-3-1) @ Vernon (39-14-1-4) 7pm

Tonight is the ninth meeting of the season (exhibition & regular season) between the Vernon Vipers & Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The Vipers lead the season series 6-2

Last Game:

Saturday, February 24th Vernon defeated Trail 8-3
Sunday, February 25th Salmon Arm defeated Penticton 5-4 double overtime

Next Game:

Game 2 Saturday, March 3rd Salmon Arm @ Vernon

These teams meet in the playoffs for a fourth time in franchise history. The Vipers have won two of the previous three playoff series over Salmon Arm.

Here's a look at the previous playoff series vs Salmon Arm

2005-06 (Interior Division Semifinals) Silverbacks won series 4-1
2008-09 (Interior Conference finals) Vipers won series 4-2
2010-11 (Interior Conference finals) Vipers won series 4-2

Since the 2002-03 regular season Vernon is 58-40-11-6 vs Salmon Arm

Since the 2002-03 regular season Vernon has outscored Salmon Arm 386-373

Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon is 26-18-6-2 at home vs. Salmon Arm

Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon is 26-19-6-3 in Salmon Arm

The Silverbacks are 3-6-0-1 in their last ten games in Vernon

The Vipers are 6-3-0-1 in their last ten games in Salmon Arm

The Vipers last regular season win at home vs. Salmon Arm was a 6-3 victory on Friday, November 3rd 2017

The Silverbacks last regular season win in Vernon was a 4-3 victory on Saturday, December 30th 2017

The Vipers last regular season win in Salmon Arm was a 4-0 victory on Friday, December 29th 2017

The Silverbacks last regular season win at home vs. Vernon was a 6-1 victory on Saturday, January 30th 2016

Here's a look at this year's schedule vs Salmon Arm

Friday, August 25th Salmon Arm @ Vernon: Exhibition-Silverbacks won 2-1 double overtime
Saturday, August 26th Vernon @ Salmon Arm: Exhibition-Vipers won 4-3
Friday, September 8th Vernon @ Salmon Arm: Vipers won 5-1
Saturday, September 9th Salmon Arm @ Vernon: Vipers won 6-5
Friday, November 3rd Salmon Arm @ Vernon: Vipers won 6-3
Friday, December 8th Vernon @ Salmon Arm: Vipers won 3-1
Friday, December 29th Vernon @ Salmon Arm: Vipers won 4-0
Saturday, December 30th Salmon Arm @ Vernon: Silverbacks won 4-3

Let's take a look at the Vernon Vipers:

The 39-14-1-4 Vernon Vipers are coming off a 8-3 victory Saturday over the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters to finish the regular season. The Vipers are making their fourth straight appearance in the BCHL playoffs finished the regular season 2nd in the Interior Division. The Snakes have won seven straight on home ice & eleven of their last thirteen home games. The Vipers come into action this evening have won four straight and four of their last five games, have won eight of their last ten games. The last time these two teams met, the Vipers split the home & home series with a 4-0 win in Salmon Arm December 29th and then lost 4-3 at home December 30th.

Vernon Vipers Roster:

http://bchl.ca/stats/roster/21

Brett Stapley (27-32-59) leads the team lead in goals with twenty seven, while Jimmy Lambert (23-38-61) leads the team in points with sixty one.

Cameron Trott played 78 games with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks (2014-2016) was traded to Vernon November 23 2016

Josh Latta played in 64 games with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks (2015-2017) was traded to Vernon December 29 2017

Kevin Kraus was an Assistant Coach with the 2013-14 Salmon Arm Silverbacks

Vernon Vipers 2017-18 regular season stats:

Games Played: 58
Wins: 39
Losses: 14
Ties: 4
Overtime Wins: 2
Overtime Losses: 1
Home Record: 21-5-1-1
Road Record: 18-9-0-3
Overtime Record: 2-0-4
Record vs Interior Division: 25-7-0-2
Record vs Island & Mainland Divisions: 14-7-1-2
Record In September: 6-1-0-1
Record In October: 6-3-0-1
Record In November: 7-3-0-2
Record In December: 7-1-1-0
Record In January: 6-5-0-0
Record In February: 7-1-0-0
When the Vipers score first: 28-6-0-2
When the opponents score first: 11-8-1-2
Leading after the 1st period: 23-5-0-1
Tied after the 1st period: 8-2-0-3
Trailing after the 1st period: 7-6-1-0
Leading after the 2nd period: 30-1-0-1
Tied after the 2nd period: 9-5-0-0
Trailing after the 2nd period: 0-8-1-3
Out shooting opponents: 32-10-1-2
Out shot by opponents: 7-4-0-2
One goal games: 6-11-1-0
Goals for: 205
Goals against: 118
Standings: 2nd Place (Interior Division)
Win-loss Streak: Four game winning streak
Longest winning streak: Unbeaten in eight games (6 wins-2 ties)
Longest losing streak: Winless in three games (2 losses & 1 tie)

Vernon Vipers Returning Players:

Brett Stapley (99)
Cameron Trott (97)
Jagger Williamson (98)
Jimmy Lambert (97)
Niko Karamanis (98)
Jesse Lansdell (98)
Michael Ufberg (97)
Shane Kelly (97)
Chris Jandric (98)
Ty Taylor (99)

Vernon Vipers departed & traded players from last years team:

Austin Adamson (96)
Riley Brandt (96)
Ryan Brushett (98)
Simon Sagissor (97)
Brody Dale (99)
Hunter Zandee (96)
Sol Seibel (99)
Luke Gingras (98)
Steven Jandric (97)
Cooper Watson (96)
Connor Clouston (96)
Darion Hanson (97)

Vernon's home record vs Salmon Arm this year:

2-1-0-0

Vernon's road record vs Salmon Arm this year:

3-0-0-0

Vernon's scoring leaders vs Salmon Arm this year:

Jesse Lansdell (5-6-11)
Jimmy Lambert (2-8-10)
Brett Stapley (3-4-7)
Jagger Williamson (3-4-7)
Josh Prokop (2-3-5)
Jordan Sandhu (3-1-4)
Alex Swetlikoff (1-3-4)
Coleton Bilodeau (0-3-3)
Keyvan Mokhtari (3-0-3)
Michael Ufberg (0-3-3)
Jack Judson (1-2-3)
Niko Karamanis (0-3-3)
Shane Kelly (0-1-1)
Mitch Andres (0-1-1)
Chris Jandric (1-0-1)
Michael Young (0-1-1)
Cameron Trott (1-0-1)
Connor Marritt (1-0-1)

Anthony Yamnitsky (1-1 Record)
Ty Taylor (4-0 Record-1 Shutout)

Let's take a look at the Salmon Arm Silverbacks:

The 25-29-3-1 Salmon Arm Silverbacks make their fifth visit this season to Kal Tire Place, are coming off a 5-4 double overtime victory in Penticton Sunday afternoon to wrap up the regular season. The Silverbacks are making their third straight post season. The Backs finished the regular season last/7th in the Interior Division. Salmon Arm has lost three of their last five road games, have five wins and a tie in their last ten games away from home. The Silverbacks enter tonight having won back to back games, have lost three of their last five. SA is 4-6 in their last ten games. The Backs have just one win in their last thirteen games vs the Vipers. Salmon Arm has just one win in their last eight games in Vernon.

Salmon Arm Silverbacks Roster:

http://bchl.ca/stats/roster/20

Rhett Kingston (24-26-50) leads the team in goals with twenty four, & in points with fifty.

Sol Seibel played in 76 games with the Vernon Vipers (2015-2018) was traded to Salmon Arm January 8 2018

Brandon Whistle played in 16 games with the 2017-18 Vernon Vipers was traded to Salmon Arm December 29 2017

Troy Mick played with the 1984-85 Vernon Lakers was also an Assistant Coach, Head Coach-GM with the Vernon Lakers-Vipers (1993-2000)-(2005-2006)

Salmon Arm Silverbacks 2017-18 regular season stats:

Games Played: 58
Wins: 25
Losses: 29
Ties: 1
Overtime Losses: 3
Home Record: 16-12-1-0
Road Record: 9-17-2-1
Goals for: 172
Goals against: 231
Standings: 7th Place (Interior Division)

Salmon Arm Silverbacks Returning Players:

Ryan Hogg (98)
Akito Hirose (99)
Trey Thomas (99)
Julian Timba (98)
Austin Chorney (00)
Max Wutzke (99)
Justin Wilson (98)
Grayson Constable (98)
Riley Hayles (98)

Salmon Arm Silverbacks departed and traded players from last years team:

Connor Sundquist (97)
Nic Tallarico (98)
Spencer Hora (99)
Marcus Mitchell (98)
Josh Latta (98)
Jared Turcotte (97)
Carson Bolduc (96)
Elijiah Barriga (96)
Nathan Iannone (98)
Trevor Ayre (98)
Ryley Booth (96)
Carter Stephenson (98)
Trevin Kozlowski (97)

Salmon Arm's home record vs Vernon this year:

0-3-0-0

Salmon Arm's road record vs Vernon this year:

1-2-0-0

Salmon Arm Silverbacks scoring leaders vs Vernon this year:

Rhett Kingston (1-3-4)
Justin Wilson (2-1-3)
Grayson Constable (1-2-3)
Nick Unruh (1-2-3)
Trey Thomas (0-2-2)
Akito Hirose (0-2-2)
Tanner Campbell (1-1-2)
Logan Mostat (2-0-2)
Noah Wakeford (1-1-2)
Trevor Adams (0-2-2)
Max Wutzke (0-1-1)
Riley Hayles (1-0-1)
Ryan Hogg (0-1-1)
Austin Chorney (1-0-1)
Hudson Schandor (1-0-1)
Joseph Leahy (0-1-1)

Kyle Dumba (0-2 Record)
Cooper Reid (1-1 Record)