PRE-GAME REPORT
Vernon Vipers vs. Trail Smoke Eaters
Fan Appreciation Friday – Final Weekend of the Regular Season
The Vernon Vipers (15-31-6) will hit the ice at Kal Tire Place tonight for Fan Appreciation Friday as they host the Trail Smoke Eaters (34-14-3-1) to kick off the final weekend of the BCHL regular season.
Recent Performance
The Vipers come into tonight’s matchup looking to bounce back after a tough road trip in Alberta, where they dropped back-to-back games. Most recently, they fell 7-3 to Sherwood Park. Despite the loss, Michael Munroe was a bright spot, leading the offense with two points, including his first BCHL goal — which fittingly came against his former team.
The Smoke Eaters, meanwhile, are coming off a weekend split with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Trail picked up three points over the weekend, which was enough to clinch 3rd place in the Interior Conference and secure a first-round playoff matchup with the Cranbrook Bucks.
Head-to-Head Matchup
This will be the fifth and final meeting between these two teams this season. Trail has had the upper hand so far, winning all four previous matchups — though three of those were decided by just two goals or fewer, indicating that the Vipers have kept things competitive.
Team Trends
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Vernon has struggled of late, going 3-7 over their last 10 games.
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Trail has been more consistent, posting a 4-5-1 record over their last 10.
What’s at Stake
With the playoffs out of reach for Vernon, tonight’s game is about pride and finishing strong in front of the home fans. For Trail, this is a tune-up opportunity ahead of the postseason — but the Vipers will no doubt be motivated to play spoiler and give their fans something to cheer about on Fan Appreciation Night.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM at Kal Tire Place. Be sure to arrive early for Fan Appreciation festivities and cheer on the Vipers as they look to close out the season on a high note!