Vipers Shut Out Cents 4-0.

It was a very consistent effort from start to finish for the Vernon Vipers as they defeated the Merritt Centennials by a score of 4-0.  All four lines contributed and the defensemen really stepped up as Ryan Renz was a late scratch.  Austin Smith was very solid for the third time getting his first shut out of the season turning aside all 31 shots.  The powerplay converted for the first time in 4 games and really got the ball rolling.

The Merritt Centennials came out very strong in the first five minutes getting pucks deep and banging bodies.  The Vipers, as they did all night, were smart and efficient in their own end and were able to get pucks out quickly.  There was a lot of neutral zone play through the middle portions of the period with both teams clogging up the middle, but there weren't many whistles so it was a fast moving period.  The Vipers had two powerplays in the frame and had some good looks in the first without success.  The second man advantage took all of 9 seconds to convert as Colton Sparrow banked a centering pass off the Centennial defender and through Devin Kero to give the Snakes a 1-0 lead.

The second period at times was controlled by the Vipers with a ton of time spent in the Merritt zone.  Vernon would get a powerplay, but couldn't score on it.  However, they were able to keep the Cents hemmed in their own zone and Demico Hannoun would snap a shot far side on Devin Kero to increase the lead to 2-0.  Less than two minutes later the Vipers would get a two on one break and Chase McMurphy would get the pass and slip it past Kero to make it 3-0.  The flood gates would remain open as Hannoun would score his second of the night on 3 on 2 rush, as the seas parted for him and he let a hard wrister go from the high slot to make it 4-0.

Things got a little chippy in the third period as frustration seemed to boil over for the Cents.  There were a few scraps and a lot of big hits.  Neither team would score goals in the period, but the Cents had the best chance as a shot from the point hit the inside of the near post and rebounded along the goal line and out the other side.  Austin Smith would continue his strong play in the period and end the night with his first shut out of the season.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) - Consistent Effort - Including this game, I have counted 3 full 60 minute efforts from start to finish from this Vipers team.  There have been games very close to 60 minutes, but not quite there.  Tonight was a great effort from end to end.  This team continues to improve on a nightly basis and it is showing as their goals against numbers are going down and the goals for are going up.

2) - Rattling Tenders - I don't think Devin Kero was rattled on Friday night, but he sure wasn't comfortable in the Centennial goal.  Slight bumps, lots of traffic and trying to dig out loose pucks were just some of the things Kero had to deal with.  He's the type of goalie who will make the saves he sees and the Vipers did a great job of creating disturbances in front of him.

3) - Don't Wake Me Up When November Ends - This is one month I know the Vipers won't want to end.  The Snakes only lost once in regulation and had at least one point in 9 games.  Home ice has been a big reason for the Vipers success and has allowed them sole possession of first place in the division and whether or not that lasts through the weekend or not remains to be seen, but so far through the midway mark of the season there are a lot of positives for the RBC Cup hosts.

December kicks off for the Vipers with a Sunday matinee at Kal Tire Place against the Trail Smoke Eaters.  If you can't make it to the rink, I'll have the call starting at 1:45 on the Vipers MixLR.

Game 29 Preview - Cents @ Vipers

This is the midway point of the regular season as the Centennials and the Vipers face off for the 4th time this season.  All 3 games have been settled by just a goal with two of those going to overtime.  The Vipers are hoping to end the month of November the way they started it...with a win.  Its been a nice month for Vernon, getting points in all but one game.

Here's the breakdown:

Season Series - September 21 - Cents 3 Vipers 2 - OT - Kal Tire Place
                       - October 26 - Cents 1 Vipers 0 - Kal Tire Place
                       - November 15 - Vipers 4 Cents 3 - OT - NVMA

Vernon Vipers

Record - 14-7-3-4 - 2nd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-2-3-3                 Away Record - 8-5-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
              - Assists - Michael McNicholas (22)
              - Points - Michael McNicholas (34)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 8-4-0-1, 3.02 GAA, .901Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 5-2-3-2, 2.71 GAA, .912Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 15 for 112 - 13.39%
                       - Penalty Kill - 5th in the league - 93 of 111 - 83.78%

Merritt Centennials 

Record - 16-10-1-1 - 3rd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 8-4-1-1                 Away Record - 8-6-0-0

Leaders - Goals - Scotty Patterson (16)
             - Assists - Sebastien Pare (18)
             - Points - Scotty Patterson (29)

Goaltending - Devin Kero - 9-9-1-1, 2.50 GAA, .916Sv%
                   - Russell Sanderson - 3-1-0-0, 3.24 GAA, .887Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 4th in the league - 25 for 117 - 21.37%
                       - Penalty Kill - 7th in the league - 102 of 123 - 82.93%

If the playoffs started today, these two teams would face off in what would be a fantastic series.  All the action starts at 6:45 on Vipers MixLR.

Game 28 Preview - Warriors @ Vipers

Its the third meeting of the season between the West Kelowna Warriors and the Vernon Vipers.  Each team has a win with both teams looking good in those victories.  This is an important game as the Vipers look to put some distance between themselves and the other teams in the division.  While the Warriors try to end November on a good note after struggling early in the month.  The Snakes are coming off a very good performance in Trail after a 4-1 win.  The Warriors played a solid game, but ran into a hot goaltender and despite putting 61 shots on goal fell 6-3.

Lets break it down:

Season Series - September 17 - Warriors 5 Vipers 3 - Royal LePage Place
                      - November 8 - Vipers 5 Warriors 3 - Kal Tire Place

Vernon Vipers

Record - 14-7-2-4 - 2nd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-2-2-3               Away Record - 8-5-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
              - Assists - Michael McNicholas (21)
              - Points - Michael McNicholas (33)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 14 GP 8-4-0-1, 3.02 GAA, .901Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 12 GP 5-2-2-2, 2.81 GAA, .906Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 15 for 108 - 13.89%
                       - Penalty Kill - 6th in the league - 90 of 108 - 83.33%

West Kelowna Warriors

Record - 14-9-0-2 - 5th place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-6-0-0               Away Record - 8-3-0-2

Leaders - Goals - Jason Cotton (13)
             - Assists - Jason Cotton and 3 others (16)
             - Points - Jason Cotton (29)

Goaltending - Andy Desautels - 22 GP 12-6-0-1, 2.75 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Cody Porter - 6 GP 2-2-0-1, 4.18 GAA, .854Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 11th in the league - 21 for 124 - 16.94%
                       - Penalty Kill - 15th in the league - 82 of 111 - 73.87%

Each team has scored 8 and given up 8, just another example of how close these teams really are.  All the action starts at 7pm.  If you can't make it to the rink, tune into 107.5 KissFM starting at 6:45.

Vipers Smother Smokies 4-1.

It was a complete team effort Friday night as the Vernon Vipers defeated the Trail Smoke Eaters 4-1.  The team was aggressive, yet controlled.  Physical, yet disciplined and got great goaltending.

A good first period saw the Vipers up by a goal.  Vernon was able to shake the bus legs and at one point led the Smokies 10-3 in the shot department.  The line of Dumonceaux, Sparrow and Povelofskie excelled and were rewarded with a goal as Povelofskie got his second of the season.  Both goaltenders at times fought the puck with some awkward rebounds and both teams looked to shoot from everywhere.  The penalty kill was solid for Vernon killing off both powerplays they faced.

The second period was more of the same as the Vipers were very calm and composed in their own end and very aggressive in the Smokies end.  It goes without saying when you're aggressive, sometimes you give up chances and the Smokies had their fair share.  A goal post, a disallowed goal and some big saves from Austin Smith kept Trail off the board.  The forecheck of the Vipers would force a turnover and Sparrow would score on a short breakaway to increase the Snakes lead to 2-0.

Things started to open up in the third as the Smoke Eaters pushed to get back in the game.  The Vipers took advantage of a few odd man rushes as Dancs scored on a 2 on 1 off a Michael McNicholas feed.  Shortly after that Colton Sparrow deposited a rebound off Riley Corbin for his second goal of the game.  Late in regulation the Vipers tried to hold onto the shutout, but it wasn't to be on this night as Adam Wheeldon found a loose puck in the slot and snapped it past Austin Smith.  Disappointing for Smith, but I'm sure at the end of the day the team is happy to get the 4-1 win.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) Nice Rebound - It was a nice bounce back game for the Vipers.  Clearly not happy with their play on Wednesday night, Vernon came out with a consistent effort for pretty much 60 minutes.  When they did make mistakes, they were able to recover or get big saves from their goaltender.

2) Contributions from Everywhere - When your top line isn't getting on the scoreboard, you need contributions from other lines and tonight was a prime example of that.  Colton Sparrow looked like a man possessed with his two goals and Tyler Povelofskie continues to improve on a nightly basis.

3) Austin Smith - It came to my attention after the fact, but Austin Smith was 30 seconds away from his first career shutout in junior hockey.  He really battle hard, fighting the puck at times, but battling through it to keep his team in the lead.  If he continues to play the way he did tonight, there is no doubt in my mind he'll get that elusive shutout sooner than later.

Next up for the Vipers is a Saturday Night matchup against the West Kelowna Warriors at Kal Tire Place.  If you can't make it to the rink, all the action can be heard on 107.5 KissFM starting at 6:45 with the pregame show.

Game 27 Preview - Vipers @ Smokies

Tonight will feature the first trek to the Kootenays for the Vernon Vipers as they face off against the Trail Smoke Eaters for the second time this season.  The Smokies look very different from the last time these two teams played.  Trail has a new coach, dealt some players away and acquired some as well.  Whatever they've done has worked as the team is playing much better hockey and the Vipers can't get caught looking at the standings.

Lets break down the matchup.

Season Series - October 15 - Vipers 6 Trail 3 - Kal Tire Place

Vernon Vipers 

Record - 13-7-2-4 - 3rd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-2-2-3            Away Record - 7-5-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
              - Assists - Michael McNicholas (20)
              - Points - Michael McNicholas (32)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 14 GP 8-4-0-1, 3.02 GAA, .901Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 11 GP 4-2-2-2, 2.99 GAA, .901 Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 15 for 107 - 14.02%
                       - Penalty Kill - 8th in the leauge - 86 of 104 - 82.69%

Trail Smoke Eaters

Record - 7-16-2-1 - 6th place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 4-9-2-0                  Away Record - 3-7-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Travis Stephens/Tyson Witala (9)
             - Assists - Travis Stephens (12)
             - Points - Travis Stephens (19)

Goaltending - Dustin Nikkel - 16 GP 4-10-2-0, 4.03 GAA, .888Sv%
                   - Riley Corbin - 7 GP 2-4-0-0, 3.70 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Adam Todd (IR) - 5 GP 1-2-0-1, 3.96 GAA, .877Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 5th in the league - 22 for 105 - 20.95%
                       - Penalty Kill - 10th in the league - 95 of 117 - 81.20%

This is the final road trip of November for the Vipers.  They're 1-1 so far and will look to take the two points back home with them.  All the action starts at 7:15 for Village Green Hotel Vipers Hockey on 107.5 KissFM.

Vipers Downed By Vees 5-2

Wednesday Night's game between the Vernon Vipers and Penticton Vees was hard to assess and analyze.  It's easy to look at the box score and say the Vees were great and the Vipers were not.  If you were at the game, watched on fast hockey or listened to the radio, the game was fairly even with one exception and it was a big exception: Six minutes in the second period.

The first period was very defensive with neither team generating a whole lot in the way of offense.  It sure didn't start that way though as right off the opening faceoff there was a spirited fight between Liam Coughlin and Patrick Sexton.  I asked Jason Williamson if he liked his top line guy dropping the gloves so early in the game.  His response was mixed.  He liked his player standing up for himself, didn't like having him off the ice of 5 plus minutes to start the game.  The Vees struck first on a bit of a weak goal that I'm sure Austin Smith would want back as Antohny Conti found a hole in the Viper netminder from a sharp angle.

The second period saw the play open up a little bit as teams traded chances.  The Vipers were then charged with an icing and the tired group couldn't get off the ice.  Off the faceoff Cody DePourcq found a loose puck in the slot and as he was falling to the ice snapped it past Smith.  Then the wheels fell of for the Vipers as they gave up a 3 on 2 and Brad McClure would make no mistake to increase the lead to 3-0.  That would be the end of the night for Smith, not his best game, but he wasn't the reason the Vipers were down.  Danny Todosychuk would draw in a be greeted with a nice effort from Max Coatta on a partial break to slip it past the goaltender and it was 4-0.  The Vipers were then sloppy at their own blueline and Travis Blanleil would score to make it 5-0 heading into the break.

It was a much better effort for the Vipers in the third.  They were skating, hitting and generating chances.  Kenny Citron would score his first BCHL goal and Chase McMuprhy would tally his 3rd goal of the season off a scramble in front.  The game would end 5-2.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) Where Was The Dislike? - Other than the opening scrap four seconds in, there really wasn't much hatred or dislike between these two teams.  Not many scrums after the whistles.  Only five powerplays combined between both teams.  I fully expected an all out war and that was not what we saw.  Clearly it favoured the Vees on this night.

2) Meltdown - If you take 7 minutes of this game out, the Vipers played a very solid game.  Not a great game, but good enough to stay competitive.  Unfortunately those 7 minutes really bit the Vipers, but they'll learn their lessons and I'm confident we'll see a much better Vipers squad on Friday night in Trail.

3) SOEC - That building is hard to play in if you're the road team.  The Vees are very comfortable in their own barn and it showed.  The Vees improved to 9-1-0-1 in 11 games at the SOEC.  Teams have to be near perfect to win in Penticton.

Looking at the positives the team didn't get too down on themselves and played a much better third period.  They didn't allow the top ranked Vees powerplay to get set up in the three opportunities they had.  A big weekend of hockey now faces the Vipers as they travel to Trail on Friday and then host the West Kelowna Warriors Saturday night.

Game 26 Preview - Vipers @ Vees

Tonight will mark the third time these two division rivals have met and if the previous meetings have been any indication of how it will play out, this will be a fantastic game.  Both games have been close, and if you look at the standings it wouldn't be a surprise to see these two teams put it all out there to get the two points.

Here's the matchup:

Season Series - September 25 - Vipers 3 Penticton 1 - Kal Tire Place
                      - October 25 - Penticton 6 Vipers 5 2OT - SOEC

Vernon Vipers 

Record - 13-6-2-4 - 1st place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-2-2-3             Away Record - 7-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
             - Assists - Michael McNicholas/Dexter Dancs (19)
             - Points - Michael McNicholas (31)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 13 GP 8-4-0-1, 2.98 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 10 GP 4-1-2-2, 2.84 GAA, .906Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 15 for 105 - 14.29%
                       - Penalty Kill - 9th in the league - 83 of 101 - 82.18%

Penticton Vees 

Record - 14-5-1-2 - 3rd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 8-1-0-1              Away Record - 6-4-1-1

Leaders - Goals - Brad McClure (16)
             - Assists - Brett Beauvais (25)
             - Points - Brad McClure (32)

Goaltending - Olivier Mantha - 11 GP 8-3-0-0, 2.44 GAA, 902Sv%
                   - Hunter Miska - 11 GP 6-2-1-2, 2.18 GAA, .922Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 1st in the league - 22 for 91 - 24.18%
                       - Penalty Kill - 4th in the league - 77 of 91 - 84.62%

The Interior division has been a lot like Snakes and Ladders game.  Teams go up and teams go down.  With the Vees having 3 games in hand on the Vipers so its absolutely imperative the Snakes give them their all.  Tonights broadcast will be on 107.5 KissFM starting at 6:45.

Vipers Cruise To 5-1 Win Over Capitals

The Vernon Vipers had one of their more consistent games of the season as they downed the Cowichan Valley Capitals 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.  With the exception of three minutes in the final period, the Vipers were in control and played very well in all 3 zones.

A trend the Vipers have been able to use, is setting up in "Gretzky's Office" with players positioned in the slot.  I know every team does it, but Vernon continues to score big goals at key times, including the opening goal as Liam Coughlin scored his 10th of the season.  Chase McMurphy would score from the same spot off a great individual effort from Demico Hannoun to set him up.  The Vipers made one mistake in the first and it was late as a 2 on 1 for the Caps resulted in Taki Pantziris finishing a nice passing play.

Early in the second, things weren't progressing as well for the Vipers in the offensive zone.  The only goal was caused from keeping it simple as a point shot from Mark Hamilton hit Colton Sparrow and bounced in to increase the Viper lead to 2 goals.

The third period has typically been a good one for the Vipers, but with a 2 goal lead it was going to be interesting to see how they were going to deal with a desperate team.  That question was put to rest just 40 seconds in as Riley Guenther snapped a wrist shot past Marotte from a sharp angle.  The Caps goaltender reacted as if he didn't see it, so its hard to pin in on him.  Chase McMurphy would tally again later in the period to put the game out of reach for good at 13:44.  The Caps had an impressive final 3 minutes testing Austin Smith who was up to the test and very solid all afternoon.  Final score 5-1.

My 3 Key Thoughts -

Consistency - The line of Liam Coughlin, Dexter Dancs and Michael McNicholas combined for 6 points on the afternoon.  As proof of how good they've been, Coughlin has 7 goals in his last 6 games, McNicholas has 12 points in the last 6 games and Dancs also has 12 points in 6 games.

Points Outside the Division - The Vipers have 17 of 26 points against the Mainland and Island Divisions.  Those points will prove crucial as the Vipers now play 4 straight against the Interior.

Chase McMurphy - It took 4 games for Chase McMurphy to score his first as a Viper.  It wasn't from lack of effort.  His obvious skill will really help the depth of this team.

Its been a nice month of November for the Vipers, but the real challenges happen at the end with games in Penticton and Trail, then home to West Kelowna and Merritt to end the month.  The team is heading in the right direction before these challenges.  The Snakes are hitting the road Wednesday for a midweek game against the Penticton Vees.  You can hear it on 107.5 KissFM starting at 6:45.

Game 25 Preview - Capitals @ Vipers

The trend of winning the first game of a weekend set continued for the Vernon Vipers as they defeated the Merritt Centennials Friday Night by a score of 4-3 in overtime.  This afternoon an Island Division foe makes their first and only appearance at Kal Tire Place, the Cowichan Valley Capitals.  The Caps have yet to defeat an Interior Division opponent and the Vipers will look to keep that statistic going.

Lets break down these two teams

Vernon Vipers

Record - 12-6-2-4 - 2nd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 5-2-2-3               Away Record - 7-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
             - Assists - Dexter Dancs/Michael McNicholas (17)
             - Points - Michael McNicholas (29)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 13 GP 8-4-0-1, 2.98 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 9 GP 3-1-2-2, 3.05 GAA, .899Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 15 for 103 - 14.56%
                        - Penalty Kill - 9th in the league - 79 of 97 - 81.44%

Cowichan Valley Capitals

Record - 11-14-0-1 - 4th place in the Island Division

Home Record - 6-3-0-1                  Away Record - 5-11-0-0

Leaders - Goals - Myles Powell (10)
              - Assists - Myles Powell/Dane Gibson (14)
              - Points - Myles Powell (24)

Goaltending - Robin Gusse - 23 GP 10-11-0-1, 2.99 GAA, .909Sv%
                   - Francis Marotte - 5 GP 1-3-0-0, 5.13 GAA, .871Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 7th in the league - 24 for 121 - 19.83%
                       - Penalty Kill - 14th in the league - 91 of 117 - 77.78%

Its the first of two meetings in less than a month between these two teams and it kicks off with the pregame show at 1:45.  I will have the VipersMixLR page up and running starting at 1:45.

Vipers Overcome Cents 4-3 in Overtime

When the Vernon Vipers and the Merritt Centennials meet, it is destined to be close and entertaining.  For the third straight time it was a one goal game, this time however was in favour of the Vipers.  The Snakes sandwiched two good periods around an average one and got a powerplay marker when the needed it to get the win.  The two points were huge to draw even with the Cents with one game in hand.

The Vipers had a very good start to the game keeping the puck in the Cents zone.  A big key was smart plays out of their own zone, speed and a relentless forecheck.  Coughlin would open the scoring off a great play from Ryan Renz.  The top line of the Vipers weren't as dangerous as they have been in previous outings, but still contributed.  The lead was short lived as Shane Poulsen would tie the game up 44 seconds later on a seeing eye wrist shot.  Once again some good board work from Dancs would lead to the Vipers getting the lead back as Matty Saharchuk cruised through the slot and snapped a quick shot past Kero.

Penalties were the undoing of the Vipers in the middle frame and really allowed the Cents to control the play.  The Cents would score 2 goals on the powerplay.  One off a scramble where Jeff Wight would bury the rebound.  Wight would score again off a nice passing play with the man advantage to give the Cents a 3-2 lead.  Overall it wasn't a great period for the Vipers and discipline was a factor.  This team is getting used to being down by a goal or two heading into the final frame and I had the feeling the third was going to be a better effort.

The third had more physicality, but was very slow moving.  Both teams iced the puck and went offsides more times than I'm sure they'd like to.  The Vipers were the recipients of three powerplays and it was the final one that made the difference as Brendan Persley would sneak in behind the defense and get sent in on a breakaway with a slick move to the backhand.  It was much deserved for the 20 year old forward who had multiple chances in the previous few games.  The Vipers have been the better team in most of the overtimes this season, but came out on the wrong end.  Tonight it took one shot from Riley Guenther to end it as he found some open space in the slot and awarded the Vipers with the extra point.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) Playing From Behind - This team continues to have success when trailing into the final period.  There is no panic in this group and the ability to play well while behind can only bode well for this club.

2) Riley Guenther - His two goals this season have been huge.  A game tying goal late in regulation against Penticton and the game winner in overtime tonight.  He played monster minutes for Jason Williamson and rewarded the coach with great play defensively and with a goal.

3) Discipline - The Vipers had trouble in the second period of staying out of the box.  I didn't think they were terrible penalties to take, but in the grand scheme of things, if you take those away the Vipers had a very good 5 on 5 game.  Its one of the rare games that the PK was victimized multiple times and made this game very interesting.

The Vipers remain undefeated in regulation in the month of November and handed the Cents their first lost in the month as well.  Vernon will look to carry that success into a Sunday Matinee against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.  The action starts at 2 oclock from Kal Tire Place.  I will have the call on the Vipers MixLR starting at 1:45.

Game 24 Preview - Vipers @ Cents

The Vernon Vipers come into tonights game in Merritt with points in 4 straight games.  The Vipers will get a little bit of relief in the lineup as Demico Hannoun returns and it appears Mason Blacklock is getting closer and closer to a return as well.  In their absence, the Vipers have looked to the line of Coughlin, McNicholas and Dancs.  The Snakes will need all hands on deck in a building that is very much a home ice advantage for the Cents.

Here's the matchup

Season Series - September 21 - Merritt 3 Vipers 2 -2OT - Kal Tire Place
                       - October 26 - Merritt 1 Vipers 0 - Kal Tire Place

Vernon Vipers

Record - 11-6-2-4 - 3rd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 5-2-2-3                Away Record - 6-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
              - Assists - Michael McNicholas (16)
              - Points - Michael McNicholas (28)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 13 GP 8-4-0-1, 2.98 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 8 GP 2-1-2-2, 3.07 GAA, .898Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 14 for 97 - 14.43%
                       - Penalty Kill - 7th in the league - 78 of 94 - 82.98%

Merritt Centennials

Record - 14-9-1-0 - 2nd in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-4-1-0                    Away Record - 8-5-0-0

Leaders - Goals - Scotty Patterson (14)
              - Assists - Diego Cuglietta (15)
              - Points - Scotty Patterson (24)

Goaltending - Devin Kero - 16 GP 7-8-1-0, 2.44 GAA, .921Sv%
                   - Russell Sanderson - 5 GP 3-1-0-0, 3.24 GAA, .887Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 4th in the league - 21 for 98 - 21.43%
                       - Penalty Kill - 8th in the league - 84 of 102 - 82.35%

After a pretty successful 5 game home stand where the Vipers earned 6 out of a possible 10 points, they'll look to keep those efforts up on the road in Merritt.  It'll be a battle and you can hear all the action on 107.5 KissFM starting at 7:15.  The play by play begins at 7:30!

Vipers and Spruce Kings End In a 4-4 Draw

Fans saw everything except a penalty shot and a kitchen sink on Saturday as the Vipers and Spruce Kings duked it out in a 4-4 tie.  It was a thoroughly entertaining and exciting affair that saw an hour delay due to a broken pane of glass, a linesman punched and a late game comeback by the home team.

It was a slow moving first period as both teams really seemed to be feeling each other out.  Only one shot on goal in the first 8 minutes was proof of that.  The Vipers would get a powerplay, looking to carry Friday nights success into Saturday, but it would backfire as Chad Staley would steal a puck and score on a shorthanded breakaway to make it 1-0.  Then cue the chaos.  A body check behind the Viper goal absolutely shattered the glass onto the ice and onto the goal judge.  That would result in a one hour delay as rink crews had some difficulties getting the right size sheet of glass.  In the end, they would run the intermission and finish the last 5 minutes after the break.

The opening few minutes after the hour break were very physical.  Both teams throwing big body checks trying to implement an element of physicality.  There would be no scoring in the final 5 minutes of the first, so the teams would switch sides and begin the second.  Once again Prince George seemed to have an answer for everything the Vipers threw at them including blocked shots and timely saves from Alex Murray.  Their 16th ranked powerplay would go to work and didn't take long to strike as Chad Staley would score his second of the game off a huge scramble in front and it was 2-0 PG.  It was redemption for Liam Coughlin who was in the penalty box when Staley scored his second, as Coughlin would streak down the left side and out wait Murray to get the Vipers within a goal.  The Vipers fourth line would contribute as Tyler Povelofskie would score his first in the BCHL to get the game tied heading to the third period.

A couple of defensive breakdowns resulted in a deficit early in third for the Vipers as Christian Weidauer and Chad Staley would score to give the Sprucies a 4-2 lead.  The 4th goal would be Staley's hat trick goal as he was dangerous all night long.  The way things were going, at no point was the game out of reach for either side.  Fifty five seconds after the Staley marker, Michael McNicholas would score to make it 4-3.  The Vipers were then shorthanded after a Saharchuk boarding call and on that call more chaos ensued as while trying to break up a fight between Weidauer and Dumonceaux, linesman Ryan Dawson was clocked with a right hand and forced to leave the game.  The Snakes would kill of the penalty and McNicholas would tie they game up with just 3 minutes left on the clock.

Overtime didn't solve anything although both goaltenders made some impressive saves to keep it tied and final at 4-4.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) - Long Delay - It couldn't have been easy for either side to endure that one hour delay in the first period.  Both teams came out physical and it seemed like it sparked both sides.

2) - Chad Staley - He played like a man possessed with 3 goals and an assist and at times single handedly carried the team on his back.  Offensively and defensively he was far an away the best player on the ice.

3) - The Comeback - The line of Dancs, Coughlin and McNicholas continue to produce and were in on both goals late in regulation to get the game tied.  The chemistry they seem to have is uncanny and when the Vipers get Blacklock and Hannoun back in the lineup, the top 6 for the Vipers will be very impressive.

This game tested my ability as a broadcaster and I'm sure my colleague Ron Gallo felt the same way having to fill a one hour void.  I'd like to thank Mason Blacklock for being in the broadcast as without him, it wouldn't have gone as smooth as it did.  The Vipers now have a few days of practice before a big matchup in Merritt on Friday Night.

Game 23 Preview - Spruce Kings @ Vipers

The Vipers continue Parents Weekend with a Saturday Night matchup against the Prince George Spruce Kings.  Both teams are coming off impressive wins last night and look to build on that momentum.  Needless to say this could become a chippy affair as this is the first time these two teams have met since the Mark Hamilton/Jake LeBrun incident.  It could be a war, or it could be a well played game of hockey, either way it will be entertaining.

Lets break it down for you

Season Series - October 4 - Prince George 3 Vipers 0 - Prince George Coliseum

Vernon Vipers

Record - 11-6-1-4 - 1st place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 5-2-1-3               Away Record - 6-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
             - Assists - Michael McNicholas (16)
             - Points - Michael McNicholas (26)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 13 GP 8-4-0-1, 2.98 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Austin Smith - 7 GP 2-1-1-2, 3.00 GAA, .904Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 14th in the league - 14 for 95 - 14.74%
                       - Penalty Kill - 6th in the league - 75 of 91 - 84.62%

Prince George Spruce Kings

Record - 12-7-1-2 - 2nd place in the Mainland Division

Home Record - 5-3-0-1              Away Record - 7-4-1-1

Leaders - Goals - Chad Staley (9)
             - Assists - Christian Weidauer/Brent Lashuk (13)
             - Points - Chad Staley (19)

Goaltending - Alex Murray - 14 GP 8-4-0-2, 2.47 GAA, .906Sv%
                   - Jesse Jenks - 8 GP 4-3-1-0, 2.46 GAA, .921Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 14 for 98 - 14.29%
                       - Penalty Kill - 7th in the league - 80 of 96 - 83.33%

Puck drop for this one is at 7pm.  If you can't make it to the rink, all the play by play action will be on 107.5 KissFM starting at 6:45 with the pregame show!

Vipers Defeat Warriors 5-3.

What a game it was on Friday Night at Kal Tire Place as the Vernon Vipers defeated the rival West Kelowna Warriors 5-3.  The powerplay was effective, the team played extremely disciplined and took advantage of the Warriors lack of discipline.

It was a slow start for the Vipers as the Warriors came out hungry and took a lot of shots on the Viper goal.  They were able to put that behind them and play a nice solid period.  The Snakes would strike first as Ryan Renz scored his first of the season on the powerplay on a nice wrist shot through traffic.  It was the third straight game the powerplay has clicked and was key with just a few minutes left in the period.

The ice really opened up in the second period as both teams had big chances.  Brendan Persley was stopped a handful of times by Andy Desautels who didn't factor in the three stars, but very well could have been there with the number of outstanding saves.  Those saves went a long way as the Warriors would tie the game up just past the seven minute mark as Jordan Masters would center a puck in front after a few whacks, the puck would find Masters again and he would slip it past a prone Todosychuk.  The Vipers regained the lead just 94 seconds later as Josh Bryan would let loose a rocket that eluded Desautels.  Vernon continued forward as a great individual effort from Michael McNicholas resulted in a 3-1 lead.  The two goal lead wasn't around for long as Seb Lloyd tipped in a Michael Winnitoy point shot to make it 3-2 after 2 periods.

A late penalty against the Warriors meant the Vipers would start the frame with the man advantage and they would strike immediately as Liam Coughlin ripped a shot past the Warrior goalie.  The Warriors responded less than a minute later as Carl Hesler snapped a shot past Todosychuk off a well executed 3 on 1 rush.  Discipline would catch up with the Warriors and again the Viper powerplay connected with Michael McNicholas scoring his second of the game and getting his 4th point of the night.  Penalties ruined West K's ability to get much going as they tried to chip away at the two goal deficit and the game would end 5-3 Vipers.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) - Finally!!! - The powerplay scored 3 times on 7 opportunities and looked very confident.  The powerplay was the difference in this game for the right reasons.  They kept it simple when necessary and threw in some nifty passing plays as well.

2) - Andy Desautels - Wow was he ever good tonight.  The box score won't do that young man any justice as he made at least a quarter of his saves in spectacular fashion.  He robbed Brendan Persley five times and could've easily been awarded a star.

3) - Warriors Hurting - When a team is as banged up as the Warriors are you have to take advantage of it.  Some defensive mistakes really cost the Tribe.  As the bodies start to return I fully expect the Warriors to tighten up.

The Vipers played well for the first game of parents weekend and will look to carry that into tomorrow's game against Prince George.  Vernon is now tied with Merritt for top spot in the very tight Interior Division and look to stay there throughout the weekend.  Saturdays game will be on 107.5 KissFM starting at 6:45!

Game 22 Preview - Warrirors @ Vipers

Following a respectable weekend where the Vernon Vipers took three of a possible four points, the Vipers now welcome West Kelowna for a huge Friday Night matchup.  The last time these two teams met, it didn't go the way Vernon wanted, with only 2 shots in the third period.  A lot has changed with the team since then, the roster and the work ethic.  Injuries are plaguing both teams and depth is of the utmost importance.

Lets look and see how these teams stack up.

Season Series - September 17 - West Kelowna 5 Vipers 3 - Royal LePage Place

Vernon Vipers

Record - 10-6-1-4 - 2nd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 4-2-1-3               Away Record - 6-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)

             - Assists - Michael McNicholas (14)

             - Points - Mason Blacklock (24)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 12 GP 7-4-0-1, 2.98 GAA, .902Sv%

                   - Michael Stiliadis - 3 GP 1-1-0-1, 2.87 GAA, .897Sv%

                   - Austin Smith (IR) - 7 GP 2-1-1-2, 3.00 GAA, .904Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 11 for 88 - 12.5%

                       - Penalty Kill - 6th in the league - 75 of 89 - 84.27%

West Kelowna Warriors 

Record - 12-5-0-2 - 1st place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 5-3-0-0                Away Record - 7-2-0-2

Leaders - Goals - Jason Cotton/Jordan Masters (9)

             - Assists - Carl Hesler (14)

             - Points - Jason Cotton (22)

Goaltending - Andy Desautels - 17 GP 11-3-0-1, 2.46 GAA, .908Sv%

                   - Cody Porter - 3 GP 1-1-0-1, 4.05 GAA, .849Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 10th in the league - 18 for 102 - 17.65%

                       - Penalty Kill - 15th in the league - 67 of 88 - 76.14%

Its Parents Weekend in Vernon and in my experience, players always play motivated in front of their family and friends.  Its a crucial divisional matchup between the Warriors and Vipers.  Internet only broadcast tonight starting at 6:45!  See ya at the rink!

Vipers End Weekend With Double OT Loss

It was game of bounces and breaks as the Vipers battled the Victoria Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon.  The breaks went for and against both teams.  The biggest break went against the Vipers in double OT, combined with a great individual effort from Kevin Massy and the Victoria Grizzlies would leave Vernon with 5 of 6 points on a long Interior road trip.

The first bounce of the game went Vernons way as Liam Coughlin put a shot wide of the goal, only to have it ricochet off the end boards off the pad of Nic Renyard and squeak just across the goal line.  Seventeen seconds in the Vipers had the lead.  That was the only goal of the first period as both teams had a few chances although not a lot of shots were taken.

The second was where the majority of the action was.  Gerry Fitzgerald who nearly made a costly mistake in his own zone would make up for that by showing a lot of patience to out wait the Viper defense and goaltender as he would backhand home his team leading 14th of the season to get the game tied.  Three minutes later on a powerplay, Dexter Dancs would end a nice passing play with a beautiful backhand shot past Renyard and the Vipers re took the lead.  That was short lived as just 37 seconds later the Grizzlies would push back as another crazy bounce off the end boards went right to Mark McLellan and he would make no mistake to tie the game.  Less than 4 minutes after that, Storm Wahlrab would pounce on a rebound to give the Grizz their first lead of the game.  Just as the second period was winding down, Liam Coughlin would get his second lucky bounce as his original shot rebounded off Renyard, then off the Grizzly defenseman and in to get the game tied up late in the second frame.  The dislike between these teams escalated quickly as a few fighting majors would occur, setting the scene for a great final period.

The third started with some chippy play and some obvious dislike.  Eventually that would settle down and the two teams played solid defensive hockey to end regulation tied at 3.

The first period was where the final bounce would go against the Vipers.  Jason Bird appeared to have scored the game winner 40 seconds into OT, but the goal would be called off as it was said McNicholas impeded Renyards ability to make the save.  On the replay, it appeared McNicholas was directed in and couldn't avoid the Grizzly netminder.  Thats why the call was most likely the right one, not to give McNicholas a penalty, but to waive the goal off.  Without question it was a tough break for the Vipers and it set the scene for Overtime number 2.

Very late in the second OT, Kevin Massy would outwait the Viper D and Stiliadis and put home his first BCHL goal and win the game for the Grizzlies by a score of 4-3.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) Effort Not Enough - This thought was echoed by Assistant Coach of the Vipers Dave Robinson, who said in the post game show, for whatever reason, the squad didn't have the same jump they did on Friday against Salmon Arm.  The talent level is there, its just a matter of finding that consistent effort level from everyone.

2) Close But No Cigar - For the second straight time the Vipers had outplayed an opponent in overtime, but lost the extra point on a tough break. In Penticton, it was a tripping call to force a penalty shot, yesterday, it was the no goal.  Its important to get at least one point, but it has to be frustrating for the team knowing they're doing everything, but finishing the opposition off.

3) Grizzlies Depth - Coming into the game, these two teams had nearly identical records.  They seem to play a similar style of game, and both have impressive depth.  Case in point, Myles Fitzgerald left the game in the first period with an injury, the Grizz didn't miss a beat and whether it was Jesse Schwartz or Dante Hahn, whoever Bill Bestwick put on that line fit in nicely.

Three out of four points is a nice rebound from last weekend for the Vipers.  They now get set for a big weekend set against West Kelowna and Prince George.  Both games will be at home at Kal Tire Place.

Game 21 Preview - Grizzlies @ Vipers

The Vipers got back to their winning ways Friday night with a very important win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.  Today, two points are up for grabs in a Vipers matinee as the Snakes host the Victoria Grizzlies.  The teams have nearly identical records and are very similar.  The Grizzlies are at the end of a long road trip, albeit a successful trip and will be a big challenge.

Time to break down the matchup

2012-2013 Season Series - The two teams split their matchups with each team winning on home ice.

Vernon Vipers

Record - 10-6-1-3 - 4th place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 4-2-1-2               Away Record - 6-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
             - Assists - Michael McNicholas/Demico Hannoun (12)
             - Points - Mason Blacklock (24)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 12 GP 7-4-0-1, 2.98 GAA, .902Sv%
                   - Michael Stiliadis - 2 GP 1-1-0-0, 2.53 GAA, .907Sv%
                   - Austin Smith (IR) - 7 GP 2-1-1-2, 3.00 GAA, .904Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 10 for 85 - 11.76%
                       - Penalty Kill - 6th in the league - 72 of 86 - 83.72%

Victoria Grizzlies

Record - 10-6-2-1 - 2nd place in the Island Division

Home Record - 3-3-1-0               Away Record - 7-3-1-0

Leaders - Goals - Gerry Fitzgerald (13)
             - Assists - Myles Fitzgerald (16)
             - Points - Gerry Fitzgerald (26)

Goaltending - Nic Renyard - 11 GP 5-4-1-1, 2.59 GAA, .915Sv%
                   - Alec Dillon - 8 GP 4-2-1-0, 2.57 GAA, .911Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 3rd in the league - 20 for 90 - 22.22%
                       - Penalty Kill - 14th in the league - 62 of 79 - 78.48%

It should be a great matchup on a Sunday afternoon.  The pregame show starts at 1:45 on Vipers MixLR and Fast Hockey PPV!

Vipers Powerplay Leads Snakes to 2-1 win

Normally the gritty and greasy games are saved for the road.  Not the case tonight at Kal Tire Place as the Vipers played a solid defensive game and got some help on special teams to take a 2-1 victory over the rival Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

Salmon Arm had a great start to the 1st period as they outshot the Vipers 8-3 at one point.  Two powerplays helped that, but the Viper penalty kill was very good limiting many serious chances.  Vernon themselves would get two chances with the man advantage, but were unable to convert.  Period would end scoreless with the teams deadlocked with 9 shots a piece.

Vernon strived to play a simple game Friday Night and it was that mentality that led to the first goal of the game as Liam Coughlin would pot home a rebound off of Adam Clark just 95 seconds in.  The Vipers really didn't allow a lot as the Silverbacks pressured to get the game equalized.  Shortly after a successful penalty kill for the Vipers a crazy ricochet ended up in front of the Viper goal and Evan Anderson was able to put it home to tie the game.  On the official scoresheet the goal was credited to Max Becker, although I believe at some point it will be changed.  After 40 minutes the game was tied 1-1.

The play opened up in the third with both teams generating speed through the neutral zone and both goalies had to be sharp.  The fifth powerplay of the night for the Vipers would prove to be the turning point as some great passing down low resulted in Michael McNicholas scoring his 8th of the season on a one timer to give the Vipers a key 2-1 lead.  The Backs would pull Adam Clark in an attempt to get the game tied, but as they did all night, the team was very tight and disciplined in their own end to hang on for a 2-1 win.

My 3 Key Thoughts

1) Powerplay Strikes - Too many times this season, the turning point has been the lack of production from the powerplay.  Not tonight as the game winner was scored with the man advantage.  The Vipers ended the night 1 for 5, but that one was very important.  Its a monkey off the back for the powerplay that hadn't scored in exactly 2 weeks and almost 5 games.

2) Renz Returns - For the past 16 games, Ryan Renz was chomping at the bit to get back into the lineup.  He was finally deemed healthy enough to return and immediately made an impact.  He had an assist on the Vipers first goal, played some big minutes and didn't show any rink rust.  Good to see the Vipers captain back.

3) Pretty close to 60 minutes - This was a very impressive game for the Vipers.  Jason Williamson said that he wanted to see more grit and greasy games on home ice.  They kept a very talented Silverbacks team to the outside and played a complete game offensively, defensively and in goal.

In a very tight Interior Division, the Vipers now take hold of sole possession of 3rd place in the Interior Division, with an off day Saturday and a matinee Sunday against the Victoria Grizzlies.  That game will be internet only and you can catch the pregame show at 1:45pm!

Game 20 Preview - Silverbacks @ Vipers

The Vernon Vipers are looking to put a tough weekend behind them.  They only received 1 of a possible 4 points against divisional opponents.  Tonight is no different.  The Salmon Arm Silverbacks come to town tied in points in the tight Interior Division.  This has been a fun rivalry to watch and tonight should be no exception.

Lets take a look at the matchup

Season Series - September 13 - Backs 6 Vipers 1 - Shaw Centre
                       - September 14 - Backs 6 Vipers 5 2OT - Kal Tire Place
                       - October 5 - Vipers 3 Backs 2 - Shaw Centre

Vernon Vipers

Record - 9-6-1-3 - 4th place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 3-2-1-2             Away Record - 6-4-0-1

Leaders - Goals - Mason Blacklock (15)
             - Assists - Michael McNicholas/Demico Hannoun (12)
             - Points - Mason Blacklock (24)

Goaltending - Danny Todosychuk - 11 GP 6-4-0-1, 3.15 GAA, .897Sv%
                   - Michael Stiliadis - 2 GP 1-1-0-0, 2.53 GAA, .907Sv%
                   - Austin Smith (IR) - 7 GP 2-1-1-2, 3.00 GAA, .904Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 16th in the league - 9 for 78 - 11.54%
                       - Penalty Kill - 8th in the league - 66 of 80 - 82.50%

Salmon Arm Silverbacks

Record - 10-6-1-1 - 3rd place in the Interior Division

Home Record - 6-2-0-1           Away Record - 4-4-1-0

Leaders - Goals - Alex Gillies (16)
              - Assists - Landon Smith (17)
             - Points - Landon Smith (29)

Goaltending - Adam Clark - 11 GP 5-3-1-1, 3.03 GAA, .908Sv%
                   - Angus Redmond - 9 GP, 5-3-0-0, 3.13 GAA, .901Sv%

Special Teams - Powerplay - 11th in the league - 14 for 83 - 16.87%
                       - Penalty Kill - 1st in the league - 69 of 78 - 88.46%

It goes without saying that these two teams don't like each other very much.  The previous 3 games showcased that perfectly.  Both teams are trying to track down West Kelowna and Penticton and the two points up for grabs is the perfect place to start.  Its an internet only broadcast on Vipers MixLR starting at 6:45.