The second leg of the march to the Fred Page Cup for the Vernon Vipers begins tomorrow night in Penticton.
The head to head series in the regular season saw the Vees win 6 of 7, with three of them coming at Kal Tire Place where the Vipers only lost 6 times in regulation.
1) - October 17 - Vipers 1 Vees 3 - KTP
2) - October 25 - Vipers 0 Vees 1 - SOEC
3) - November 14 - Vipers 2 Vees 4 - KTP
4) - December 5 - Vipers 3 Vees 4 - KTP
5) - January 2 - Vipers 0 Vees 3 - SOEC
6) - February 11 - Vipers 2 Vees 1 - SOEC
7) - February 27 - Vipers 2 Vees 3 - SOEC
No real surprise that they've all been generally close games. Not only have they been close, but they've been extremely entertaining affairs. The Vees won't be coming into the series expecting to dominate the win/loss column, but the record should give them some confidence. For the Vipers they have played their best hockey of the season in a 4 game sweep over the Merritt Centennials. The Vipers are 9-1 at home in 2015 and all three of their losses at home to Penticton were before the calendar changed.
Lets look at the head to head success:
Vernon - Thomas Aldworth 5 G 0 A - 5 Pts
- TJ Dumonceaux 1 G 3 A - 4 Pts
- Liam Finlay 0 G 4 A - 4 Pts
Penticton - Dante Fabbro 1 G 5 A - 6 Pts
- Demico Hannoun 4 G 1 A - 5 Pts
- Gabe Bast 1 G 4 A - 5 Pts
When talking goaltending it remained a question mark for the Vipers heading in. Danny Todosychuk started Game 1 in round 1, but sustained an injury and Jarrod Schamerhorn took over and played very well. Todosychuk holds the only win over Penticton and if healthy, Mark Ferner will have a heck of a dilemma. Both guys are capable of being starters. Do you start Danny who played very well in game 1, or do you go back with Schamerhorn who is credited with 4 straight wins. It will be very interesting to watch depending on the status of Todosychuk coming into the series.
On the other side, Hunter Miska is the bona fide number 1 guy. He led the league in the majority of the statistics and played every second against the Vipers this season. That is not expected to change. He is a difference maker for the Vees, who don't give up much offense against, but when they do, Miska has the ability to flip a switch and shut down the opposition. There is little doubt that Fred Harbinson will rely on him in the series.
Head to head goalie stats:
Vernon
Danny Todosychuk - 1-2-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .932 Sv%
Jarrod Schamerhorn - 0-4-0-0, 2.50 GAA, .932 Sv%
Penticton
Hunter Miska - 6-1-0-0, 1.42 GAA, .955 Sv%
Its interesting to note the special teams battle. It was a tail of two seasons. The Vipers PP was atrocious early on and went 0/8 in the first three games. They went 3 for 11 in the last 4 games. Its the complete opposite for the Vees. Their PP was 5/14 in the first three, then a stone cold 0 for 15 in the last 4 games.
Those numbers of course mean nothing in the second season, but the Vipers powerplay and penalty kill have vastly improved and that will be crucial for them in this seeries.
Here is the Series Schedule:
Saturday March 14 - 6pm - SOEC
Sunday March 15 - 6pm - SOEC
Tuesday March 17 - 7pm - KTP
Wednesday March 18 - 7pm - KTP
Friday March 20 - 7pm - SOEC (if necessary)
Saturday March 21 - 6pm - KTP (if necessary)
Sunday March 22 - 6pm - SOEC (if necessary)
This is a rematch of last years Interior Final which had the Vipers surprising the Vees in Game 7. The Vees will use that as motivation. For the Vipers they are up against the BCHL's best in the regular season and will use this as a measuring stick. They way they've played of late don't expect a lot of goals for or against. The rivalry will be renewed tomorrow!
Here are your listening/viewing options
Listen with myself and Don Klepp...http://1075kiss.com/
Listen with voice of the Vees, Fraser Rodgers...http://penticton.myezrock.com/
Watch on Fasthockey...http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog! Feel free to follow me on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers for all you Viper news and information!
Friday, 13 March 2015
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Game 4 - Vipers Wrap Up Series 6-5
Coming into a four game series there aren't many teams who expect to sweep. Especially when the two teams going head to head are as evenly matched and well coached as the Vipers and Centennials. The Vipers found themselves ahead 3 games to none heading into game 4 and were greeted with a huge challenge in the form of a desperate Merritt team. This game was unlike the previous three, both teams executed on their opportunities, but in the end the Vipers were able to hold on for a 6-5 win and a series sweep to move onto the next round of the playoffs.
The key for the Vipers on this night would come from a quick start. Thomas Aldworth would open the scoring on the PP with a hard wrist shot from the circle. The Vipers tacked on another one just a few minutes later off a beautiful set up from the fourth line as Blaine Caton drove the net hard and received a nice pass from Mackenzie Bauer to make it 2-0 in the first 6 minutes. The deficit seemed to keep the Centennials just a step behind. The Cents responded 6 minutes later as the Vipers couldn't clear, Cole Arcuri would make them pay with a well placed shot up and under the bar to make it 2-1. The Vipers would respond quickly as Riley Guenther kept a clearing attempt in at the blue line and released a snapper that beat Imoo to make it 3-1. That two goal lead was short lived as the Centennials used their PP to get it back within 1 on a nice set up to Shane Poulsen, who walked down the slot and rifled it past Schamerhorn to make it 3-2 Vernon after 1 period.
The second tightened up a bit, but the Centennials found themselves on three powerplays and took advantage on it as a scramble in the slot found Diego Cuglietta at the side of the net and he tied the game up 3-3. Just under four minutes later TJ Dumonceaux would take a pass down the right wing and snap it past Imoo to give Vernon a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
The Centennials played as desperate as a team clinging to hope could. Unfortunately for them the Vipers caused a turnover midway through the period and Liam Finlay gave the Vipers another 2 goal advantage. Luke Pierce would pull Jonah Imoo with 3 and half minutes remaining and it paid dividends right away as a point shot hit Gavin Gould in the slot and fooled Schamerhorn and it was a one goal game again. Imoo would go back the bench a minute later, but Riley Brandt stole a pass in the neutral zone and made it 6-4 into an empty net. The Cents would get one back with 2 seconds on the clock, but time would expire on the Cents season as the Vipers would hold on for a 6-5 win.
Here is the official box score from the BCHL website.:
The three stars were announced differently in the building. 1) - Mackenzie Bauer 2) - Gavin Gould 3) - Liam Finlay.
Merritt clearly honoring the players who are moving on next season. A nice gesture.
The Vipers are now off until Friday when round 2 begins. The opponent is yet to be determined. Tomorrow on the blog I will break the series down in more detail.
Thanks for checking out the blog! You can follow me on Twitter....@GrahamT_Vipers for all your Viper news and information!
The key for the Vipers on this night would come from a quick start. Thomas Aldworth would open the scoring on the PP with a hard wrist shot from the circle. The Vipers tacked on another one just a few minutes later off a beautiful set up from the fourth line as Blaine Caton drove the net hard and received a nice pass from Mackenzie Bauer to make it 2-0 in the first 6 minutes. The deficit seemed to keep the Centennials just a step behind. The Cents responded 6 minutes later as the Vipers couldn't clear, Cole Arcuri would make them pay with a well placed shot up and under the bar to make it 2-1. The Vipers would respond quickly as Riley Guenther kept a clearing attempt in at the blue line and released a snapper that beat Imoo to make it 3-1. That two goal lead was short lived as the Centennials used their PP to get it back within 1 on a nice set up to Shane Poulsen, who walked down the slot and rifled it past Schamerhorn to make it 3-2 Vernon after 1 period.
The second tightened up a bit, but the Centennials found themselves on three powerplays and took advantage on it as a scramble in the slot found Diego Cuglietta at the side of the net and he tied the game up 3-3. Just under four minutes later TJ Dumonceaux would take a pass down the right wing and snap it past Imoo to give Vernon a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
The Centennials played as desperate as a team clinging to hope could. Unfortunately for them the Vipers caused a turnover midway through the period and Liam Finlay gave the Vipers another 2 goal advantage. Luke Pierce would pull Jonah Imoo with 3 and half minutes remaining and it paid dividends right away as a point shot hit Gavin Gould in the slot and fooled Schamerhorn and it was a one goal game again. Imoo would go back the bench a minute later, but Riley Brandt stole a pass in the neutral zone and made it 6-4 into an empty net. The Cents would get one back with 2 seconds on the clock, but time would expire on the Cents season as the Vipers would hold on for a 6-5 win.
Here is the official box score from the BCHL website.:
| SCORING SUMMARY |
| PERIOD 1 |
| 1-0 Vernon Vipers at 3:25 (PP) - Mackenzie Bauer from Riley Guenther and Liam Finlay |
| 2-0 Vernon Vipers at 5:56 - Blaine Caton from Mackenzie Bauer and Michael Roberts |
| 2-1 Merritt Centennials at 9:37 - Cole Arcuri from Colin Grannary and Michael Ederer |
| 3-1 Vernon Vipers at 12:48 - Riley Guenther (unassisted) |
| 3-2 Merritt Centennials at 14:36 (PP) - Shane Poulsen from Stephan Seeger and Gavin Gould |
| PERIOD 2 |
| 3-3 Merritt Centennials at 10:37 (PP) - Diego Cuglietta from Stephan Seeger and Shane Poulsen |
| 4-3 Vernon Vipers at 15:00 - TJ Dumonceaux from Liam Coughlin |
| PERIOD 3 |
| 5-3 Vernon Vipers at 9:04 - Liam Finlay from Jagger Williamson |
| 5-4 Merritt Centennials at 16:48 - Gavin Gould from Josh Teves and Diego Cuglietta |
| 6-4 Vernon Vipers at 18:25 - Riley Brandt (unassisted) |
| 6-5 Merritt Centennials at 19:58 - Sam Johnson from Diego Cuglietta and John Schiavo |
| STARS OF THE GAME | ||
 1st STAR | 2nd STAR | 3rd STAR |
| Merritt Centennials Sam Johnson | Merritt Centennials Diego Cuglietta | Merritt Centennials Griffyn Martin |
The three stars were announced differently in the building. 1) - Mackenzie Bauer 2) - Gavin Gould 3) - Liam Finlay.
Merritt clearly honoring the players who are moving on next season. A nice gesture.
The Vipers are now off until Friday when round 2 begins. The opponent is yet to be determined. Tomorrow on the blog I will break the series down in more detail.
Thanks for checking out the blog! You can follow me on Twitter....@GrahamT_Vipers for all your Viper news and information!
Saturday, 7 March 2015
Game 3 - Vipers Shut Out Cents 1-0
The competition and emotion between two teams were on display in Game 3 of the Interior Division Semi Finals. This game had a certain edge to it, there was a ton of physicality and as we've come to expect in this series, some fantastic goaltending. In the end one goal would be all it would take for the Vipers to come away with a 1-0 lead and a stranglehold on the series.
As expected, the Merritt Centennials came out with a ton of energy in front of their home crowd. They used their speed and forecheck to generate momentum. The Vipers were able to weather that storm to start, then initiate a system of their own. It saw them take away time and space a force the Centennials to turn the puck over. In particular Thomas Aldworth created a great chance at the Centennial blue line and fed TJ Dumonceaux who got a good shot away, but was absolutely robbed by Jonah Imoo. It was yet another spectacular save from the Merritt goaltender, which is starting to become commonplace. The flow of the game was slowed due to a number of minor penalties. Both penalties excelled at the period ended scoreless.
The Viper forecheck continued what they started in the second period as Linden Hora would cause a turnover early in the frame. Riley Brandt would then take the puck and wrap the puck in. There was a little hesitation and confusion from the officials, but it was deemed a goal as the Trail product had his first goal of the playoffs. The Vipers didn't give up much in the second period, getting just one real quality scoring chance in the final minute. Again Imoo was strong, but the visitors took a 1-0 lead into the dressing room after 2 periods.
The Centennials have been known for saving their best period for the third period and it was no different last night. They were hard on the forecheck and activating everyone in order to try cause turnovers. On a few occasions they were successful, but Jarrod Schamerhorn stood tall and turned aside all 11 shots he faced the in third. A late powerplay for the Vipers wouldn't net a goal, but would cost the Cents on the clock as they ran out of time and the push to tie came up just a bit short. The Vipers win 1-0 and take a 3-0 series lead.
Here is the official box score from the BCHL website:
The Vipers will expect to see the best of the Merritt Centennials tonight. Game 4 in front of their home crowd with their season on the line should bring out a very desperate hockey team. The Vipers continue not to allow much defensively as they've given up just 3 goals in 3 games. It's been a tough series for Jonah Imoo who has done everything in his power to give his team a chance to win. It doesn't feel like this series could end tonight, but the Vipers would love to end this series and get some rest before round two. They won't look too far ahead though, knowing full well that a series isn't over until there's a handshake.
Here are listening/viewing options for you:
1) Listen with myself and Don Klepp...http://1075kiss.com/
2) Listen with voice of the Cents Dave Ashbaugh...q101.ca
3) Watch on Fasthockey PPV...http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog! You can follow me on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers for all your Vipers news.
As expected, the Merritt Centennials came out with a ton of energy in front of their home crowd. They used their speed and forecheck to generate momentum. The Vipers were able to weather that storm to start, then initiate a system of their own. It saw them take away time and space a force the Centennials to turn the puck over. In particular Thomas Aldworth created a great chance at the Centennial blue line and fed TJ Dumonceaux who got a good shot away, but was absolutely robbed by Jonah Imoo. It was yet another spectacular save from the Merritt goaltender, which is starting to become commonplace. The flow of the game was slowed due to a number of minor penalties. Both penalties excelled at the period ended scoreless.
The Viper forecheck continued what they started in the second period as Linden Hora would cause a turnover early in the frame. Riley Brandt would then take the puck and wrap the puck in. There was a little hesitation and confusion from the officials, but it was deemed a goal as the Trail product had his first goal of the playoffs. The Vipers didn't give up much in the second period, getting just one real quality scoring chance in the final minute. Again Imoo was strong, but the visitors took a 1-0 lead into the dressing room after 2 periods.
The Centennials have been known for saving their best period for the third period and it was no different last night. They were hard on the forecheck and activating everyone in order to try cause turnovers. On a few occasions they were successful, but Jarrod Schamerhorn stood tall and turned aside all 11 shots he faced the in third. A late powerplay for the Vipers wouldn't net a goal, but would cost the Cents on the clock as they ran out of time and the push to tie came up just a bit short. The Vipers win 1-0 and take a 3-0 series lead.
Here is the official box score from the BCHL website:
| SCORING SUMMARY |
| PERIOD 1 |
| No Scoring |
| PERIOD 2 |
| 1-0 Vernon Vipers at 2:50 - Riley Brandt (unassisted) |
| PERIOD 3 |
| No Scoring |
| STARS OF THE GAME | ||
| 1st STAR | 2nd STAR | 3rd STAR |
| Vernon Vipers Riley Brandt | Merritt Centennials Jonah Imoo | Vernon Vipers Jarrod Schamerhorn |
The Vipers will expect to see the best of the Merritt Centennials tonight. Game 4 in front of their home crowd with their season on the line should bring out a very desperate hockey team. The Vipers continue not to allow much defensively as they've given up just 3 goals in 3 games. It's been a tough series for Jonah Imoo who has done everything in his power to give his team a chance to win. It doesn't feel like this series could end tonight, but the Vipers would love to end this series and get some rest before round two. They won't look too far ahead though, knowing full well that a series isn't over until there's a handshake.
Here are listening/viewing options for you:
1) Listen with myself and Don Klepp...http://1075kiss.com/
2) Listen with voice of the Cents Dave Ashbaugh...q101.ca
3) Watch on Fasthockey PPV...http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog! You can follow me on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers for all your Vipers news.
Friday, 6 March 2015
Series At a Glance - Thru 2
Lets take a look at this BCHL Interior Division Semi-Final matchup through two games.
Vipers lead series 2-0.
Game 1 - Vipers 3 Cents 2 - OT - KTP
Game 2 - Vipers 2 Cents 1 - KTP
Players with points:
Vipers Cents
Latina 1 G 1 A Gould 1 G 1 A
Meek 0 G 2 A Schiavo 1 G 0 A
Dumonceaux 0 G 2 A Poulsen 0 G 1 A
Finlay 1 G 1A Cuglietta 0 G 1 A
Egli 0 G 1 A Teves 0 G 1 A
Aldworth 1 G 0 A Chorney 1 G 0 A
McCarthy 1 G 0 A Clifford 0 G 1 A
L. Coughlin 0 G 1 A Seeger 0 G 1 A
Voltin 1 G 0 A
J. Coughlin 0 G 1 A
Goalie Stats:
Jarrod Schamerhorn - 2-0, 1.82 GAA, .848 Sv%
Danny Todosychuk - 0-0, 1.05 GAA, .967 Sv%
Jonah Imoo - 0-2, 2.50 GAA, .938 Sv%
Special Teams:
Vernon : Merritt:
PP - 2 for 10 - 20% PP - 1 for 11 - 9.09%
PK - 10 of 11 - 90.91% PK - 8 of 10 - 80%
Game 3 goes tonight from the NVMA. Puck drop is at 7:30pm
Ways to listen/watch:
Tune in with me...http://1075kiss.com/
Tune in to the Cents broadcast....http://www.q101.ca/
Watch on Fast hockey....http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog...feel free to follow me on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers
Vipers lead series 2-0.
Game 1 - Vipers 3 Cents 2 - OT - KTP
Game 2 - Vipers 2 Cents 1 - KTP
Players with points:
Vipers Cents
Latina 1 G 1 A Gould 1 G 1 A
Meek 0 G 2 A Schiavo 1 G 0 A
Dumonceaux 0 G 2 A Poulsen 0 G 1 A
Finlay 1 G 1A Cuglietta 0 G 1 A
Egli 0 G 1 A Teves 0 G 1 A
Aldworth 1 G 0 A Chorney 1 G 0 A
McCarthy 1 G 0 A Clifford 0 G 1 A
L. Coughlin 0 G 1 A Seeger 0 G 1 A
Voltin 1 G 0 A
J. Coughlin 0 G 1 A
Goalie Stats:
Jarrod Schamerhorn - 2-0, 1.82 GAA, .848 Sv%
Danny Todosychuk - 0-0, 1.05 GAA, .967 Sv%
Jonah Imoo - 0-2, 2.50 GAA, .938 Sv%
Special Teams:
Vernon : Merritt:
PP - 2 for 10 - 20% PP - 1 for 11 - 9.09%
PK - 10 of 11 - 90.91% PK - 8 of 10 - 80%
Game 3 goes tonight from the NVMA. Puck drop is at 7:30pm
Ways to listen/watch:
Tune in with me...http://1075kiss.com/
Tune in to the Cents broadcast....http://www.q101.ca/
Watch on Fast hockey....http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog...feel free to follow me on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers
Thursday, 5 March 2015
Game 2 - Imoo Shines, Vipers Win 2-1
It was the Jonah Imoo show on Wednesday in Game 2 of the Interior Division Semi-Final between the Vipers and Centennials. The 20 year old White Rock products was outstanding stopping 39 of 41 shots including many highlight reel saves to give his team a chance. In the end it was two second period goals from the Vipers that made the difference as the Snakes skated away with a 2-0 series lead heading back to Merritt on Friday.
Tonight was an example of the Vernon Vipers at their best. Despite only winning by a 1 goal margin, the Vipers controlled the play throughout 50 minutes of the 60 minute game. It started in the first period as the Vipers got a quick start and peppered the Centennial goal early. They were physical, tenacious and relentless on the puck. They used their speed to win puck battles and generate turnovers which led to quality scoring chances. It took 9 minutes before they allowed the Cents to get their first shot of the game. Unfortunately for the Vipers on the second Merritt shot, they'd get a goal as Cole Chorney used a bit of hand eye to tip a point shot out of mid air and past Jarrod Schamerhorn to make it 1-0 Merritt. That seemed to spark Merritt as they were able to slow the high octane Vipers down in the last 10 minutes of the period and skate into the intermission with a 1-0 lead.
It was more of the same in the second period as again the Vipers had a quick start and controlled essentially the entire period. In the broadcast we counted 1 scoring chance for Merritt and they didn't register their first shot for nearly 14 minutes. Again, Jonah Imoo was stellar and it was starting to look like the only way the Vipers were going to beat him was an ugly one he couldn't see. That was Luke Voltin's goal in a nutshell. He parked his big body in front and Johnny Coughlin's point shot hit him on its way to the net and handcuffed Imoo enough to cross the line and tie the game up at 1. The Vipers would get a PP a few minutes later and off a wild scramble in front of Imoo, Liam Finlay would slide home his first of the playoffs to give the homeside a 2-1 lead after 2 periods.
As was the case in game 1, Merritt had their best period in the third. But unlike a night ago, the Vipers were well prepared and handled the Centennials forecheck and work along the boards a bit better than the previous game and didn't give up many good chances. The Vipers for their part didn't look like they were content to play a defensive style and just sit on the lead. They pushed the pace as well and I thought it was a pretty entertaining period. The Vipers had a number of opportunities to stretch the lead, but again Jonah Imoo made a number of phenomenal saves. None larger than off Anthony Latina who had all day to walk in, but Imoo in desperation mode, lunged forward and got the tip of his glove on the shot to send it out of play. Inside the final minute the Cents were able to gain the Viper zone and with Imoo on the bench get a few chances, but the Vipers stacked up in front of the net and blocked two big opportunities and hold on for the horn and a 2-1 win.
Here is the official box score from the BCHL website:
It's not often you see a goaltender getting first star and a loss, but the decision seemed unanimous throughout Kal Tire Place. Jarrod Schamerhorn was very solid as well making 18 saves on 19 shots.
The series now switches to Merritt for Friday night. The Vipers will look to take a stranglehold on the series in front of what should be a very raucous Merritt crowd at the NVMA. Puck drop from Merritt will be 7:30, catch the pregame show starting at 7:15. Here are the listening/viewing options for you:
1) Listen with myself and Don Klepp...http://1075kiss.com/
2) Listen with voice of the Cents Dave Ashbaugh...http://www.q101.ca/
3) Watch live on Fasthockey...fasthockey.com
Thanks again for checking out the VipersVenom blog. Feel free to shoot me a follow on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers.
Tonight was an example of the Vernon Vipers at their best. Despite only winning by a 1 goal margin, the Vipers controlled the play throughout 50 minutes of the 60 minute game. It started in the first period as the Vipers got a quick start and peppered the Centennial goal early. They were physical, tenacious and relentless on the puck. They used their speed to win puck battles and generate turnovers which led to quality scoring chances. It took 9 minutes before they allowed the Cents to get their first shot of the game. Unfortunately for the Vipers on the second Merritt shot, they'd get a goal as Cole Chorney used a bit of hand eye to tip a point shot out of mid air and past Jarrod Schamerhorn to make it 1-0 Merritt. That seemed to spark Merritt as they were able to slow the high octane Vipers down in the last 10 minutes of the period and skate into the intermission with a 1-0 lead.
It was more of the same in the second period as again the Vipers had a quick start and controlled essentially the entire period. In the broadcast we counted 1 scoring chance for Merritt and they didn't register their first shot for nearly 14 minutes. Again, Jonah Imoo was stellar and it was starting to look like the only way the Vipers were going to beat him was an ugly one he couldn't see. That was Luke Voltin's goal in a nutshell. He parked his big body in front and Johnny Coughlin's point shot hit him on its way to the net and handcuffed Imoo enough to cross the line and tie the game up at 1. The Vipers would get a PP a few minutes later and off a wild scramble in front of Imoo, Liam Finlay would slide home his first of the playoffs to give the homeside a 2-1 lead after 2 periods.
As was the case in game 1, Merritt had their best period in the third. But unlike a night ago, the Vipers were well prepared and handled the Centennials forecheck and work along the boards a bit better than the previous game and didn't give up many good chances. The Vipers for their part didn't look like they were content to play a defensive style and just sit on the lead. They pushed the pace as well and I thought it was a pretty entertaining period. The Vipers had a number of opportunities to stretch the lead, but again Jonah Imoo made a number of phenomenal saves. None larger than off Anthony Latina who had all day to walk in, but Imoo in desperation mode, lunged forward and got the tip of his glove on the shot to send it out of play. Inside the final minute the Cents were able to gain the Viper zone and with Imoo on the bench get a few chances, but the Vipers stacked up in front of the net and blocked two big opportunities and hold on for the horn and a 2-1 win.
Here is the official box score from the BCHL website:
| SCORING SUMMARY |
| PERIOD 1 |
| 1-0 Merritt Centennials at 10:14 - Cole Chorney from Jake Clifford and Stephan Seeger |
| PERIOD 2 |
| 1-1 Vernon Vipers at 11:35 - Luke Voltin from Johnny Coughlin and Mitch Meek |
| 2-1 Vernon Vipers at 16:26 (PP) - Liam Finlay from TJ Dumonceaux and Liam Coughlin |
| PERIOD 3 |
| No Scoring |
| SCORING SUMMARY |
| PERIOD 1 |
| 1-0 Merritt Centennials at 10:14 - Cole Chorney from Jake Clifford and Stephan Seeger |
| PERIOD 2 |
| 1-1 Vernon Vipers at 11:35 - Luke Voltin from Johnny Coughlin and Mitch Meek |
| 2-1 Vernon Vipers at 16:26 (PP) - Liam Finlay from TJ Dumonceaux and Liam Coughlin |
| PERIOD 3 |
| No Scoring |
| STARS OF THE GAME | ||
| 1st STAR | 2nd STAR | 3rd STAR |
| Merritt Centennials Jonah Imoo | Vernon Vipers TJ Dumonceaux | Vernon Vipers Liam Finlay |
It's not often you see a goaltender getting first star and a loss, but the decision seemed unanimous throughout Kal Tire Place. Jarrod Schamerhorn was very solid as well making 18 saves on 19 shots.
The series now switches to Merritt for Friday night. The Vipers will look to take a stranglehold on the series in front of what should be a very raucous Merritt crowd at the NVMA. Puck drop from Merritt will be 7:30, catch the pregame show starting at 7:15. Here are the listening/viewing options for you:
1) Listen with myself and Don Klepp...http://1075kiss.com/
2) Listen with voice of the Cents Dave Ashbaugh...http://www.q101.ca/
3) Watch live on Fasthockey...fasthockey.com
Thanks again for checking out the VipersVenom blog. Feel free to shoot me a follow on Twitter...@GrahamT_Vipers.
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Game 1 - Vipers Top Cents in OT
There were many people who took a look at this series and predicted it would be a close hard fought battle. I don't think there are many better words that could describe game 1 at KTP last night. The game had a little bit of everything. In the end it would be the Vernon Vipers taking a 1-0 series lead into game 2 later on tonight.
The first period started out a little tentative as both teams started the feeling out process. Remember, these teams hadn't played each other since late January. It was pretty back and forth with both teams generating a few opportunities that were handled by the respective goaltenders. The Vipers mindset early seemed to be putting a lot of pucks at Jonah Imoo and that would be evident with 17 in the opening 20 minutes. The Vipers PP in the regular season was operating at a very high level and that would continue to start the post season as Colton McCarthy would tip in a shot from Latina to make it 1-0. That lead would only last 14 seconds as the Cents moved the puck around nicely resulting in John Schiavo ripping a hard low shot through the legs of Todosychuk. The game was tied 1-1 after 1.
Momentum is a funny thing. A team can have it for a good half of the period, only to see the other team have it for the other half. Thats the story of the second period for Merritt, who started the period with two powerplays and carried the play for the first 10 minutes and outshot the Vipers 8-1 through the first nine minutes. Danny Todosychuk was outstanding as were the penalty killers to keep the game tied. The Vipers would take the lead in the late stages of the second period as Thomas Aldworth would jam home a puck in the slot to make it 2-1 after 2 periods.
It was all Merritt in the final period as they seemed to find another gear. The Vipers to their credit did a good job weathering the storm and being very smart with the puck. In the period it appeared Danny Todosychuk had tweaked something and was moving around quite gingerly, yet remained in the game until the final few minutes when Mark Ferner opted to relieve the Vernon product and replace him with Jarrod Schamerhorn. The Cents were on a powerplay at that point and were able to convert on a net front scramble. Gavin Gould would get credit with just 2 minutes left. This game was destined for OT.
In overtime, it is often said the game will either end quick, or settle in it'll be a long one. Well luckily for the Vipers it would be a quick one as the Cents would turn the puck over behind their net and Liam Finlay would find Anthony Latina wide open in front of the net and he would make no mistake as the Vipers skate away with a 1-0 series lead and a 3-2 victory.
Here is the official box score as per the BCHL website:
In goal Jonah Imoo was very impressive stopping a ton of quality opportunities. Danny Todosychuk was in the same boat as well for the Vipers before leaving the game due to injury. As for Jarrod Schamehorn it was a tough spot for him as he would come in and give up the tying goal on the first shot of the game. The key was battling after that which he did stopping the two shots the Cents put on him in OT.
Game 2 will go tonight at Kal Tire Place. Get your tickets at the KTP Box Office! If you can't make it two the game there are three options for you:
1) - Listen with me right here....http://1075kiss.com/
2) - Listen with David Ashbaugh...http://www.q101.ca/
3) - Watch on Fasthockey...http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog, you can also follow me on twitter @GrahamT_Vipers
The first period started out a little tentative as both teams started the feeling out process. Remember, these teams hadn't played each other since late January. It was pretty back and forth with both teams generating a few opportunities that were handled by the respective goaltenders. The Vipers mindset early seemed to be putting a lot of pucks at Jonah Imoo and that would be evident with 17 in the opening 20 minutes. The Vipers PP in the regular season was operating at a very high level and that would continue to start the post season as Colton McCarthy would tip in a shot from Latina to make it 1-0. That lead would only last 14 seconds as the Cents moved the puck around nicely resulting in John Schiavo ripping a hard low shot through the legs of Todosychuk. The game was tied 1-1 after 1.
Momentum is a funny thing. A team can have it for a good half of the period, only to see the other team have it for the other half. Thats the story of the second period for Merritt, who started the period with two powerplays and carried the play for the first 10 minutes and outshot the Vipers 8-1 through the first nine minutes. Danny Todosychuk was outstanding as were the penalty killers to keep the game tied. The Vipers would take the lead in the late stages of the second period as Thomas Aldworth would jam home a puck in the slot to make it 2-1 after 2 periods.
It was all Merritt in the final period as they seemed to find another gear. The Vipers to their credit did a good job weathering the storm and being very smart with the puck. In the period it appeared Danny Todosychuk had tweaked something and was moving around quite gingerly, yet remained in the game until the final few minutes when Mark Ferner opted to relieve the Vernon product and replace him with Jarrod Schamerhorn. The Cents were on a powerplay at that point and were able to convert on a net front scramble. Gavin Gould would get credit with just 2 minutes left. This game was destined for OT.
In overtime, it is often said the game will either end quick, or settle in it'll be a long one. Well luckily for the Vipers it would be a quick one as the Cents would turn the puck over behind their net and Liam Finlay would find Anthony Latina wide open in front of the net and he would make no mistake as the Vipers skate away with a 1-0 series lead and a 3-2 victory.
Here is the official box score as per the BCHL website:
| PERIOD 1 |
| 1-0 Vernon Vipers at 17:12 (PP) - Colton McCarthy from Anthony Latina and Brandon Egli |
| 1-1 Merritt Centennials at 17:26 - John Schiavo from Diego Cuglietta and Josh Teves |
| PERIOD 2 |
| 2-1 Vernon Vipers at 15:55 - Thomas Aldworth from Mitch Meek and TJ Dumonceaux |
| PERIOD 3 |
| 2-2 Merritt Centennials at 18:02 (PP) - Gavin Gould from Josh Teves and Shane Poulsen |
| OVERTIME PERIOD 1 |
| 3-2 Vernon Vipers at 3:28 - Anthony Latina from Liam Finlay |
| STARS OF THE GAME | ||
| 1st STAR | 2nd STAR | 3rd STAR |
| Vernon Vipers Anthony Latina | Merritt Centennials Gavin Gould | Vernon Vipers Thomas Aldworth |
In goal Jonah Imoo was very impressive stopping a ton of quality opportunities. Danny Todosychuk was in the same boat as well for the Vipers before leaving the game due to injury. As for Jarrod Schamehorn it was a tough spot for him as he would come in and give up the tying goal on the first shot of the game. The key was battling after that which he did stopping the two shots the Cents put on him in OT.
Game 2 will go tonight at Kal Tire Place. Get your tickets at the KTP Box Office! If you can't make it two the game there are three options for you:
1) - Listen with me right here....http://1075kiss.com/
2) - Listen with David Ashbaugh...http://www.q101.ca/
3) - Watch on Fasthockey...http://www.fasthockey.com/
Thanks for checking out the blog, you can also follow me on twitter @GrahamT_Vipers
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Round 1 Preview - Vipers/Cents
The march to the Fred Page Cup for the Vernon Vipers starts tonight in a best of 7 series against the Merritt Centennials.
The head to head series in the regular season saw the Vipers win 5 of 7, with 4 of those wins coming at Kal Tire Place.
1) - October 3 - Vipers 0 Cents 4 - NVMA
2) - October 24 - Vipers 4 Cents 2 - KTP
3) - November 1 - Vipers 5 Cents 3 - KTP
4) - November 26 - Vipers 7 Cents 3 - KTP
5) - December 19 - Vipers 3 Cents 6 - NVMA
6) - January 24 - Vipers 5 Cents 1 - NVMA
7) - January 28 - Vipers 4 Cents 3 - KTP
As you can see it has primarily been a home dominated series, but I'm not sure that tells the entire story.
Head to head success!
Vernon - Liam Coughlin 4 G 5 A - 9 Pts
- Thomas Aldworth 6 G 2 A - 8 Pts
- Liam Finlay 3 G 5 A - 8 Pts
- Luke Shiplo 0 G 6 A - 6 Pts
Merritt - John Schiavo 5 G 3 A - 8 Pts
- Gavin Gould 1 G 7 A - 8 Pts
- Josh Teves 0 G 7 A - 7 Pts
- Michael Ederer 3 G 4 A 7 Pts
It's a toss up as to who the Vipers will utilize in goal. Jarrod Schamerhorn has carried the load through most of the season with Danny Todosychuk out of the lineup on a number of occasions. I have to believe Todosychuk will start game 1, but I don't think Mark Ferner will hesitate to alternate goaltenders or ride the hot hand.
On the other side, Jonah Imoo is expected to be the guy. He only started 3 games against the Vipers with a 2-1 record, but all three starts were in Merritt. No disrespect to Anthony Pupplo, but Imoo is a veteran who has had playoff success with Powell River and Luke Pierce and company will lean on him heavily.
Head to head goalie stats:
Vernon
Jarrod Schamerhorn - 3-2-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .896 Sv%
Danny Todosychuk - 2-0-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .907 Sv%
Merritt
Jonah Imoo - 2-1-0-0, 2.33 GAA, .877 Sv%
Anthony Pupplo - 0-4-0-0, 3.33 GAA, .897 Sv%
The special teams battle has been essentially even throughout the season in the head to head matchups with Vipers having a very slight edge on the PP and the PK's even.
Vipers have 8 PPG on 27 attempts, the Cents have 8 PPG on 28 attempts. Both teams have killed 20 of 28 on the PK.
Series Schedule:
Tuesday March 3 - 7pm - KTP
Wednesday March 4 - 7pm - KTP
Friday March 6 - 7:30pm - NVMA
Saturday March 7 - 7:30pm - NVMA
Monday March 9 - 7pm - KTP (if necesssary)
Tuesday March 10 - 7pm - NVMA (if necessary)
Wednesday March 11 - 7pm - KTP (if necessary)
This series may very well be the one to keep an eye on in the first round in all divisions. Mark Ferner and Luke Pierce have similar coaching styles and fans can expect a very physical and intense series with a mutual respect between two great franchises.
If you'd like to tune into the Vipers broadcast, all games will be on radio...http://1075kiss.com/
For the Centennial broadcast tune in with David Ashbaugh...http://www.q101.ca/
The playoffs are here!!!! Enjoy!!!
The head to head series in the regular season saw the Vipers win 5 of 7, with 4 of those wins coming at Kal Tire Place.
1) - October 3 - Vipers 0 Cents 4 - NVMA
2) - October 24 - Vipers 4 Cents 2 - KTP
3) - November 1 - Vipers 5 Cents 3 - KTP
4) - November 26 - Vipers 7 Cents 3 - KTP
5) - December 19 - Vipers 3 Cents 6 - NVMA
6) - January 24 - Vipers 5 Cents 1 - NVMA
7) - January 28 - Vipers 4 Cents 3 - KTP
As you can see it has primarily been a home dominated series, but I'm not sure that tells the entire story.
Head to head success!
Vernon - Liam Coughlin 4 G 5 A - 9 Pts
- Thomas Aldworth 6 G 2 A - 8 Pts
- Liam Finlay 3 G 5 A - 8 Pts
- Luke Shiplo 0 G 6 A - 6 Pts
Merritt - John Schiavo 5 G 3 A - 8 Pts
- Gavin Gould 1 G 7 A - 8 Pts
- Josh Teves 0 G 7 A - 7 Pts
- Michael Ederer 3 G 4 A 7 Pts
It's a toss up as to who the Vipers will utilize in goal. Jarrod Schamerhorn has carried the load through most of the season with Danny Todosychuk out of the lineup on a number of occasions. I have to believe Todosychuk will start game 1, but I don't think Mark Ferner will hesitate to alternate goaltenders or ride the hot hand.
On the other side, Jonah Imoo is expected to be the guy. He only started 3 games against the Vipers with a 2-1 record, but all three starts were in Merritt. No disrespect to Anthony Pupplo, but Imoo is a veteran who has had playoff success with Powell River and Luke Pierce and company will lean on him heavily.
Head to head goalie stats:
Vernon
Jarrod Schamerhorn - 3-2-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .896 Sv%
Danny Todosychuk - 2-0-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .907 Sv%
Merritt
Jonah Imoo - 2-1-0-0, 2.33 GAA, .877 Sv%
Anthony Pupplo - 0-4-0-0, 3.33 GAA, .897 Sv%
The special teams battle has been essentially even throughout the season in the head to head matchups with Vipers having a very slight edge on the PP and the PK's even.
Vipers have 8 PPG on 27 attempts, the Cents have 8 PPG on 28 attempts. Both teams have killed 20 of 28 on the PK.
Series Schedule:
Tuesday March 3 - 7pm - KTP
Wednesday March 4 - 7pm - KTP
Friday March 6 - 7:30pm - NVMA
Saturday March 7 - 7:30pm - NVMA
Monday March 9 - 7pm - KTP (if necesssary)
Tuesday March 10 - 7pm - NVMA (if necessary)
Wednesday March 11 - 7pm - KTP (if necessary)
This series may very well be the one to keep an eye on in the first round in all divisions. Mark Ferner and Luke Pierce have similar coaching styles and fans can expect a very physical and intense series with a mutual respect between two great franchises.
If you'd like to tune into the Vipers broadcast, all games will be on radio...http://1075kiss.com/
For the Centennial broadcast tune in with David Ashbaugh...http://www.q101.ca/
The playoffs are here!!!! Enjoy!!!
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