Friday, April 17, 2009

Doyle Cup: Game 1 Grande Prairie @ Vernon: (Game Preview)


Grande Prairie (15-3) @ Vernon (12-5)

Here’s a look at the Doyle Cup Series:

After the Vernon Vipers defeated the Powell River Kings in 6 games to win their 10th BCHL Championship, the Vipers will now face off against the AJHL Champion Grande Prairie Storm, who swept the #1 ranked Spruce Grove Saits. The Vipers are going for their 6th Doyle Cup in team history as the Storm are going for their first ever Doyle Cup. The Storm are coached by former Vernon Vipers Head Coach & GM, Mike Vandekamp. Former Vipers Assistant Coach & Interm Head Coach Bernie Pimm is a scout with the Storm. Vipers forward, Braden Pimm is the cousin to Bernie. This will be the first ever meeting between these two hockey clubs. An interesting story to this series as the Vipers have been kicked out of the Wesbild Centre due to the Interior Logging Show, wich means Vernon will play its home games in the very old and run down Civic Arena. The Vipers defence and physical play will be very dangerous in the smaller rink, but will the Vipers speed and skill from its top lines be able to produce in the much smaller rink? Will Sahir Gill, Connor Jones & Kellen Jones be able to work that relentless cycle in the smaller Civic? Only time will tell. If you know Mike Vandekamp, you will know Mikes teams are usally built for smaller rinks, with a very rough, and physical team, that has a ton of grit and will wear you down each and every shift. The Vipers will have to be ready for a very hard working hockey club in the Storm. Great to see Vandy back in Vernon and in the Civic, where he was a hated man back in his Merritt Centennial days. You can listen to tonights broadcast on 107.5 Kiss FM with Todd Miller, starting at 6:45pm

Vernons Leading Playoff Scorers:

Connor Jones 18 pts
Kellen Jones 18 pts
Sahir Gill 17 pts
Cory Kane 12 pts
Mike Collins 11 pts
Braden Pimm 11 pts
Chris Crowell 10 pts
Rob Short 9 pts
Bryce Kakoske 8 pts
James Kerr 6 pts
Kyle Bigos 6 pts
Andrew Hammond 12-5 Record 1.50 GAA 4 Shutouts

Grande Prairies Leading Playoff Scorers:

Morgan MacLean 22 pts
Zahn Raubenheimer 21 pts
Blake Clement 20 pts
Dennis Rix 19 pts
Carter Rowney 18 pts
Tanner Fritz 12 pts
Doug Reid 11 pts
Adam Young 10 pts
Matt Williams 7 pts
Chad Carder 14-2 Record 2.00 GAA 1 Shutout

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