Vipers Overwhelm Storm:

Vipers overwhelm Storm

by Don Klepp - Apr 19, 2009

The Vernon Vipers took advantage of a clearly rattled Grande Prairie Storm team as the BC champs cruised to a 6-2 victory in Vernon on Saturday. Connor Jones was once again the game’s first star as he set up three goals in a hectic first period. The action began even before the first puck drop. During the warm-up, Storm captain Blake Clement and Viper Kevin Kraus fired pucks at each other, for which they received misconduct penalties. Off the opening face off, the teams fiercely contested each loose puck and attempted heavy body checks. The Storm got an early break when Cory Kane drew a hooking penalty at 2:32, but the Vipers did not allow a shot on goal during the Storm man advantage. However, the visitors opened the scoring at 5:09 when Bobby Tyson’s point shot caromed off a Viper defender past goalie Andrew Hammond. The goal was set up by Jordon Harrison, who had a strong shift leading up to the goal. Then the Storm started to come unravelled. At 6:07, Dennis Rix was assessed 6 minutes for boarding and butt ending. Twenty-five seconds later, Sahir Gill converted a rebound of a hard, low Kyle Bigos slap shot that came after Connor Jones had fed the big Californian. The Jones line scored another power play goal at 9:53, thanks to a Kellen Jones shot from a tight angle. The third Viper goal came at 16:53, two seconds after a Doug Reid penalty had expired. After a dizzying Jones line cycle, Cam Brodie fired a point shot that deflected past Storm goalie, Matt Milne. In between the Kellen Jones goal and the Brodie goal, the Vipers were issued three straight penalties, but the Storm were foiled time and time again by the Viper penalty killing. Grande Prairie finished the game 0 for 6 on the man advantage, a key factor in this game, especially because of the Viper power play goals. The second period was somewhat tamer as the Storm tried to use their speed and skill to get back in the game. Their 5 scoring chances matched the Vipers’ opportunities, but they were unable to beat a steady Andrew Hammond. Meanwhile, the Vipers did score at 7:43. The “Special K” line capitalized off the rush. Cory Kane’s hard slapper from the point was stopped by Chad Carder, who had replaced Milne at the beginning of the period. Carder was unable to control the rebound, however, and James Kerr swooped in for a shot. Carder stopped Kerr also, but Bryce Kakoske deposited the second rebound for a three-goal Viper lead. Agitator Darren Kramer turned up the heat in the third period. He tried to start a fight with James Kerr at 6:21, when the two were sent off for roughing. When he emerged from the sin bin, Kramer invited several Vipers to exchange fisticuffs and finally James Kerr accepted the invitation at 9:58. Both received game misconducts because the Doyle Cup is being played under Hockey Canada rules, which eject players for a single fighting major. Kramer’s antics failed to ignite his team. The Vipers scored a fifth goal at 10:12 when Chris Crowell converted a nifty Braden Pimm pass on a two-on-one rush that resulted when a Storm defenceman’s wild attempted body check took him out of position. Referee Andrew Guest continued to send players to the penalty box, and each team had a 5 on 3 power play that was not converted. Grande Prairie did get a consolation goal at 17:23, however. Doug Reid scored off a scramble that was initiated by Dennis Rix and Zahn Raubenheimer. Mike Vandekamp pulled his goalie for an extra attacker after the Reid goal, but the gamble backfired when Rob Short outworked two Storm players and fired into an empty net at 18:36. With a half minute remaining and the Vipers on a power play, Vandekamp sent out Elias Grossman and the former Penticton Vee went berserk. Along the boards, he elbowed Chris Crowell and sent Bryce Kakoske into the boards with a vicious hit. He was challenged by Crowell and a wild melee broke out. Grossman tried to get at Crowell but was restrained by a linesman. Then, after being wrestled to the ice by the linesman, Grossman broke away from the official and now free of his jersey and shoulder pads, he tried to charge Kevin Kraus. Once again restrained by the linesman, he tried to push the official aside. He was eventually shepherded off the ice. Grossman received four minutes in minor penalties and a match penalty for abuse of an official. Kevin Kraus got four minutes for spearing, and Grande Prairie’s Josh Juell was assessed two match penalties for using his stick to take baseball swings at Viper players. As on the previous night, Vernon led all statistical categories. The shots were 40 to 23 the scoring chances were 20 to 13 and the hits were 27 to 20. These numbers were much closer than in Friday’s game, reflecting a better effort from the Storm. However, their lack of discipline and their inability to score power play goals proved their undoing. With the Vipers ahead two games to none, the series now shifts to Grande Prairie for the remainder of the series. The next game will be on Tuesday, starting at 6:30 p.m., Pacific time.