Vipers Clinch Record Fifth National Title:

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Vipers clinch record fifth national title

By Graeme Corbett - Vernon Morning Star

VICTORIA – It's a good thing Kyle Bigos' hands are a lot smoother than his dance moves.
Bigos recorded the powerplay insurance marker six minutes into the third period as the Vernon Vipers iced the Humboldt Broncos 2-0 before 1,917 fans in the final of the Royal Bank Cup national junior A hockey championship Sunday afternoon at Bear Mountain Arena. Looking more like a Jones twin than a 6-foot-5, 230-pound defenceman, Bigos dangled his way around two Humboldt defenders before using his mile-wide reach to tuck the puck around netminder Mathieu Larochelle.
With the Vipers in full celebration mode after the game, Bigos and Vipers' forward Kory Roy tangled in a dance-off on the main stage of the hospitality tent adjacent to the rink. Roy bested the Upland, Calif. product with a first-rate Moon Walk. Backup netminder Graeme Gordon highjacked the competition by jumping on stage to do The Worm.
Bigos, who turns 20 on Tuesday, couldn't have picked a better moment to show his finesse game.
"I had it all along, it's just a well-kept secret," smiled Bigos, who has yet to decide whether he'll stay with the Vipers for another season, or go ahead with his commitment to the NCAA Merrimack Warriors.
"We worked our bag off, and we've been trying for this all year. At the beginning of the year, everyone came into camp saying they wanted to win the RBC. We owe it to the fans, ourselves, and Duncan Wray the owner, our coaches Mark Ferner and Jason Williamson, and it's just something no one is ever going to take away from us.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet, but just right now I'm overwhelmed with joy. We did everything we could, and we came out with the win."
Bigos' parents made the trek from Upland to watch their son play, but knowing how superstitious he is, they didn't tell him right away.
"I don't really perform that good when they're here," said Bigos, with a sheepish grin, adding he didn't realize they had come until he went to lunch with teammate Braden Pimm and his parents on Saturday.
The Vipers dictated the early play, getting pucks deep and punishing the Bronco d-men. Speedy Kellen Jones set the physical tone when he drilled Garrett Leedahl into the end boards on a dump-in in the first minute. The Humboldt defender was slow to get up, and eventually left the game holding a towel to his face.
The Vipers' best chance in the first came on the powerplay when Bigos fired a heavy point shot that hit Larochelle (22 saves), and Jones collected the rebound, but was in too close to lift it over Humboldt's player-of-the-game keeper.
After a scoreless first period, the Vipers' Cory Kane fed Pimm down low where he dangled in front, got a shot on Larochelle, then swatted his rebound out of midair on the powerplay at 12:43.
Considering the Snakes haven't lost all season when leading after two periods, Vipers' captain Chris Crowell, who was tossed late in the first period for a check from behind on Humboldt captain Brady Wacker, was confident of the win. Crowell was one of three vets (Matthew Kirzinger for the Broncos and Ryan Santana for the Vipers) to get ejected by referee Nathan Weieir for a check from behind.
"I knew once we had the lead heading into the third period, the guys weren't going to let her slip away," said the 21-year-old Williams Lake product. "I stuck around the room and did what I could. It was tough because you don't really feel like a part of it."
Crowell first joined the Vipers five years ago as an AP, and in the last two years, has become the heart and soul of the team.
"It's been awesome. I've played for a few different coaches that have all been good, I've played with a hundred different teammates, and everyone has influenced me in a different way. I'm just thankful for having the opportunity to play here for so long, and to go out on top like this is just perfect.
"I'll always have a special place in my heart for Vernon. It's been an awesome four years. Duncan has been great to me, and I wouldn't have wanted to play anywhere else. I'm so happy how everything worked out."
Crowell, who is committed to Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, was hobbling around on a suspected broken foot after blocking a point shot early in the game, but he simply shrugged it off.
"Apparently, that's what Doc (Gavin Smart) says," said Crowell, of his foot. That's what happens on any team that makes a run. Guys just pay the price and look at how it worked out for us. That stuff hurts at the time, but those things heal and guys will be able to take this championships with them for the rest of their lives."
By ousting the defending champion Broncos, Vernon earned a record-setting fifth national title for the Vipers/Lakers organization, and Wray was thrilled with the talent Ferner assembled.
"I've said all along, this is the best group of young me I've had to deal with in 17 years in the B.C. Hockey League. I'll stand by that until the day I die. I'm so proud of them. They fought hard and they played a great team in Humboldt and they found a way to prevail. They've gone through war... with the playoff run they've had."
Added Ferner: "The one thing that did pop into my mind was that we never lost a game all year when we were leading after two (periods). It popped into my head and I tried to get it out as quick as possible, but that's just the type of group we have. They're pretty dedicated to what we're trying to sell here.
"We've got a great bunch of kids here... we've had no issues with all year at all, on or off the ice. We made the Kool Aid, and they drank it, and I'm just so happy for this group. You get to this point in a tournament and you don't know what's going to happen, especially in a one-game situation."
Humboldt came out strong in the second period, using an early powerplay to get shots at Vipers' netminder Andrew Hammond. Their best chance of the game came on a great lob pass by a Bronco defender to spring Tory Allan behind Vernon defence. However, the net got knocked off moorings before puck crossed line on his scoring attempt.
The Broncos then got good pressure late in the second. Spencer Braaten tried a wrap-around, but Hammond hugged the post to make the stop. Kyle Cowan then drilled a shot on Hammond as he came streaking down the wing.
For the most part, the 21-year-old White Rock product (27 saves) did a stellar job of swallowing rebounds and peering through traffic to read shots to earn Vipers' player-of-the-game.
"I thought I did a good job of controlling my rebounds tonight, not letting them get those second and third chances," said Hammond, who is committed to Bowling Green.
Hammond can't really believe this dream season is finally over, and that there's no more hardware left to battle for.
"I wish there was though. I don't think anyone wants to go home yet. For me and the other 20-year-olds, I don't think you can go out better any other way. The last month-and-a-half with three championships has been a little whirlwind. As happy as you are for the first few, this is the highlight for sure."
Humboldt was hoping to become the third-ever team to pull back-to-back championships (the Vernon Lakers did it in 1990 and 1991), but instead settled for runners-up.
"It's a really tough pill to swallow here, but I felt we played a helluva game form our goaltender out," said Wacker. "Tonight, we just got beat by a better team. They got a couple bounces that we didn't, and it's a real disappointment, but we played as hard as we could."
Added Broncos' head coach Dean Brockman: "I thought our guys battled hard to the very end, and they didn't leave anything behind so I'm pretty proud of them. There's life lessons to be learned there, and even though it hurts today, the sun will still come up tomorrow."
The Vipers will have big holes to fill with grads Crowell, Cameron Brodie (Colgate), Santana, Mike Leidl, Hammond, Cody Ikkala (Army), and possibly Bigos moving on, but they also have a good corps of returning players. The dynamic line of twins Connor and Kellen Jones, along with Sahir Gill will be more seasoned, while Pimm, Mike Collins and Rob Short will provide the leadership core next season.
"We're pretty fortunate, I think we've got 16 guys coming back next year, and it just sets for a great culture for the start of next year," said Ferner, of this championship.
Added Wray: "We're hopeful we can be in Dauphin, Manitoba (RBC host) next year."
Meanwhile, the Vipers will take a much deserved week to soak up their RBC experience before heading to their respective homes for the off-season. Bryce Kakoske, on the other hand, is getting right back on the ice as he puts his four-year undefeated streak on the line Monday night at Okanagan Training Rink in 3-on-3 summer hockey league play.