Vipers Post Great Numbers:

This is on the Vipers web site:

Vipers post great numbers! by don klepp Added 2009-05-16

Statistics can sometimes be deceiving, but the Vernon Vipers' post-season numbers accurately reflect the 08/09 team's achievements.

Perhaps the most important number is 11; the team won its last 11 post-season games in a row, including the 2-0 triumph over Humboldt in the RBC championship game. Overall, the Vipers won 22 of 27 post-season matches, while losing 2 in regulation and 3 in overtime. That record translates into a winning percentage that's nearly 10 percent better than their regular season record, and there were no playoff games against the weak sisters of the league!

Among those 22 wins, Andrew Hammond posted 5 shutouts to match his regular season total. He also allowed just a single goal in another 8 games, enroute to a goals against average of 1.59 and an equally gaudy 94.05 save percentage. Thus, he further justified his selection as the BCHL's regular season top goaltender when his GAA was 2.30 and his save percentage was a strong 91.22.

The Vipers' defence-first philosophy did not prevent them from scoring goals, 96 of them in 27 games, while surrendering just 44. In only 3 post-season games did they allow more than 3 goals (4 in a 4-1 loss to Powell River; 4 in their 5-4 overtime win versus Victoria; and 5 in mean-nothing 8-5 win over Kingston).

Occasionally this year, Viper fans complained about the team's power play, but Viper special teams sizzled in the playoffs. At the RBC Cup, for example, they potted 12 power play goals and 2 short-handed, while allowing just 3 when a man short. In the games that mattered the very most, 6 of the 8 Viper goals in the semi-final and final RBC matches were scored with the man advantage.

The Vipers were also dangerous while killing penalties. In the post-season, they notched 6 shorties. Remarkably, thanks mainly to Connor Jones, they scored a short handed goal in the first period of 4 straight games, which went a long way toward maintaining that unbeaten streak at the end of the year.

Overall, in the 87 games of the 2008-09 season, the Vipers' power play operated at a 20.81% clip while the penalty kill had an efficiency of 85.04%. In the 27 post-season games, the numbers were even better: a 23.27% PP and a 86.89% PK. With those numbers, the Vancouver Canucks might have done better than their abbreviated playoff run!

By the way, the Vipers' 6-0 record at this year's Jr. "A" national championship tournament was not the first time a team has gone undefeated. The feat has been achieved 6 times previously, by Orillia in 1985, Kelowna in 1993, Olds in 1994, South Surrey in 1998, Camrose in 2001, and Halifax in 2002. But nobody can match Vernon's 5 national titles!

I'll leave you with a couple more stats that reflect just how good the 2008-2009 Vernon Vipers have been. When this team took a lead into the third period this year, they won 50 times, tied 1 game, and lost once in overtime. In the post season, the Vipers won all 18 games that they led after 2 periods of play.

NOTE: watch for a 7-part series called "Departing Heroes", which will start next week on this website. The series will profile graduating players Chris Crowell, Cody Ikkala, Cam Brodie, Mike Leidl, Ryan Santana, and Andrew Hammond. James Kerr, who will play and study ay Princeton University next year, will also be profiled.