Vernon's Collins Named BCHL Player Of The Week:

Vernon's Collins named BCHL Player of the Week

Monday, October 12, 2009 - Submitted by BCHL Media

Vernon Vipers forward Mike Collins has been named the British Columbia Hockey League's Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Collins scored a pair of goals and added four assists in three games -- and three wins -- for the defending RBC Cup Champions. On Friday, the Boston, Massachusetts product scored the opening goal in Vernon's 2-1 overtime road win over the Penticton Vees. A night later, he scored again and assisted twice in a lopsided win over the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals. And Collins closed out the weekend with a pair of helpers in his team's 4-1 victory over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

The 19-year old now leads all Vipers scorers with nine goals and 11 assists in 12 games played. Committed to attend Merrimack College for the 2010/11 season, Collins tallied 25 goals and 50 points last season as a rookie in the BCHL, and added 11 points in 16 games during Vernon's run to the Fred Page Cup.

The Vipers currently sit second in the Interior Conference with a record of 11 wins and one loss. They are one point behind the Penticton Vees with two games in hand.

Vernon returns to the ice on Thursday when they begin a three-game road trip through Northern B.C. with a visit to the Quesnel Millionaires.