This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:The Vernon Vipers earned a passing grade for their first three-game weekend of the B.C. Hockey League season.
The 8-1 Snakes recovered from their first loss of the season, a 2-0 shutout to the Interior Conference leading Penticton Vees Saturday night at Wesbild Centre, by stuffing the Burnaby Express 4-2 Sunday afternoon. They opened the weekend with a 4-3 win over the Westside Warriors Friday night.
Second star Jonathan Milhouse (5th goal), from Braden Pimm and Mike Collins, earned the winner against the Express. Collins (7th), on a shorthanded empty-netter, iced the game for Vernon.
“We had a chance to win all three, but playing three top teams is never easy,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner, who was perhaps happier with Vernon’s effort in the loss to Penticton (9-2) than the win over Burnaby (5-2-0-2).
“We’re not really happy with the way we played (against the Express). We weren’t very good. It was three games in three nights, but that shouldn’t matter. It was the same for Burnaby.”
Burnaby’s Rich Manley (7th) opened the Sunday scoring early in the second period as he left the penalty box and got in behind the Vipers’ defence to go in alone on netminder Graeme Gordon.
Dylan Walchuk (3rd) replied for Vernon on the powerplay with nine seconds remaining in the second.
Collins, assisted by Milhouse, put Vernon in front early in the third frame. Shortly after, Adam Thompson wired a high, hard slap shot on a powerplay that shattered the glass behind Express netminder Harrison May (30 saves).
A long delay ensued (the glass had to be replaced twice), and both teams headed to their dressing rooms. Once play resumed, Luke Challier (3rd) equalized for the Express at 10:42.
Along with the points, Vernon can take some positives from the weekend. They averaged 40 shots per game while giving up fewer than 20. They boast a league-leading 1.70 goals against average.
“When you talk about defensive hockey, that’s everybody – not just the defencemen. We’ve got a pretty fast hockey team, which helps when you’re trying to clear the zone.
“We haven’t taken a lot of penalties, and that’s part of it, too.”
Regarding the shot count, Ferner says he wants to see more quality shots on net. Against the Vees, many of the Vipers’ 34 shots came from the outside, and netminder Sean Bonar easily picked them off. Vernon went 2-for-15 on the powerplay in the three games.
“We feel we’ve got some talented guys, but we’re playing like a perimeter team, and that goes for more than just the powerplay,” said Ferner.
“Scoring goals isn’t easy, you’ve got to go to those dirty areas. You just need guys that are willing to stand there.”
Penticton, who managed just 15 shots on Gordon, got goals by Denver Manderson (shorthanded) and Joey Holka Saturday night.
“There was quite a bit of feeling out on both sides. A couple of mistakes and it ended up in the back of the net,” said Ferner.
“I don’t think they generated that much themselves, it was more the chances we gave them, but they did what they needed to do to get a victory.”
Added Vees’ head coach Fred Harbinson: “We did a good job keeping shots to the outside and letting Sean see pucks. When there was a breakdown he was definitely there. In practice, he is working very hard, which is translating into game night.
“They (Vipers) are a great team, that’s why they are ranked No.1 in Canada. I thought mentally it was a big game for us.”
The Vipers visit the Vees Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre before hosting the Cowichan Valley Capitals (3-5-0-1) Saturday at Wesbild. A much-improved Alberni Valley Bulldogs (5-2) squad visits Vernon for a Sunday matinee (2 p.m.).
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