Vipers Snuff Smokies In Third:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:
Vipers snuff Smokies in third

By Graeme Corbett - Vernon Morning Star
Published: November 15, 2009

Double the shots, double the score. The Vernon Vipers fired 50 pucks on netminder Kiefer Smiley as they outgunned the Trail Smoke Eaters 8-4 before 2,242 B.C. Hockey League fans Friday night at Wesbild Centre.

The Smokies (6-17-1-1) made a game of it, trailing by just one after 40 minutes, but the Snakes (23-1) fired three unanswered third-period goals to push their win streak to 16 games.

The two teams squared off again Saturday night at Wesbild.

Defenceman Dan Nycholat (5th goal) fired the second of two powerplay goals for the insurance goal, wiring a long cross-ice feed from third star Robbie Short past Smiley at 5:32 of the third period.

His first marker came when Bryce Kakoske threaded a slick pass through Trail’s four-man box. Nycholat (first star) took a brief touch before snapping it top shelf from the faceoff dot early in the second period.

“I got some real nice setups from Short and Kak (Kakoske),” said Nycholat, a Calgary product. “Both guys saw me and were able to get the puck to me.

“We had some defensive breakdowns but we were able to pull through, kept them to four goals, and our powerplay was clicking tonight.

“We were a little laid back in the first period and needed to bring our intensity up in the second and I thought we did that.”

Special teams played a huge part in the game, as Vernon went 3-for-7 on the powerplay, and Trail was 2-for-4.

Cole Ikkala got the Vipers going two minutes into the game. Short fired a shot off the end boards and Ikkala (7th) pounced on the loose puck.

Travis St. Denis, the little brother of former Viper sniper Kyle St. Denis, answered for Trail three minutes later when he caught the Vipers flatfooted on a broken play. St. Denis, who earned second star for his hat trick performance, split the Vernon defence and beat netminder Graeme Gordon (17 saves) with a nice backhand.

“We played a good first two periods there, but in the third period we kind of let down. We were in a close battle with them, but we just couldn’t keep up with them,” said the 17-year-old St. Denis.

“Before the game you just can’t think ‘they’re in first place.’ You try to keep that out of your head. They’re a very good team and you’ve just got to match your work ethic with theirs.”

Braden Pimm (13th) restored Vernon’s lead when he one-timed a gorgeous cross-ice backhand pass from Kakoske at 7:56.

Goals by Trail’s Sam Mellor (11th) and Vernon’s Drew George (9th) completed the first-period scoring.

St. Denis (12th & 13th), who beat Gordon with a pair of nearly identical low shots to the left corner, both on the powerplay, pulled the Smokies even midway through the second frame.

“I’m sure Graeme Gordon would be the first to admit he wasn’t on top of his game,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner.

“We’ve just got to make sure we don’t chase the puck around in our own end. They (Trail forwards) were stretching and they were wide and we weren’t aware of it. We were focussing on the puck too much.”

Connor Jones (13th) collected the winner when he completely undressed Trail defenceman Tommy Rizzardo and Smiley before sliding an easy backhand into the open net at 14:38 of the second.

The game turned ugly in the final minute of the second frame after Vernon had Trail hemmed in their end for a solid minute on the powerplay. Pimm hammered Ben Matthews behind the net, and Matthews retaliated, dragging Pimm to the ice and throwing punches from above.

Vipers’ captain Kevin Kraus rushed in to help Pimm, and wound up tangling with Smokie d-man Graeme Strukoff.

Referee Brett Barnes handed Kraus a pair of game misconducts, while Strukoff earned one and Matthews got the instigator.

“It’s a good roommate and good captain right there, stepping in for me having two guys on my back. It’s nice to know people are there for you,” said Pimm.

The Vipers’ Garrett Noonan and Smokie’s Josh McEwan scrapped in the third period.

Goals by Short (9th) and Kellen Jones (5th) completed the Vipers’ attack.

“We got into penalty trouble, but other than that I thought we played them pretty hard,” said Smokies’ head coach Jim Ingram.

“We’ve got a sense of battle to us now since the start of the year. The fact that we didn’t roll over and die was important for us.

“Keifer gave us an opportunity to win, we just couldn’t get enough pucks into their zone to generate any offence.”

Vernon now leaves for a four-game road swing to the Lower Mainland, starting Wednesday night against the Powell River Kings (13-9-1-4) at the Recreation Complex.