This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:
Snakes blank Cents to retain bite
By Nicole Berg - Vernon Morning Star
Published: January 07, 2010
Vernon Viper hockey fans can hold off on making that call to the B.C. Hockey League Crisis Line.
After two straight ugly losses to the Salmon Arm SilverBacks, the Snakes used a 5-0 shelling of the Merritt Centennials Tuesday night at Wesbild Centre to find familiarity.
Vernon is now three points ahead of the Penticton Vees at 35-4-0-2 for first place in the Interior Conference. Merritt dropped to 16-25-0-2 for fifth place. The Vees lost 5-4 in overtime to the host Trail Smoke Eaters Tuesday night.
The losses to the SilverBacks were the first set of back-to-back defeats for the Vipers this season.
Vernon native David Robinson played his first game in a month after leaving the Western Hockey League’s Chilliwack Bruins. Robinson was on the starting line and played a solid game with linemates Cory Kane and Jonathan Milhouse.
“I was excited to finally be playing hockey again,” said the 19-year-old winger. “I had a couple chances to score in the game. My legs felt heavy though, and it was an adjustment since I haven’t played for a month, but I soon got used to the team’s systems, and overall the game went well.”
Robinson, who last played for Vernon in the 2006-07 season where he appeared in 15 regular-season and playoff games, was ecstatic to be back in the Viper den.
“It feels awesome to be back playing in Vernon. It’s good to see the Jones twins (Connor and Kellen) and Robbie Short again. The guys on this team are a dedicated bunch who hate to lose. The twins are both great players who are very gifted offensively and it would be a treat to get to play with them again.”
Connor (strep throat) and Kellen (broken jaw) both sat in the pressbox Tuesday night. Both players should return to the lineup tonight when Vernon faces the Westside Warriors at Royal LePage Place. Vernon entertains the Williams Lake Timberwolves Saturday night.
Despite jumping out of the gate a bit slow with very little intensity from either team before just 1,400 fans on a night where the world junior final was on TV, the Vipers put the pressure on Cents’ puckstopper Cole Holowenko (39 saves) at the end of the first period peppering him with 11 shots.
Vernon took a 1-0 lead heading into the second frame on a powerplay goal by Bryce Kakoske (11th), who received a nice pass from Mike Collins in the slot.
“We came out pretty tentative in the early going,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner, who worked his first game back after a scouting trip in Phoenix. “But soon we worked hard on Merritt’s forwards and wouldn’t let them get anything past Blake Voth, who played a good game. He continued to grow with confidence as the game went on. I was happy with how he played.
“Our offence played great, potting five goals. I was happy with the play of Robinson. He’s a good player for us, no question. He’s a hometown boy so it’s good for the fans to have four players on the team from Vernon now.”
Vernon took a quick 2-0 lead 1:12 into the second on Braden Pimm’s 19th of the year.
During a goal-mouth scramble in front of Holowenko, Kane and Robinson both had good chances to score but Holowekno wouldn’t give them any room. Jonathan Milhouse, however, jumped on the rebound and slapped in his 18th to cushion the Snakes’ lead to 3-0.
Pimm completed his hat trick in the third with a pair of goals.
Voth (26 saves) recorded his third shutout of the year in style. The Saskatchewan product slammed the door shut on Dustin Johnson, Andrew Pickering and Derek Hills with fabulous stops on third-period breakaways.
Former Viper Luke Pierce, now the head coach of Merritt, wasn’t pleased with his team’s discipline.
“We had too many penalties tonight, which always plays a major role in games,” said Pierce, who notched 28 points in 53 contests for Vernon in the 2003-04 season. “The difference in the game tonight was the penalties. Vernon had two powerplay markers so if we weren’t in the box so much it would have been a closer game. You can’t give a team like Vernon opportunities like that. They’re a real fast, skilled hockey club. Throughout the game Voth played phenomenal, continually making game-breaking saves.”
On coming back to Vernon, Pierce, a Royal Military College grad who took over head coaching duties at the end of November, said: “This is my favourite place to coach at. It’s nice to come back here. I have lots of fond memories from when I played here, and the people are great.”
Snakes blank Cents to retain bite
By Nicole Berg - Vernon Morning Star
Published: January 07, 2010
Vernon Viper hockey fans can hold off on making that call to the B.C. Hockey League Crisis Line.
After two straight ugly losses to the Salmon Arm SilverBacks, the Snakes used a 5-0 shelling of the Merritt Centennials Tuesday night at Wesbild Centre to find familiarity.
Vernon is now three points ahead of the Penticton Vees at 35-4-0-2 for first place in the Interior Conference. Merritt dropped to 16-25-0-2 for fifth place. The Vees lost 5-4 in overtime to the host Trail Smoke Eaters Tuesday night.
The losses to the SilverBacks were the first set of back-to-back defeats for the Vipers this season.
Vernon native David Robinson played his first game in a month after leaving the Western Hockey League’s Chilliwack Bruins. Robinson was on the starting line and played a solid game with linemates Cory Kane and Jonathan Milhouse.
“I was excited to finally be playing hockey again,” said the 19-year-old winger. “I had a couple chances to score in the game. My legs felt heavy though, and it was an adjustment since I haven’t played for a month, but I soon got used to the team’s systems, and overall the game went well.”
Robinson, who last played for Vernon in the 2006-07 season where he appeared in 15 regular-season and playoff games, was ecstatic to be back in the Viper den.
“It feels awesome to be back playing in Vernon. It’s good to see the Jones twins (Connor and Kellen) and Robbie Short again. The guys on this team are a dedicated bunch who hate to lose. The twins are both great players who are very gifted offensively and it would be a treat to get to play with them again.”
Connor (strep throat) and Kellen (broken jaw) both sat in the pressbox Tuesday night. Both players should return to the lineup tonight when Vernon faces the Westside Warriors at Royal LePage Place. Vernon entertains the Williams Lake Timberwolves Saturday night.
Despite jumping out of the gate a bit slow with very little intensity from either team before just 1,400 fans on a night where the world junior final was on TV, the Vipers put the pressure on Cents’ puckstopper Cole Holowenko (39 saves) at the end of the first period peppering him with 11 shots.
Vernon took a 1-0 lead heading into the second frame on a powerplay goal by Bryce Kakoske (11th), who received a nice pass from Mike Collins in the slot.
“We came out pretty tentative in the early going,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner, who worked his first game back after a scouting trip in Phoenix. “But soon we worked hard on Merritt’s forwards and wouldn’t let them get anything past Blake Voth, who played a good game. He continued to grow with confidence as the game went on. I was happy with how he played.
“Our offence played great, potting five goals. I was happy with the play of Robinson. He’s a good player for us, no question. He’s a hometown boy so it’s good for the fans to have four players on the team from Vernon now.”
Vernon took a quick 2-0 lead 1:12 into the second on Braden Pimm’s 19th of the year.
During a goal-mouth scramble in front of Holowenko, Kane and Robinson both had good chances to score but Holowekno wouldn’t give them any room. Jonathan Milhouse, however, jumped on the rebound and slapped in his 18th to cushion the Snakes’ lead to 3-0.
Pimm completed his hat trick in the third with a pair of goals.
Voth (26 saves) recorded his third shutout of the year in style. The Saskatchewan product slammed the door shut on Dustin Johnson, Andrew Pickering and Derek Hills with fabulous stops on third-period breakaways.
Former Viper Luke Pierce, now the head coach of Merritt, wasn’t pleased with his team’s discipline.
“We had too many penalties tonight, which always plays a major role in games,” said Pierce, who notched 28 points in 53 contests for Vernon in the 2003-04 season. “The difference in the game tonight was the penalties. Vernon had two powerplay markers so if we weren’t in the box so much it would have been a closer game. You can’t give a team like Vernon opportunities like that. They’re a real fast, skilled hockey club. Throughout the game Voth played phenomenal, continually making game-breaking saves.”
On coming back to Vernon, Pierce, a Royal Military College grad who took over head coaching duties at the end of November, said: “This is my favourite place to coach at. It’s nice to come back here. I have lots of fond memories from when I played here, and the people are great.”
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