Prince George (16-34-1-4) @ Vernon (46-6-0-2)Last Game Played:
Friday February 12th Vernon defeated Penticton 5-3
Saturday February 6th Victoria defeated Prince George 8-5
Tonight is the fourth & final meeting of the season between the defending Royal Bank Cup Champion Vernon Vipers & the Prince George Spruce Kings. The Vipers are on a three game winning streak, while the Spruce Kings are riding a single game losing streak.
Let’s take a look at the Vernon Vipers:
The Vipers currently sit #1 overall in the league as the BCHL’s best team & #2 overall in Canada with a record of 46-6-0-3 four points up on the 2nd place Penticton Vees. Vernon has scored a league high 276 goals and given up the least amount of goals with just 109. Vernon is 23-4-0-1 at home & is 23-2-0-2 on the road. The Vipers are 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games. The Vipers have three players in the leagues top 20 in scoring. Connor Jones (34-41-75), Mike Collins (28-45-73) & Braden Pimm (25-41-66). Blake Voth leads the league as the BCHL’s top goaltender. Voth has a record of 17-2 with 3 shutouts and a GAA of 1.80 Graeme Gordon is 3rd in the leagues top 10 in goaltenders. Gordon has a record of 29-7 with 1 shutout and a GAA of 2.03
The Vipers need to play another full 60 minutes tonight vs. Prince George and not expect the Spruce Kings to come into Vernon and hand the Vipers the win, just because their out of a Playoff spot right now. Vernon needs to work hard and compete and not give up 2 points to one of the leagues lower teams.
Both teams havnt faced one another since late November, so a lot of new faces on both clubs.
Lets hope Vernon has enough gas left in the tank for tonights game after a very emotional hard fought game last night vs. Penticton.
Who will get the start in goal for Vernon, will it be Blake Voth or Graeme Gordon
The Vipers cant afford to lose to any of the lower teams in the league right now with Penticton just four points back and having the much easier schedule of the two teams all points and wins are huge starting now.
Players To Watch:
Connor Jones (34-41-75)
Mike Collins (28-45-73)
Braden Pimm (25-41-66)
Jonathan Milhouse (19-31-50)
Cory Kane (21-27-48)
Kellen Jones (10-38-48)
Dylan Walchuk (19-27-46)
Rob Short (20-23-43)
Cole Ikkala (21-22-43)
Dan Nycholat (6-34-40)
Bryce Kakoske (12-27-39)
Kevin Kraus (4-20-24)
Curtis Gedig (11-9-20)
David Robinson (10-9-19)
Graeme Gordon (29-7 Record-1 Shutout 2.03 GAA)
Blake Voth (17-2 Record-3 Shutouts-1.80 GAA)
Let’s take a look at the Prince George Spruce Kings:
The Spruce Kings currently sit in 8th place in the Interior Division with a record of 16-34-1-4 The Spruce Kings have scored 194 goals and given up 247 goals. Prince George is 8-19-1-0 on home ice & 8-15-0-4 on the road. PG is 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games. The Spruce Kings have one player in the leagues top 20 in scoring. Sam Muchalla (29-51-80) For more info, stats and news on the Spruce Kings check out the Spruce Kings Crusader blog, http://sprucekingscrusader.blogspot.com/
The Spruce Kings bus was at last night Vipers-Vees game. Im guessing PG was in attendance taking their notes on the Vipers and Vees for this weekends trip.
Prince George is 0-3 against Vernon this season and has been outscored 16-5 in the three games.
This is the Spruce Kings first game of a three game raod trip. (Vernon, Penticton & Williams Lake)
PG needs to try and slow down and stop the highest scoring team in the league.
Goaltending will be key, If Kyle Nielsen or Andrew Walsh can make some big saves early and keep the Spruce Kings in the game, maybe they can come back the other way and get an early lead and then ride the goaltender for the remainder of the game.
You can bet superpest Zac Rasmussen will be up to his old tricks against Vernon. Rasmussen has been a thorn in the side of the Vipers over the last few season`s going back to his playing days in Salmon Arm.
Players To Watch:
Sam Muchalla (29-51-80)
Zac Rasmussen (23-25-48)
Justin Fillion (6-34-40)
Nick DeSousa (22-17-39)
Joe Morgan (14-23-37)
Brad Bourke (7-28-35)
RJay Berra (14-19-33)
Lyndon Martell (13-15-28)
Heres a look at the season series between these two teams:
Sunday, October 18th @ Prince George: Vernon won 5-1
The Vipers went up 3-0 on goals from, Connor Jones, Dylan Walchuk, & Bryce Kakoske before Sam Muchalla got PG on the board. Cory Kane & Braden Pimm finished off Vernons scoring giving them the 5-1 victory. The Vipers had period leads of 2-0 and 4-1. Connor Jones, Cory Kane, & Kellen Jones each had two point nights. Graeme Gordon made just 18 saves for the win. Alex Wright made 36 saves taking the loss. Vernon outshot Prince George 41-19.
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=712626&link=bchl
Friday, November 6th @ Prince George: Vernon wins 5-2
RJay Berra opened the scoring at 5:49 of the 1st period before Dylan Walchuk with two, Mike Collins and Drew George scored four straight goals for Vernon putting the Vipers up 4-1 in the 3rd. Jonathan Gibson would score PGs second goal of the game midway through the 3rd cutting the lead to 4-2 before Dylan Walchuk would score his 3rd goal of the night into an empty net giving Vernon the 5-2 victory. Graeme Gordon made 24 saves for the win, while Kyle Nielsen made 26 saves taking the loss. Vernon outshot Prince George 30-26
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=712679
Thursday, November 26th “ Vernon: Vernon wins 6-2
SCORING SUMMARY
PERIOD 1
Prince George Spruce Kings at 8:21 - Nick DeSousa from Justin Fillion
Vernon Vipers at 14:19 - Kellen Jones (unassisted)
PERIOD 2
Vernon Vipers at 5:09 - Mike Collins from Braden Pimm and Jonathan Milhouse
PERIOD 3
Vernon Vipers at 9:17 (SH) - Rob Short from Dylan Walchuk and Adam Thompson
Vernon Vipers at 10:16 - Patrick McGillis from Bryce Kakoske and Sawyer Mick
Vernon Vipers at 11:45 - Mike Collins from Jonathan Milhouse and Braden Pimm
Prince George Spruce Kings at 13:57 - Lyndon Martell from Brooks Robinson
Vernon Vipers at 19:10 - Nils-Erik Soderlund from Dan Nycholat
Vernon outshot Prince George 31-25 Graeme Gordon made 23 saves for the win, while Kyle Nielsen made 26 saves taking the loss.
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=712747&link=bchl
Here's a look at both team's rosters:
Vernon:
Mike Collins
Braden Pimm
Cory Kane
Dylan Walchuk
Jonathan Milhouse
Cole Ikkala
Kevin Kraus
Connor Jones
Dan Nycholat
Curtis Gedig
Adam Thompson
David Robinson
Steven Weinstein
Kellen Jones
Rob Short
Sahir Gill
Bryce Kakoske
Garrett Noonan
Patrick McGillis
Darrin Robak
Blake Voth
Graeme Gordon
Prince George:
Sam Muchalla
Zac Rasmussen
Justin Fillion
Nick DeSousa
Joe Morgan
Brad Bourke
RJay Berra
Lyndon Martell
Jeff Earnest
Jonathan Gibson
Kyle Manlow
Luke Hannas
Jesse Scrimbit
Jeff Datoff
Stewart Lambert
Jeremy Wiebe
Reid Blinkhorn
Kyle Nielsen
Andrew Walsh
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