Vipers Win BCHL Championship:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Vipers win BCHL championships

by Don Klepp Added 2010-04-12

A magnificent save by Graeme Gordon with his Vipers ahead by a goal late in the game preserved the Vipers’ second straight Fred Page Cup win. An empty netter made the score 3-1 and kept the team on pace to defend their national championship.

With about two minutes remaining, and the Kings trailing 2-1, a King had an open net from 20 feet after a puck caromed off a Viper. Gordon propelled himself across the net and deflected the puck with his arm, off the outside of the post and out of danger.

Sahir Gill’s goal at 15:00 of the third period decided this exciting, tense contest that featured all-out efforts from both teams. Predictably, the game was decided by a fortunate bounce. The Jones gang created the chance with spirited line rush. Kellen passed to Connor, who put the puck on net. It apparently deflected off Gill’s skate as he was tied up by a King defenceman.

The previous two goals were also deflections. After a scoreless first period, Chad Niddery put the Kings ahead at 3:26 of the second. Reid Campbell’s point shot went in off Niddery’s stick while the Powell River sparkplug was camped in front of Gordon.

At 8:06, Jonathan Milhouse got that goal back for the Vipers. Off a change, Milhouse and Dylan Walchuk continued a strong effort by the Jones line in the offensive zone. Turning off the left boards, Milhouse fired a low wrister that went in off a King defender.

The Kings will rue their loss in this game, but in truth they generated just 12 scoring chances in the game compared to 21 by the Vipers. As has been the case during the post season, Josh Watson once again gave the hard-working Kings a chance to win.

Among those 12 scoring chances, Chad Niddery and Brenden Forbes were robbed by Gordon in the first period. In the second, Gordon made a fine save on Daniel Carr’s backhand late in the frame.

Here’s a quick assessment of why the Vipers won this game:

• They played a physical game, out hitting the Kings 36-25.

• They contained BCHL playoff scoring leader Mat Bodie, who had only two shots on goal and was unable to unleash his patented swerving rushes.

• As in most of the games in this series, Vernon contained playoff scoring heroes Daniel Carr and Matt Garbowsky, who combined for only three goals in this series.

• Vernon returned to its puck possession style, by winning 36 of the game’s 60 faceoffs. For most of this series, the Kings had won 60 percent or more of the faceoffs.

• The Vipers played one of their best defensive games of the series, as they continually went hard to the king with the puck. For example, the Kings pulled Watson with 1:45 remaining, but they were unable to generate a sustained presence in the Viper zone with the sixth attacker.

• For the most part, the Vipers stayed out of the penalty box and they stymied the King power play on its two opportunities.

• Graeme Gordon, who was named first star, made the save of the year to preserve the victory late in the game.