(Game Preview) Vernon @ Victoria:

Vernon (16-8-2-6) @ Victoria (20-11-0-2)

Tonight is the second and final meeting of the season between the defending back to back Royal Bank Cup Champion Vernon Vipers & the Victoria Grizzlies. Tonight is the Vipers second game of a current six game road trip, Vernon started out the trip with a 5-2 win Wednesday night in Cowichan Valley. Tonight is the first home game for the Grizzlies after returning home from a seven game road trip wich saw Victoria go 4-2-0-1. You can listen to tonight’s game live with Todd Miller, starting with the pre-game show at 7:00pm on 107.5 Kiss FM

Last Game Played:

Wednesday, December 8th Vernon defeated Cowichan Valley 5-2
Saturday, December 4th Victoria defeated Prince George 7-2

Next Game:

Saturday, December 11th Vernon @ Alberni Valley
Saturday, December 11th Trail @ Victoria

Let's take a look at the Vernon Vipers:

Games Played: 34
Wins: 18
Losses: 8
Ties: 2
Overtime Losses: 6
Home Record: 7-3-2-3
Road Record: 11-5-0-3
Streak: Three game winning streak (Unbeaten in six games)
Last Ten Games: 6-2-1-1
Goals For: 109
Goals Against: 85
Standings: 2nd place

Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon is 4-3-1-4 vs. Victoria

Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon has outscored Victoria 44-39

Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon is 4-1-0-2 at home vs. Victoria

Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon is 0-2-1-2 in Victoria

Vernons last loss in Victoria was a 5-3 loss back on Saturday, January 16th 2010

The Vernon Lakers changed their name to the Vernon Vipers to start the 1995-96 season. Here’s a look at the Vipers all-time regular season record

Games Played: 934
Wins: 601
Losses: 242
Ties: 12
Overtime Losses: 82

For more stats & former Vernon Junior Hockey Team rosters & lineups please visit Paul’s Vernon Junior Hockey History website,

http://members.shaw.ca/vernonfranchise/index.html

Returning Players:

Bryce Kakoske (90)
David Robinson (90)
Blake Voth (91)
Steve Weinstein (90)
Adam Thompson (90)
Dylan Walchuk (92)
Patrick McGillis (91)

Departing & traded players from last years team:

Connor Jones (90)
Mike Collins (90)
Braden Pimm (89)
Cory Kane (90)
Jonathan Milhouse (89)
Kellen Jones (90)
Rob Short (89)
Cole Ikkala (90)
Dan Nycholat (89)
Kevin Kraus (89)
Curtis Gedig (91)
Garrett Noonan (91)
Sahir Gill (92)
Darrin Robak (91)
Graeme Gordon (89)

Vernons Home record vs. Victoria this season:

0-0-0-1

Vernons Road record vs. Victoria this season:

0-0

Vernons Powerplay vs. Victoria this season:

1-7

Vernons scoring leaders vs. Victoria this season:

Dylan Walchuk (0-2-2)
Malcolm Lyles (1-0-1)
Max Mowat (0-1-1)
John Knisley (0-1-1)
Michael Zalewski (1-0-1)

Blake Voth (0-1 Record)

Key’s and Notes to tonight’s game:

-Tonight is the second game of a current six game road trip for the Vipers

-Vernon has won four out of their last five road games

-The Vipers have points in eight straight games (5 wins, 1 tie & 1 overtime loss)

-Vernon has gone to overtime in five out of their last eight games

-The Vipers havnt scored five or more goals in a game in their last fifteen games
-Goaltending will be key

-Specialty teams are always key

-The Vipers are 4-2-0-2 vs. the Coastal Conference this season

-Blake Voth is 3rd in the leagues top ten goaltenders with a 2.20 GAA

-Vernon needs to keep things simple

-The Vipers have struggled offensively all season, this is when the goaltending has to be sharp and at it’s best

-The Vipers with just 109 goals scored all year, have ten other teams who have scored more goals then them

-The Vipers have scored five or more goals in a game just five times all season

-Vernon has played six of it’s last thirteen games on the road

-For the Vipers coaching staff, Bryce Kakoske, Adam Thompson, & Steve Weinstein tonights game should bring back some very special memories, as the Vipers won the 2009 Royal Bank Cup right here, at Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria just two season’s ago.

-Vernon has outshot their opponents 27 times this season in 34 games. The Vipers have recorded 40 or more shots in twelve games while firing 50 plus shots in a game twice.

Let's take a look at the Victoria Grizzlies:

Games Played: 33
Wins: 20
Losses: 11
Ties: 0
Overtime Losses: 2
Home Record: 11-4-0-0
Road Record: 9-7-0-2
Streak: One game winning streak
Last Ten Games: 7-2-0-1
Goals For: 130
Goals Against: 111
Standings: 3rd Place

Returning Players:

Joel Lowry (91)
Pearce Eviston (92)
Madison Dias (92)
Sean Robertson (91)
Brandon Fagerheim (90)
Wesley Myron (92)
Gregory Simpson (90)
Nick Buchanan (91)
Dylan Nowakowski (91)
Wade Murphy (93)
Josh Bryan (93)
Bryce Twa (91)
Tanner McGaw (92)

Departing & traded players from last years team:

Dustin Mowrey (91)
Alex Allan (89)
Jordan Heywood (89)
Brad Pawlowski (89)
Spencer Copp (90)
Jared Eng (92)
Derek Bacon (91)
Mike Tebbutt (92)
Graeme McCormack (91)
Sam Grist (93)
Brett Kolins (92)
Ryan Holfeld (89)
Colin Fernandes (90)

Victoria’s Home record vs. Vernon this season:

0-0

Victoria’s Road record vs. Vernon this season:

1-0

Victoria’s Powerplay vs. Vernon this season:

1-3

Victoria’s scoring leaders vs. Vernon this season:

Joel Lowry (1-1-2)
David Morley (0-2-2)
Wesley Myron (0-1-1)
Sean Robertson (1-0-1)
Madison Dias (1-0-1)
Pearce Eviston (0-1-1)

Matt Ginn (1-0 Record)

Key’s and Notes to tonight’s game:

-Victoria has to use home ice to their advantage

-Cam Gorchynski is 4th in the leagues top ten goaltenders with a 2.47 GAA

-David Morley (18-31-49) & Joel Lowry (17-31-48) are both in the leagues top twenty in league scoring

-Victoria is very strong on home ice, dropping just four games all season

-The Grizz are the fourth highest scoring team in the BCHL, but have trouble keeping the puck out of the net, giving up 111 goals

-The Grizzlies are going to have to try and slow down the Vipers and not let them get setup down low with their aggressive forecheck

-Victoria is 9-3-0-1 vs. the Interior Division

-Goaltending will be key

Here’s a look at the season series between these two teams:

Saturday, October 30th @ Vernon: Victoria wins 3-2 in overtime

SCORING SUMMARY

PERIOD 1

Vernon Vipers at 6:42 (PP) - Malcolm Lyles from Max Mowat and Dylan Walchuk
Victoria Grizzlies at 9:50 - Joel Lowry from Pearce Eviston and David Morley
Victoria Grizzlies at 16:02 (PP) - Madison Dias from Dustin Johnson and Wesley Myron

PERIOD 2

No Scoring

PERIOD 3

Vernon Vipers at 11:25 - Michael Zalewski from John Knisley and Dylan Walchuk

OVERTIME PERIOD 2

Victoria Grizzlies at 3:58 - Sean Robertson from Joel Lowry and David Morley

Vernon outshot Victoria 42-24. Matt Ginn made 40 saves picking up the win, while Blake Voth made 21 saves in the loss.

http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=840301

Here's a look at both teams rosters:

Vernon:

Dylan Walchuk (16-19-35)
Bryce Kakoske (11-21-32)
David Robinson (17-10-27)
John Knisley (6-16-22)
Michael Zalewski (8-13-21)
Aaron Hadley (8-11-19)
Kyle Murphy (8-11-19)
Malcolm Lyles (4-13-17)
Adam Thompson (4-12-16)
Marcus Basara (7-7-14)
Steven Weinstein (2-11-13)
Max Mowat (1-10-11)
Trevor Fitzgerald (7-3-10)
Brett Corkey (0-10-10)
Patrick McGillis (5-4-9)
Darren Nowick (0-7-7)
Todd Skirving (3-3-6)
Colton Sparrow (0-3-3)
Philip Patenaude (0-1-1)
Zach McPhee (1-0-1)

Kirby Halcrow With Quesnel (5-18-1 Record, 3.56 GAA)
With Vernon (2-0 Record, 1.96 GAA)
Blake Voth (15-9-2 Record, 1 Shutouts, 2.20 GAA)

Victoria:

David Morley (18-31-49)
Joel Lowry (17-31-48)
Pearce Eviston (16-15-31)
Sean Robertson (3-26-29)
Madison Dias (9-17-26)
Michael Colantone (11-13-24)
Wesley Myron (11-12-23)
Graeme Strukoff (7-14-21)
Evan Richardson (5-15-20)
Gregory Simpson (5-12-17)
Wade Murphy (4-6-10)
Nick Buchanan (2-8-10)
Dylan Nowakowski (4-3-7)
Taylor Love (2-3-5)
Chase Paylor (2-2-4)
Braxton Bilous (2-1-3)
Kyle Aschim (2-1-3)
Josh Bryan (0-3-3)
Bryce Twa (1-1-2)

Cam Gorchynski With Westside (5-2-1 Record, 2.70 GAA)
With Victoria (2-0 Record, 1.50 GAA)
Matt Ginn (17-11 Record, 1 Shutout 2.98 GAA)