Vipers Lure Halcrow To Den:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Vipers lure Halcrow to den

By Graeme Corbett - Vernon Morning Star

Published: December 01, 2010

Kirby Halcrow is going from a B.C. Hockey League team with the second-worst goals against average to one with the second best.

The Vernon Vipers acquired the friendly 6-foot-2, 218-pound netminder from the Quesnel Millionaires Wednesday morning, in exchange for rookie goaltender Bryton Udy and defenceman Elliott Richardson.

“I’m really excited. There is no greater place I could go,” said Halcrow, who was busy Wednesday moving some of his belongings to Edmonton before making the 10-hour trek to the Okanagan Thursday.

“It’s a great organization with a history of success. It will be nice to play with a good defence. It makes your job that much easier.”

Halcrow, a member of the Kapawe’no First Nation, grew up in Grouard, Alta. (near High Prairie). The hulking 19-year-old posted a 5-18-1 record with a 3.56 goals against average and 89.36 save percentage with the Mills this season. While those numbers aren’t overly flattering, Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner knows Halcrow can be a game-changer when he’s in top form, especially with a solid team defence in front of him.

He was instrumental in helping Quesnel push the Vipers to six games in the Interior Conference semifinals last March.

“We know what we’re getting in Kirby Halcrow,” said Ferner. “We know he has the ability to be a very good goalie. With him and Blake Voth, we feel we might have the best one-two punch in the BCHL, maybe in all of Canada.”

Added Halcrow: “It’s going to be a good tandem. We can only make each other better. We’ll be pushing each other in practice because we’ll both be vying for the No. 1 spot.”

Richardson joined the Vipers in the off-season from the Lindsay Muskies in Ontario. He appeared in 22 games with Vernon, tallying one goal and four assists.

Udy went 1-4-1 with a 3.32 goals against average and 86.50 save percentage in seven appearances as a Viper.

“Whenever you move a young goalie, it’s tough. Bryton is going to be a great goalie one day, but he needs to play as well,” said Ferner.

“It was a heavy price to pay, but it showed our older guys we’re prepared to win this year, and that’s important.”

To address the loss of Richardson, the Vipers made a second deal Wednesday, picking up 18-year-old defenceman Bruin McDonald from the Victoria Grizzlies in exchange for future considerations.

McDonald appeared in 14 games for the Grizzlies this season, collecting one goal and four assists. The product of Coquitlam spent last season with the WHL Prince George Cougars, and started this year with the Spokane Chiefs.

“He was really close to making the (Chiefs) this year,” said Ferner. “He’s someone we’ve had our eye on, and we’re going to give him an opportunity.

“He’s got some offensive upside... and he’s got a little bit of grit, too.”

McDonald (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) joined the Cougars as a 16-year-old and has appeared in 110 WHL games, recording three goals, eight assists and 73 penalty minutes.

He is expected to make his Viper debut tonight (Teddy Bear Toss) when they host the Westside Warriors at Wesbild Centre. Vernon visits the Warriors Saturday at Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna.

Both deals were made prior to the Wednesday (6 p.m.) carding deadline, where teams are reduced from 35 to 25 available cards. The final BCHL trading deadline is Monday, Jan. 10, where teams must confirm their final rosters.

SNAKE BITES: Forward Patrick McGillis is expected back in the lineup after missing a dozen games with an upper-body injury.