Vipers Clinch First:

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Vipers clinch first

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-02-19

With a 4-2 victory at home over the Trail Smoke Eaters, the Vernon Vipers have guaranteed a first pace finish in the Interior Division of the BCHL for the third straight year.

Kyle Murphy’s three goals paced the Vipers, who ruled the neutral zone for most of the game. Trail was unable to get much momentum through the middle of the ice and were beaten to the puck when they tried the dump and chase game.

Murphy opened the scoring for the Vipers 6:37 into the game just as the Vipers completed a penalty kill. As he came on to replace a Viper forward, he skated behind the Trail defencemen at centre ice. He was immediately spotted by Brett Corkey, who threaded a pass that Murphy acrobatically got under control.

Murphy then had a breakaway. He gave a head fake to Kiefer Smiley and put the puck over Smiley’s right shoulder.

David Robinson’s 31st goal of the year gave the Vipers a 2-0 lead at 11:44. Going hard to the net, Robinson one-timed the disk past Smiley after the Trail netminder had parried Darren Nowick’s shot.

On their third power play of the first period, the Smoke Eaters scored when goalie Blake Voth stopped a Travis St. Denis shot with his right goal pad, but had the rebound bounce off a Viper defenceman into the net at 12:51.

Exactly four minutes later, Murphy restored the Vipers’ two-goal lead. Malcolm Lyles, on a patented rush, roared over the Trail line and shot. Hustling, Murphy deposited the rebound behind Smiley.

In four of the five previous games between these two teams this season, the Vipers had out shot the Smoke Eaters by a wide margin, but had been frequently stymied by Smiley. In the first period on Friday, Trail held the Vipers to five shots, but the home team capitalized on all three of its scoring chances.

Trail had nine shots in the first period and only nine more in the remaining 40 minutes. The Smoke Eaters were dominated in the second period, but Smiley was able to keep the Vipers to just one goal.

Kyle Murphy completed his hat trick at 7:32, as he combined with veterans David Robinson and Bryce Kakoske in a lengthy, determined shift. Murphy poked the puck past Smiley during a scramble that ensued after Robinson came out of a crowded corner and dazzled with a series of moves and, finally, a shot that Smiley stopped but could not control.

Later in the period, the Vipers came close on several occasions. In the last three shifts of the period, David Robinson, Adam Thompson, and Patrick McGillis beat Smiley, but each saw the puck ring off the cross bar.

In a tight checking and occasionally sleepy third period, the Vipers nonetheless created five scoring chances and the Smoke Eaters manufactured three. The only goal came when Scott Jacklin’s persistent forecheck paid off with a fine individual effort at 18:53.

The Smoke Eaters, who will now finish fifth in the Interior, will close out their schedule in Merritt on Saturday.

The Vipers await the Quesnel Millionaires for a Sunday afternoon tilt. That game could have playoff implications if Prince George were to defeat Westside on Saturday and Quesnel were to lose to Penticton.

In that scenario, Quesnel and Prince George would each have 35 points, but PG would earn the 7th and last playoff spot because the Spruce Kings would have one more win. Quesnel would have to beat the Vipers to snag the last playoff berth.

Meanwhile, Viper coach Jason Williamson is proud of his players: “They work hard and they’ve earned the first round bye. You know, after the success that we’ve had the past two seasons, there’s been a lot of pressure on this group, a lot of comparisons. There have been ups and downs, but overall they’ve responded with good efforts, just like tonight.

Ferns (head coach Mark Ferner) and I are high on this group. We think they’ll be good playoff performers.”