Vipers Bow To Vees:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Vipers bow to Vees

by Don Klepp | Added 2012-01-05

For 40 minutes, the Penticton Vees were very good and the Vipers looked disinterested. The net result was a Penticton 6-1 win at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Viper Coach Jason Williamson said after the game, “For the first two periods, we stood around and watched them. They’re a good hockey team, but we gave them too much respect. We have a good team, too, so if we take the game to the Vees we can be successful against them. We had too many guys who looked like they wanted to hide out there. In the third, we took the initiative, outplayed them, and outscored them.”

As usual, the Vees power play led the way, converting their first three man advantages. D-man Mike Reilly scored two of them and drew an assist on Mario Lucia’s goal that came with two seconds remaining in the first period.

“Yes, they have a good power play,” said Williamson, “and they made some good plays, but every one of those goals was preventable if we get more effort from our PK.”

The Vees, whose 32.8% power play efficiency leads the league, were shut out on the next four power plays. Williamson said that “Our penalty kill got better when we gave them less respect. Once we started to bear down, we were OK.”

Travis St. Denis scored twice in the second period on off speed shots and the Vees took a 6-0 lead into the third.

During the second intermission, Williamson told his troops that “We have a big weekend coming up, so let’s play well in the third and build on that.” He added, “We won that period, which reinforces what we need to do against Victoria and Merritt.”

The high-scoring Victoria Grizzlies are in town on Friday night and the defensive-minded Merritt Centennials visit on Saturday.

The Vipers, who dressed just 10 forwards, once again had five core players missing from the lineup: Luke Juha, Ben Gamache, Pat McGillis, Max Mowat, and John Knisley. McGillis and Mowat have resumed skating and may be in the lineup in a couple of weeks, but the other three are looking at returning in February.

On the positive side, Dylan Walchuk registered his fifth point in four games since returning to the Vipers. He assisted on Aaron Hadley’s power play goal in the third period. Brett Corkey also drew an assist, to maintain his recent hot streak. He has had one or more points in five of the last six games.

Mike Reilly had two assists to match his pair of goals. The Columbus Blue Jacket draft pick now has 50 points in 32 games to lead all BCHL defencemen.