Nowick returns as Vipers move into playoff contention
By Graeme Corbett - Vernon Morning Star
Published: February 10, 2012
For the first time in a while, things seem to be going in Vernon Viper head coach Jason Williamson’s favour.
His team seems to be heating up a month before the B.C. Hockey League playoffs, the opponents they are trying to catch have slipped a little, and he is getting healthy bodies back from the injured reserve.
With sniper Darren Nowick expected to play tonight against the Merritt Centennials at Wesbild Centre, injured defencemen Luke Juha and Max Mowat will be the only Vipers watching from the press box. Vernon visits the Chilliwack Chiefs Saturday at Prospera Centre.
“We’ve had some help in the last few games, even with Trail (Smoke Eaters) beating Chilliwack (5-3 last Saturday),” said Williamson. Now we control our own fate... we’re starting to get some healthy bodies back and it’s showing out there with being able to roll four lines.”
Regarding the playoffs, he added: “We just want to get in, but we want to climb as high as we can get. Second place isn’t even really out of our reach yet.”
A return to the lineup isn’t the only good news for Nowick, who has missed the last 10 games with a shoulder injury. The Long Beach, Calif. product has committed to the NCAA Division 1 Northern Michigan Wildcats for next season.
“I was talking to them over the season, and it seemed like a good fit for me because the coaching staff there is the way I like to play,” said the talented 20-year-old.
Building off a strong second half in his rookie campaign, the product of Long Beach Calif. is enjoying a breakout year in his second season with the Snakes, compiling 25 goals and 42 points in 37 games.
Said Williamson: “He’s arguably been one of our best players here, if not the best. His work ethic is second-to-none when he gets on the ice and when you work like that good things are going to come.”
On Tuesday night, with a little help from the record-setting Penticton Vees, the Vipers found themselves in a tie for the fourth and final Interior Conference playoff spot.
With Penticton’s 7-0 dismantling of the Chiefs for a league record 30th straight win, coupled with Vernon’s 3-1 decision over the Smoke Eaters at Wesbild Centre, the Snakes are tied with the Chiefs, both teams sharing identical 24-20-1-2 records.
“We just strung four wins together here and that’s huge for us,” said Vipers’ rookie Turner Lawson, who collected his first-ever BCHL goal and first star against Trail.
“If we just keep the ball rolling into playoffs, that’s going to lead right into a series too.”
Lawson, in his first game back after missing five with a concussion, opened the scoring 5:49 into the first period. Missing a golden scoring opportunity just seconds before, the 18-year-old Kelowna product pounced on a redirected point shot by Geoff Crisfield, and shovelled the puck past Trail netminder Lynden Stanwood’s glove.
“I don’t even know what happened,” said Lawson. “I was still pretty steamed from the first opportunity I missed from where Spares (Colton Sparrow) threw it out front. I just saw the d-man looking at me and not at the puck and I just jumped around him and whacked at it. And then I got hit, so I didn’t even know it went in.”
Lawson was a little dumbfounded when he was named first star.
“I wasn’t sure what to do. They pushed me out to centre ice and I’ve never gotten a first star in my life, so I just looked at the crowd, got a little face time and waved at them,” he laughed.
Vernon made it 2-0 when Adam Tambellini collected the puck at the sidewall and set up Aaron Hadley (9th goal) for a quick backdoor one-timer at 13:28. Mike Zalewski jumpstarted the play by carrying the puck deep and outworking a few Trail defenders in the corner before dishing off to Tambellini.
The Smokies (11-30-1-4) turned up their intensity in the second period, and cut the lead in half during a 5-on-3 man advantage, with the Vipers’ Riley Hunt (cross-check) and Brett Corkey (hooking) in the box. Veteran d-man Clayton McEwan crept in from the point and squeaked a puck far side past Kirby Halcrow at 8:06.
McEwan is one of two 20-year-olds on Trail’s young roster, and is happy to take on a leadership role.
“It’s fun, it’s exciting, I’m up for the challenge and I think I answer that call when I need to,” said McEwan, who will begin a carpentry apprenticeship once his Junior career ends this spring.
“It’s been fast unfortunately. If I could go back to being 16 and do it all over again, I would. It was a great ride and I’m happy for what hockey has given me.”
Vernon held Trail to five shots in the third period, but had trouble putting the game away until Brendan Persley (7th) took a few whacks at a loose puck in front of Standwood, and ended up pushing both the goalie and the puck across the crease at 5:12.
Said McEwan: “We were right in the battles, it was about 50-50. It could have gone either way and they got the puck luck and the puck’s in the net, and it’s game over pretty much.”
Added Trail assistant coach Bob Dever: “In the second period, I thought we played real well. That powerplay goal was huge for us and it brought the energy back to us. That third goal was just an unlucky goal-mouth scramble.”
Ben Gamache nearly made it 4-1 later in the third when he floated a dump-in that McEwan tried to bat down with his glove, but ended up redirecting it past Standwood. Referee Brandon Liefke waved the goal off because of a delayed offside.
“We really won it with that first (period), and the other two periods were just mediocre so we really have to clean that up,” said Lawson.
SNAKE BITES: John Knisley assisted on Persley’s goal and earned third star...Halcrow recorded 22 stops for his 19th win. Stanwood had 29 stops for the Smokies...The Vipers held a moment of silence for longtime fan Ray Greenwood, who died Saturday night...The Vees’ 30th straight win eclipses the previous record set by the 1989-90 New Westminster Royals.
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