Vipers snap three-game skid with OT win over Warriors
By Kevin Mitchell - Vernon Morning Star
Published: October 10, 2012
Only nine games in and the Vernon Vipers and West Kelowna Warriors are already in playoff mode. And with five teams separated by just four points, it’s a wise mind-set in the B.C. Hockey League’s Interior Division.
The Vipers brushed back the Warriors 2-1 in an overtime thriller before 1,500 fans Saturday night at the Wesbild Centre, ending a three-game losing skid and closing to within two points of the Trail Smoke Eaters.
“Four teams make the playoffs so we just want to make the playoffs, where you know you’re going to play a really good team right off the bat,” said West Kelowna head coach Rylan Ferster.
The Vipers, who missed the playoffs last year, improved to 3-4-0-2 and one win back of the final playoff berth, held by the Smokies. Vernon visits the ever-improving Salmon Arm SilverBacks Friday night and take on the Chiefs Saturday night in Chilliwack.
Colton Sparrow’s roof-daddy snipe past Tyler Briggs with 49 seconds left in the first overtime ended a game which, after a feel ‘em out first period, was a beauty.
“This was obviously a big bounce back game,” said Sparrow. “They’ve got good team speed like us so it was a good match-up. That’s why you saw an exciting, low-scoring game. To win an Interior Conference game against that team is a big turnaround for us.”
Viper head coach Jason Williamson said Saturday morning he was expecting more from some of his players, and he was likely talking about Sparrow and former Portland Winterhawk Pearce Eviston, who combined on the winner.
“I won the puck behind the net there and walked out front,” said Sparrow, who has three goals on the season. “I had Pearce sitting in the slot there so I just threw it there hoping somebody would bang it in and it managed to sneak back out to me up top and I saw a corner so I put it there.”
Sparrow talked with a recruiter from the Sacred Heart Pioneers of Milford, Conn. moments after the win, but he has not committed to any NCAA school yet. The same Sacred Heart coach met with Viper d-man Ryan Renz Saturday night.
Adam Tambellini beat Briggs with a pro-like snapper from the high slot to give Vernon a 1-0 first-period lead. Aaron Hadley and Renz drew assists on Tambellini’s lazer, his team-high fifth of the year.
The Warriors, who had one goal waved off, equalized at 1:47 of the third when Seb Lloyd finished off a three-way passing play with David Pope and Brett Zarazun. West Kelowna outshot Vernon 34-31 with both Briggs and Viper goalie Austin Smith spectacular in a fast, entertaining tilt with a handful of monster hits.
Rookie 17-year-old forward Craig Martin, who has hands softer than an old leather couch and cotton candy combined, saw a regular shift and some time on the Vipers’ dysfunctional powerplay. He is getting better used to the pace and looking comfortable after a scorching 48-goal, 96-point KIJHL stint a year ago.
“It was great,” said Martin, of the victory. “It’s nice to get back in the win column for sure; it was a good all-around team effort. They’re a good team. They work hard and they’ve got a lot of skill up front.”
As for what the Vipers have to tweak in the coming weeks, the Trail product said: “I think we just have to keep competing hard each night and if we can get those little lapses out of our game, we’ll be good.”
The Warriors have lost three overtime games, but with a bounce, could have left Vernon with an extra point.
“I’ll probably be our hardest critic, but I told them that we played good,” said Ferster, a former Vernon Laker. “I thought we controlled a lot of the game, had some real good chances, a couple of good ones in overtime. I guess when you break it all down, when you come into another team’s building, you’re probably going to have to score more than one goal and that’s what it would have taken tonight. But full marks to them.”
The Warriors share second place with the Merritt Centennials, seven points back of the 9-1 Penticton Vees.
“I certainly think our team speed is one of our strengths,” added Ferster. “We’re able to roll four lines for the most part, our goaltending’s given a chance to win every single night. I think we’re like most teams, we still have the fine details of the game to work out.”
The SilverBacks, almost given up for road kill, actually used the Island highway trek to all of a sudden get in the playoff battle, one point back of the Vipers.
Vernon product Alex Gillies pocketed 2+2 and Colin Dzijacky recorded 61 saves as Salmon Arm surprised the Nanaimo Clippers 4-3 in a matinee overtime game before 700 fans Sunday at Frank Crane Arena. Gillies scored unassisted 78 seconds into the second overtime.
Jason Trott scored twice as the SilverBacks bounced the Cowichan Valley Capitals 4-2 Saturday night.
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