Rocket connection boosts Vipers
by Kevin Mitchell - Vernon Morning Star
posted Jan 15, 2014
It’s been five long years, but they still have some magical chemistry going for them.
Former Okanagan Rockets’ linemates Brett Mulcahy and Colton Sparrow combined for all the offence as the the Vernon Vipers derailed the Coquitlam Express 3-1 in B.C. Hockey League play Saturday night before 1,925 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Mulcahy, obtained in a trade with the defending champion Surrey Eagles earlier this week, netted his 24th and 25th goals of the season, including the winner with 1:43 gone in the third period.
Liam Coughlin cleanly won a draw and Mulcahy quickly wired a low wrister past Pierce Dushenko. Linemate Sparrow fed Mulcahy for insurance after some nice work down low, with 2.3 seconds remaining. Brendan Persley forechecked hard to keep the puck in, while Sparrow and Mulcahy played pitch and catch for 15 seconds.
The Express outshot the Vipers 32-21 with Vernon sitting at the measly five-shot mark with three minutes left in the second period. Sparrow left the penalty box, took a pass from Demico Hannoun, skated in one-on-one down his wrong wing and buried a gorgeous snapper far side on Vernon’s sixth shot, with 83 seconds left in the second period.
Coquitlam, who have the league’s No. 1 offence, went up 1-0 on a powerplay 4:07 into the second period when Jace Hening converted from Mark Whiteley and Bo Pieper.
Vernon spent a good chunk of the opening 40 minutes shorthanded with Mulcahy and a host of others doing a stellar job penalty killing.
Austin Smith took first star ahead of Mulcahy and Sparrow, making a handful of huge stops, his best coming off newly-acquired 20-year-old defenceman JD Cotroneo and right winger Corey Mackin as the Express pressed in the late going.
“I think we did steal one tonight,” said Sparrow. “We didn’t really come out until the third so we got lucky and Smitty played good back there for us and gave us a shot at the end. I think we had eight in the first two periods so kudos to our penalty kill for sure. We’re pretty deep on penalty kill; we’ve got a lot of guys who just go out and work hard so there was a lot of good efforts on everybody’s part.”
Sparrow, in his 171st Viper game, is stoked to be reunited with Mulcahy.
“He’s a pretty special player. I actually made a comment to the coaches before the game that we were going to get three goals tonight. We played together in Midget for two years and he’s one of those guys, you just give it him in the slot and he’s gonna put it in the net pretty much everytime. He finds some good spots and he doesn’t miss.”
Mulcahy, who turns 21 in February, agreed with his linemate on the outcome.
“You could say we stole one. It was a bit of a weird game. I don’t think I’ve killed that many penalties in one period before. Our penalty kill did a good job and we took advantage at a couple of right moments and mainly had a good third period. Smitty kept us in it so hats off to him and hats off to the guys for sticking with it there.
“They have a lot of firepower. If you don’t play sound defensively, they can definitely take advantage. Giving up one goal against a group like that is quite an accomplishment.”
Vernon moved to 22-12-3-4, good for second place in the Interior Division, one point ahead of the West Kelowna Warriors, who grounded the Express 7-2 Friday night. The first-place Penticton Vees clipped the Trail Smoke Eaters 3-2 Saturday night to shift eight points in front of the Snakes. Vernon visited the fifth-place Merritt Centennials (20-16-3-1) Tuesday night.
Coquitlam, the league’s fourth-worst defensive team, dipped to 18-18-1-3, a solid third in the Mainland Division.
“It was a bit of a tough one for sure,” said assistant coach Robert Boyd, an Enderby product who coached the Junior B North Okanagan Kings 20 years ago. “One bounce either way could have made the difference. It wasn’t our night.
“We made a couple of great additions in 20-year-old defencemen this week. One guy (Minnesota’s Controneo) was playing his first game in a very long time and we’re encouraged that we’ve got some help now. That was the focus for us at the deadline to shore it up a little bit.”
The Express also added 20-year-old Whiteley, a Surrey product, from the Salmon Arm SilverBacks.
Boyd works full-time for CP Rail in Vancouver and volunteers alongside head coach Barry Wolff. Boyd’s nephew, Cody, skates a zillion miles an hour up front for Coquitlam.
“We’ve got so much firepower up front, it’s hard to figure out who’s going on the powerplay,” said coach Boyd. “I thought we had a chance tonight. Them not playing their best game might have been a bit of a hangover from last night’s rivarly against Penticton. I thought we had a chance to jump all over that, but we didn’t.”
SNAKE BITES: F Mason Blacklock missed the game with a leg injury suffered Friday night...Smith is 11-8-3...Express brothers Bo and Canon Pieper, born one year and two days apart, have committed with the Quinnipiac Bobcats...Blacklock is listed 157th among North American skatings in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings. Hannoun is No. 185, while Vernon F Alex Gillies of the SilverBacks is the highest-rated BCHLer at No. 102. Warriors’ F Jason Cotton comes in at No. 118, while Penticton D Brett Beauvais is 134th. F Jack Ramsey of the Vees, son of former NHLer and Miracle On Ice D Mike Ramsey, is 151st...Merritt F Jeff Wight is ranked 183rd.
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