Hammond Nets Top Goalie Award:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Hammond nets top goalie award

It was a double dose of good news for netminder Andrew Hammond at the Vernon Vipers’ award banquet Monday night at the Best Western Vernon Lodge.
Not only did the 20-year-old White Rock product pick up team MVP, it was also announced he had earned the B.C. Hockey League’s top goalie award and top goaltending tandem award along with Graeme Gordon.
Hammond was the league’s top net detective at 27-12-1 with five shutouts, a 2.30 GAA and .912 save percentage. Gordon was 14-6 with a 2.92 GAA.
“There are so many guys on this team that you could have given it to,” said Hammond. “There’s probably five guys you could put your finger on, and everybody would agree with it. That just speak to the quality of guys on this team.
“You can just look at my stats last year in Surrey (Eagles), and then when I came to Vernon that same year and my goals against average was quite a bit different. It’s more of a team award, I think.”
Added Vipers captain Chris Crowell: “Hammy’s been great for us all year. He won us a lot of games, and kept us in a lot of games as well. That’s definitely well deserved for him.”
Hammond also earned the Vipers’ Squires Four Pub Shutout scholarship, valued at $350.
Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner picked up the Interior Conference Joe Tennant Memorial trophy as coach of the year. Ferner piloted the Vipers to a 42-13-1-3 record and helped them earn No. 4 in the country’s final top-15 rankings. The Spruce Grove Saints of Alberta were No. 1 ahead of the Humboldt Broncos and Winnipeg Saints.
Ferner credited the Vipers organization for much of the team’s success.
“Everyone has put in a lot of hard work, right from the coaching staff and office staff to the scouts. You’re only as good as your players, and we were fortunate enough to have a good year.”
Added assistant coach Jason Williamson: “He’s not too high, not too low, and I think that’s key as a coach. He sticks up for his team, he doesn’t call them out in the media. He’s a players’ coach if there’s ever been one.”
The Salmon Arm SilverBacks’ Mark Zengerle earned the Vern Dye Memorial award (Interior MVP), the Westside Warriors’ Justin Schultz pocketed Top Defenceman, and the Penticton Vees’ claimed the Bruce Allison Memorial award (Top Interior Rookie).
In other Vipers’ awards, Connor Jones earned the Leading Scorer and Three Star awards, while Mike Collins was Top Rookie with a team-leading 25 goals.
“I didn’t even know he was that close to Pimmer (Braden Pimm) in goals,” said Crowell, who plays on a line with Pimm and Collins. “It’s good for him, but maybe if he’d pass the puck a few more times, maybe I would have beat him in goals.”
Kyle Bigos took the Vipers’ top d-man award.
“Not too many guys know of his plus-minus, but going into this weekend, (Bigos) was a plus-42,” said Williamson. “He can do it all back there. He can play an offensive game or he can shut other teams down.”
Ryan Santana (Most Sportsmanlike and $800 Short Handed scholarship), Cody Ikkala (Community Service), Kevin Kraus (Unsung Hero), Crowell (Academics and $1,325 Powerplay scholarship), Steve Weinstein (Most Improved) claimed the other awards.