Vipers Clinch Interior Pennant On Sour Note:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Vipers clinch Interior pennant on sour note

It was hardly the way they envisioned it, but the Vernon Vipers have clinched the B.C. Hockey League’s Interior pennant for the first time since 2004-05.
The Snakes gave up a shorthanded goal at 18:17 of the third period as they bowed 4-3 to the Westside Warriors Friday night at Royal LePage Place.
However, the second-place Salmon Arm SilverBacks were shelled 6-0 by the host Penticton Vees Friday night. With one game remaining and trailing by three points, the Gorillas (40-16-1-2) are unable to catch Vernon (41-13-1-3). Both Vernon and Salmon Arm get a bye to the conference semifinals, with Vernon maintaining home-ice advantage.
The Snakes wrap up the regular season against the Trail Smoke Eaters (25-29-2-2) this afternoon (2 p.m.) at Wesbild Centre.
The line of twins Connor and Kellen Jones with Sahir Gill was once again the main threat for the Vipers, factoring in all their goals.
After Winfield product Trevor Bailey (20th goal) opened the scoring for Westside on the powerplay, Vipers’ d-man Adam Thompson (seventh) took a drop pass from Kellen on an odd-man rush, beating netminder Kevin Jebson with a slapper that rolled in off the keeper at 7:49
Kellen then made a great diving play to keep the puck in at the blueline to set up Gill’s 15th goal, a one-timer from the circle at 15:46.
“Two games in a row they’re our best line, and it was all down to their effort,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark. “We had some no-shows, and that’s the disappointing part. But good teams and good players bounce back from efforts like that, and I have a lot of faith in our guys.”
Michael Quinn, who scored the shorthanded winner, pulled Westside (36-18-1-4) even early in the second.
Gill (16th) gave Vernon their second lead at 14:19 of the second, but Westside’s Alex Grieve answered just over a minute later.
“I’m disappointed with the way we played at times,” said Ferner. “We gave the puck away way too many times. Three of their goals stemmed from giveaways, and they came from guys who have been around the league and they should know better.
“We forced too many pucks, and you can’t do that against any team in this league. You can’t try to make plays that aren’t there, and that’s when you turn pucks over.”
The Vipers could be without forward Rob Short for three games, including their first playoff game, after he earned a match penalty for hitting Brendan Ellis from behind. Ferner plans to appeal referee Colby Smith’s decision.
Jebson recorded 32 saves for his 26th win, while Graeme Gordon made 27 stops for Vernon, who visited the Vees (35-17-0-7) Saturday night in Penticton.