Vernon (7-3) @ Salmon Arm (6-4)Tonight is the biggest game of the season for both teams. A win by the Vipers and they clinch the Interior Division Championship and move on to the BCHL Fred Page Cup. A loss by the Silverbacks and their season is over. With a injured and beaten lineup the Vipers will have to pull out another gutsy effort tonight at the Sunwave Centre. Depending on injuries the Vipers could have some new faces in tonights lineup. Vernon needs to be better on the powerplay and create and generate more offence, unlike last night playing most of the 2nd & 3rd periods in their end. Salmon Arm will pull out all the stops tonight to try and force a Game 7 back in Vernon Tuesday night. The Backs played very good last night having a chance at taking the 3-2 series lead but couldn’t solve Andrew Hammond. The Silverbacks will once again have to try and beat the veteran goaltender, get lots of pucks towards the net, and create traffic in front of Hammond. The Backs will be playing desperate hockey tonight with their season on the line, you can bet they put forward their best effort of the season. You can listen to tonights broadcast on 107.5 Kiss FM with Todd Miller, starting at 7:15pm
Heres a look at the series:
March 20th @ Vernon: Game 1: Salmon Arm wins 3-2 Overtime
The Silverbacks took it to the Vipers early and often but were down 1-0 after the 1st period outshooting the Vipers 10-3. Salmon Arm outplayed, outhit and outchanced the Vipers in the 2nd period but could only muster one goal, a later goal by Bobby Lipsett as the Backs could have easily been up 4-1. With the score tied 1-1 heading into the 3rd this was anyones game. Vernon finally started to get their legs going, playing their best hockey of the game as both teams had some good chances. Chris Crowell would score his 2nd of the night at 16:14 as the Vipers jumped ahead but hold on, the Backs didn’t fold the tents, superpest Zac Rasmussen would tie the game under 40 seconds later sending the game to Overtime. Braden Pimm with a two on one couldn’t score the OT winner and shortly after Zac Rasmussen would tip a shot past Andrew Hammond sending the Silverbacks home with the Game 1 victory.
http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=678207
March 21st @ Vernon: Game 2: Vernon wins 5-1
The Vipers turned around a poor performance in Game 1 with a solid effort in a 501 victory in Game 2. Specialty teams was the difference in the 1st period with Chris Crowell & Mike Collins powerplay goals giving Vernon a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play. Vernon would kill off a huge two man advantage in the 2nd period wich was the turning point of tonights hockey game, as Vernon headed into the 3rd up 2-1. The Silverbacks couldn’t stay out of the penalty box as the Vipers would score three 3rd period goals on route to a 5-1 victory. Bryan Gillis took the loss making 26 saves. Andrew Hammond made 19 saves getting the win. Mike Collins, Connor Jones, Braden Pimm, & Kellen Jones all lead the Vipers scoring attack with two points each. In the dying seconds Zac Rasmussen pushed Mike Collins into Andrew Hammond wich erupted a mini line brawl as punches were throwen, as both teams tempers started to boil over. This should lead to a very entertaining Game 3 Tuesday night in Salmon Arm.
http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=678208
March 24th @ Salmon Arm: Game 3: Vernon wins 3-0
Cory Kanes 2nd period goal at 4:28 was the game winner as the Vipers defeated the Silverbacks 3-0. Andrew Hammond was the difference collecting 1st star along with 33 saves in the Vernon net. Vernons penalty kill was solid as the Backs went 0-7 with the man advantage. Salmon Arm outplayed and outworked the Vipers for most of the night but couldn’t buy a bounce falling 2-1 in the best of 7 series. Salmon Arm had many great scoring opportunities but couldn’t solve Hammond. Cole Ikkala and Connor Jones (empty net) would round out Vernons scoring in the 3rd period.
http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=678209
March 25th @ Salmon Arm: Game 4: Salmon Arm wins 3-1
Keenan Desmet with two and Max Grassi with a powerplay goal lead the scoring for the Silverbacks. Bryan Gillis made 23 saves getting the victory. Andrew Hammond made 22 saves in the loss. Braden Pimm scored the lone Viper goal. The Vipers would struggle with the man advantage going 1-8 on the powerplay. The Vipers were without Cameron Brodie who was out of the lineup. The Vipers did get some good news with the return of Kevin Kraus. Once again the Vipers were outhit for most of tonights game, as the Backs really forced the Vipers, clogging up the neutral zone and in front of the net as the Vipers shots were coming from the outside. The Vipers are going to have to get a little more emotion and intensity tonight, something that was lacking in Game 4.
http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=678212
March 27th @ Vernon: Game 5: Vernon wins 3-0
The largest crowd of the season (3,306) saw Kellen Jones 1st period goal stand up to be the game winner as the Vipers defeated the Silverbacks 3-0 to take a 3-2 series lead heading into tonights game. Rob Short had the other two Viper goals in the 3rd. Andrew Hammond was stellar all night making 43 saves picking up the victory. Bryan Gillis took the loss making 31 saves. Vernon would get hit by the injury bug yet again after Mike Collins would leave tonights game after taking a questionable hit from Brent Vandenberg in the 1st period. Kevin Kraus appeared to have injured his leg, twice in tonights game, but was a true warrior staying in the game. After a back and forth 1st period with both teams getting some chances, it was all Silverbacks in the 2nd and 3rd periods as the Backs outplayed the Vipers but couldn’t solve Andrew Hammond.
http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=678216
Key Players To Watch:
Vernon:
Sahir Gill 10 pts
Kellen Jones 11 pts
Connor Jones 10 pts
Chris Crowell 10 pts
Mike Collins 8 pts
Cory Kane 9 pts
Braden Pimm 8 pts
Rob Short 9 pts
Cameron Brodie 2 pts
Andrew Hammond 7-3 Record 1.66 GAA
Salmon Arm:
Conor Morrison 14 pts
Justin Cseter 10 pts
Zac Rasmussen 7 pts
Ashford McMaster 7 pts
Keenan Desmet 7 pts
Brent Vandenberg 3 pts
Matt Grassi 4 pts
Mark Zengerle 4 pts
Bryan Gillis 6-3 Record 2.77 GAA
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