Vipers Ice Vees To Clinch Series:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Vipers ice Vees to clinch series

It’s been eight years in the making, but the Vernon Vipers have finally booked a long-awaited B.C. Hockey League Interior Conference final with the Salmon Arm SilverBacks.
The Snakes did their part by dismantling the Penticton Vees 7-1 in Game 5 Friday night at Wesbild Centre to take their best-of-seven Interior semifinal 4-1.
The Vipers will host the Gorillas in Games 1 and 2 of the Interior finals Friday and Saturday night respectively at Wesbild.
Building off Wednesday’s 7-2 Game 4 romp in Penticton, the Vipers weathered some Penticton powerplay pressure midway through the first period before going on to dominate the final 40 minutes.
The Vees rang iron twice just seconds apart while on the man advantage – once by Zac Josepher and once by captain Curtis McKenzie – which seemed to signal a shift in momentum.
“We had to play a flawless game to beat them, and we hit the post two times in the first on that powerplay, and once at the beginning of the second,” said Vees’ head coach Fred Harbinson. “Next thing you know, we make a little turnover in the neutral zone and it’s 1-0.
“They were the only team all year... that we really couldn’t handle. Against Salmon Arm, we were 4-4, and against every other team we had a winning record.
“They’re very big, strong, physical and skilled, with a calm goaltender (Andrew Hammond).
“The big thing that I noticed is that some of their players have made big strides in their games from one year to the next... (Braden) Pimm, (Rob) Short, (Kyle) Bigos, (Chris) Crowell – those are guys that were good players last year, but have taken their game to another level.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to their staff, and to their players for putting the work in over the summer to become better players.
“Our guys have nothing to be ashamed of. This will fuel us, just like it was for Vernon last year.”
After a scoreless first period (there were only six shots total), Connor Jones recorded his first goal of the playoffs on a gorgeous give-and-go with brother Kellen at 5:59.
Sahir Gill, the Vipers’ leading playoff scorer with 4+5, showed grit to create the turnover.
Gill, a Terrace product who turns 17 in April, credits the Viper veterans for getting the rookies ready for the series.
“We’ve got great leaders in our room, and they just kind of prepare you. That bye week was pretty huge. It prepared all the guys who haven’t been there before, like myself. The veterans led the way, and we just followed.
“Any time you have four lines, it’s a great asset to your team. They can’t really line match against you because if they match against one line, the other line is going to do the same kind of damage.”
Gill, on the powerplay, and Cory Kane, on snap shot that barely snuck through netminder Jordan White’s 5-hole, completed the second-period scoring.
Short, who has six points in his last two games, started the play by causing a turnover at the Vees’ blueline.
“Me and Kaner are both fast guys, and with Kak (Ryan Kakoske) on the line, he’s a heads-up guy, and he moving the puck and he lets us play with speed.
“This is my third year playing Penticton, so I kinda know what’s coming,” chuckled Short. “This year, I was really focussed on making an impression in playoffs. We’ve got a team that can go far, and I’m just trying to do anything I can to chip in and do my part.”
It took Gill just 39 seconds into the third frame to collect his second goal, on a sweet cross-ice pass from Connor, leaving no chance for White (27 saves).
At the other end, Hammond wasn’t overly busy, but was solid in making 24 saves.
Max Grassi was the only Vee to solve him. He intercepted a weak cross-blueline pass and broke in on a 2-on-1, opting to shoot high blocker side to beat Hammond.
Powerplay goals two minutes apart by Cole Ikkala and Kane put the game out of reach.
After the game, a dejected McKenzie, with teary, blood-shot eyes, was at a loss to explain why his team wasn’t able to keep up with the Vipers.
“It’s hard to say. Overall, they just had a little more, they’re a bit older, a bit wiser, so hopefully next year our team’s going to be that much older and we can have more players coming along so we can have what they have.
“Anything short of success, you’re never happy with, so we’re all going to take this throughout the summer, and it’s going to give us a little extra drive to come back next year and get the title back.”
Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner knows this is just the first step of many towards the Fred Page Cup.
“Let’s things into perspective. They have a very good hockey team over there, and I have the utmost respect for Fred Harbinson and that group.
“They had a tough first series, and obviously we took advantage of it. And let’s not forget they had probably one of the best players in the league out in (Denver)Manderson.
“We felt like we did what we needed to do. I’m proud of our group – they worked every shift, top to bottom.
“I felt we were really committed defensively. They’ve got a real mobile defence over there, and we adjusted some things. Against (Prince George Spruce Kings in the elimination series), they tried to lose one of the forecheckers, so we adjusted a little bit.
“That’s the first step, and now as it goes on, it’s going to get tougher and we realize that too.”
Surprisingly composed for a rookie in his first BCHL playoffs, Gill looks at the Salmon Arm series as another day at the office.
“It’s just another game, the stakes are just a bit higher. But you don’t want to go in there thinking it’s more than what it is. It’s just another game.
“We played 60 in the regular season, and you need 16 wins to get to where we want to be in the playoffs.”