Was at tonights Royal Bank Cup Game as Vernon defeated Humboldt 7-1 in front of 1,385 fans at the Bear Mountain Arena.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Andrew Hammond
Humboldt: Mathieu LaRochelle
1st Period: Off the opening faceoff the Broncos got the puck in deep, Captain Brady Walkers stepped into one from the point just twenty seconds into the period and wired a shot off the post. The Vipers got lucky, come back the other way, with some strong forecheck from Ryan Santana who was a work horse all game down low. Santana and the Vipers used their strong forecheck down low, cycling the puck well down low. Vernon would control the early edge in play deep in the Humboldt zone with some good presure down low. Vernon looked very strong down low, really moving the puck well for most of tonights game, the Vipers didnt get many great scoring chances early but controlled the better of the play early. Vernon's defence coughed up the puck twice in their own end, wich resulted in a turnover but the Broncos couldnt capitalize on their chances. Humboldt come very close to scoring again after Dimitri Levin with a shot from the corner went off the far post. Vernon would get the first two powerplays of the game, and looked much better on the man advantage. The Vipers moved the puck well, getting some good chances but couldnt beat LaRochelle. The Broncos would kill off both minors. Late in the 1st with Humboldt on the man advantage it was the Vipers who had the better chances. Braden Pimm setup Rob Short who beat LaRochelle at 15:39 putting Vernon up 1-0. Just as the Vernon minor expired, Ryan Santana with some good hustle down the wing, tried for the cross crease pass over, but the puck went off a Broncos stick in front and beat LaRochelle who was going the other way, as Vernon was up 2-0. Rob Short & Adam Thompson collected the assists. The Vipers had the better of the play and by far the better scoring chances. Vernon was up 2-0 after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers outshot the Broncos 10-8.
2nd Period: Humboldt with an early powerplay wich carried over from the end of the 1st period, once again was caught flat footed. Braden Pimm was left all alone in front, put a nice move on LaRochelle but was robbed by the glove from the Broncos goaltender. The Vipers would kill off the minor. Rob Short showed good hustle and determination, kept the play alive, fought off one defender and then through the puck out front, where Cole Ikkala beat LaRochelle at 3:44 putting the Vipers up 3-0 early. Short & Kevin Kraus picked up the assists. Vernon didnt stop their, while on the man advantage Mike Collins beat LaRochelle at 7:44 putting Vernon up 4-0 and in full control. Braden Pimm & Kyle Bigos got the assists. Humboldt battled back and off the next draw Joel Belair beat Andrew Hammond over the glove at 8:06 getting the Broncos on the scoreboard. Kyle Cowan & Mitchell Peeke collected the assists. Off the next draw thye Vipers come right back, Kellen Jones busted down the wing and then roofed a wicked wrist shot high over the glove of LaRochelle at 9:15 putting the Vipers up 5-1. Bryce Kakoske & Kyle Bigos with the assists. This was the end of the night for Broncos starter, Mathieu LaRochelle. This goal seemed to take the life out of the Broncos. Andrew Bodnarchuk would come into the pipes for Humboldt. Off the next draw the Vipers would get the play in deep and pepper Bodnarchuk with some quick shots from in close, Bodnarchuk looked shaky kicking out some big rebounds, getting caught out of position on a few scrambles in close. Taylor Piller with a great scoring chance from the slot was robbed by Hammond who made an unreal save to keep the Broncos off the board. Steven Schroeder come down the wing, and ripped a quick shot from the circle wich either went off the mask of Hammond or off the crossbar. This was as close as the Broncos would come as the Vipers once again had the better of the play. Vernons defence was solid shutting down the Broncos offence most of the night. Humboldt was having all kinds of trouble containing the Vipers forecheck and cycle down low. Connor Jones, Kellen Jones & Sahir Gill with some nice tic tac toe passing couldnt finish off a great scoring chance on a three on two. The Vipers were up 5-1 after 40 minutes of play. Vernon outshot Humboldt 10-7.
3rd Period: Vernon got off to a quick start, getting the puck in deep, really looked strong down low. Just minutes into the period Mike Collins rang his shot from the slot off the post, Chris Crowell kept the play alive, moved the puck around, before getting it back in the slot and then beat Bodnarchuck at 2:59 as Vernon went up 6-1 and in full control. Collins & Braden Pimm collected the assists. Vernon really stepped on the gas in the final period dominating the play for most of the play. Adam Thompson moved in from the slot, cut towards the net and then hit the crossbar from the circle coming close to putting Vernon up 7-1. For most of the 3rd it looked as if the Vipers had the puck on a string, dangling their way through the Broncos zone, creating and getting all kinds of chances in close. Cory Kane with a shot from the slot was stopped by Bodnarchuk. The Broncos couldnt get much going, as the Vernon defence was shutting them down all night, anytime the Broncos would get the puck, they couldnt even get the puck past centre, having to try and get the puck in deep from their own blueline. Humboldt iced the play on several occasions after trying to get through the Vernon zone. Troy Allan & Dane Lindskog with a two on one, Allan kept the puck and then went in all alone before getting shutdown by Andrew Hammond who shut the door. This was the Broncos one and only real good scoring chance. On several occasions the Vipers were dangling in and out of the Humboldt zone, several occasions the Vipers would lose control of the puck, but with some good hustle would win the battle along the boards, and get the puck back. Kyle Bigos with an unreal play from his knees kept the play alive and still managed to rush up ice, and get the play in deep. Humboldt was having all kinds of trouble containing the Vipers forecheck-cycle, wich resulted in the Broncos hooking-grabbing onto the Vernon players, trying to slow em down, wich resulted in a penalty. Vernon would get four straight powerplays in the third, Mark Ferner was giving his top powerplay units some rest, as the teams 3rd and 4th lines got some powerplay time and did very well, getting some good chances. Andrew Bodnarchuk was busy in the 3rd as the Vipers were buzzing in and around the Broncos net for most of the final period. Rob Short with a shot from the circle come close to scoring, just missing the net. Sahir Gill put Vernon up 7-1 late in the game at 14:16 on a bit of a strange play. It looked like the puck come up and went over Bodnarchuk who seemed to lose sight of the puck. Kyle Bigos & Connor Jones picked up the assists. Vernon dominated all of the 3rd moving to 2-0 in the RBC with a big 7-1 victory as Humboldt falls to 1-1. Vernon outshot Humboldt 10-5.
Top Players: (Vernon)
Kevin Kraus (1 assist) Looked very solid defensivly.
Kyle Bigos (3 assists) Looked very strong at both ends of the rink. Was really skating hard tonight, moved the puck well all game.
James Kerr once again played with alot of jump and intensity. Kerr looked very good with the puck down low, was hard to get off the puck.
The line of Sahir Gill (1 goal) Connor Jones (1 assist) & Kellen Jones (1 goal) played well up front. Once this line started using the cycle down low, the Broncos were having all kinds of trouble containing the Vipers #1 unit, so started laying the body on the Jones-Gill line. This line took a pounding early in the first but still kept going, playing well all night.
Braden Pimm (3 assists) Looked very good at both ends of the rink. Pimm played very well, once again looked very good on the draw. Had some nice moves in the 3rd, coming close to scoring.
Rob Short (1 goal & 2 assists) Was Vernons best player. Short played with lots of determination, showed good hustle all night, racing for loose pucks, won some big battles in and along the boards. Was skating hard, scored a real nice shorthanded goal to open the scoring. Short has some quick wheels and is very hard to catch when he takes off.
Ryan Santana (1 goal) Looked very good with the puck, once again was a work horse down low, very hard to get or knock off the puck. Very strong down low, had two Broncos on him at one point in the 1st period and still come out with the puck.
Adam Thompson (1 assist) Looked very good on the point for Vernon. Was skating hard, looked very good with the puck, rushed the puck up ice a few times. Rang a good shot off the crossbar in the 3rd.
Andrew Hammond was beaten twice in the 1st but got lucky as the Broncos hit the post. Hammond looked very focused, was very strong down low. Made an unreal save off Taylor Piller in the 1st to keep the Broncos off the board.
Mike Leidl & Cody Ikkala also played very well defensivly. Leidl come up with two big shot blocks in tonights game while shorthanded.
Chris Crowell played physical, was very good down low. Worked hard in and along the boards-corners.
Top Players: (Humboldt)
Nick Kalnicki looked very good up front for Humboldt. Real good skater, was always involved in the play.
Troy Allan was another bright spot for the Broncos. Had a great chance on a two on one but couldnt beat Hammond on the breakaway.
Brady Wacker isnt the biggest kid on the team, but a very smooth skater. Solid d-man who looks good defensivly. Was very impressed with the Humboldt Captain.
Game Thoughts: (Vernon)
This was one of Vernons best played hockey games all season. The Vipers really come to play tonight, playing a full 60 minutes not letting up. I was very impressed with the sharp crisp passing, everyone was skating hard, showing lots of jump and energy. No quit in this team tonight, they just kept pouring it on as the game went on. A much better powerplay tonight, after yesterdays poor powerplay it was nice to see the boys do much better with the man advantage. Really moved the puck well, getting some good quality shots on goal. What can you say about the Vipers penalty kill, one of their strong points all season long. I dont know off the top of my head, but Vernon has scored alot of shorthanded goals especially in these Playoffs. Second shorthanded goal in back to back games. The Vipers really looked good all night, its hard to single out just one player, everyone come to play and played well. What can you say about Vernons defence, completely shutdown the Broncos offence, Humboldt was having all kinds of trouble getting the puck in deep and pucks towards the goal. Vernons defence played extremely well, keeping pucks and shots to the outside. Before tonights game I was thinking this was going to be a true test for Vernon, I was thinking this was going to be a very tight checking-physical game with very low scoring, boy was I wrong. Im really looking forward to tomorrows game vs Victoria, the Vipers went 1-0 against the Grizzlies during the regular season, but you can throw that out the window. The Grizz have impressed me so far in their first two games and will give Vernon a good run for their money. Should be a great showdown as the leagues two best teams matchup.
Game Thoughts: (Humboldt)
The turning point was Brady Wackers blast from the point that went off the post just 20 seconds into the game. That puck goes in and you have a totally different game. Humboldt hit the post twice, maybe three times coming close. Like I said before the Broncos were having all kinds of trouble containing the Vipers forecheck-cycle down low. Humboldt tried early in the 1st to play physical against the Vipers top two lines, but that didnt work, as the game went on, you could see Humboldt was very frustrated, getting called on several occasions after hooking-grabbing the Vipers trying anything to try and slow down the Vipers. Humboldt couldnt match or keep up with Vernons speed and skill. As the game went on Vernon got stronger and stronger, dominating the edge in play for most of tonights contest.
Scratches:
Vernon:
Nick Amies
Steven Weinstein
Kory Roy
Trent Dorias (AP)
Players of the game:
Vernon:
Rob Short (1 goal & 2 assists)
Humboldt:
Troy Allan
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