Vipers nip Grizzlies to stay perfectBy Sharie EppMay 6, 2009
The Victoria Grizzlies came through the back door of the RBC Cup as host team, but all that really matters is being in the house.
Last night, the Grizzlies left no doubt they belonged at the national Junior A hockey championship but they still couldn’t beat the Vernon Vipers. Down 4-2 in the third period, the Vipers came back to defeat the Grizzlies 5-4, when Cole Ikkala scored on rebound at 9:17 of the first overtime period.
“They’re a pretty resilient group, they really are,” Vernon coach Mark Ferner said. “Regardless of the deficit, we feel we can come back from any score.”
At three wins and no losses, the undefeated Vipers have secure a semifinal berth in the tournament, while the Grizzlies, at 1-2, the Humboldt Broncos and Kingston Voyageurs, 1-1, and the Summerside Western Capitals, 0-2, will fight it out for the remaining three spots.
Today’s games include Humboldt and Kingston at 2 p.m., and Victoria and Summerside at 7 p.m.
The Grizzlies knew they needed to play error-free against the Pacific region champions, but a couple of undisciplined moments left them down 1-0 after the first period. About to go on a power play, two bad decisions gave Vernon the man advantage, and Chris Crowell needed little time to put the first goal past Victoria goaltender Anthony Grieco at 16:57.
It was a tough start, but the Grizzlies have waited a long time for this week.
Early in the second, Evan Pighin intercepted a pass deep in the Vernon zone, got it to Cody Bremner, who missed the last game with an injury. Bremner deked around Vernon goalie Andrew Hammond, and jammed the puck home at 2:41.
The Vipers responded, when the Grizzlies were caught on a bad change, and Bryce Kakoske connected on a fat rebound, but then it was the Interior boys who were stung by trying to deter Victoria veteran Brian Nugent.
First six-foot-five Kyle Bigos flattened Nugent and went to the box, then Mike Leidl kneed the Grizzlies captain into a somersault. In a wild sequence of power plays, which at times had fans wondering which team had the man advantage, Nugent scored to tie game 2-2 at 11:38.
“We didn’t get down when they had the momentum,” Victoria forward Justin Courtnall said.
Surviving the Vernon pressure, the Grizzlies kept coming, avoiding the neutral zone trap the Vipers used to stun the Broncos 7-1 on Monday. Sam Higgins lifted a high floater from the blue-line that dropped into the net at 13:22, and a perfect two-on-one from Derek Lee to Jonathan
Milhouse gave Victoria a
4-2 lead at 14:21.
With a couple of nice saves by Grieco, the Grizzlies clung to the two-goal advantage, but gradually it dissolved. The lethal Jones twins — Connor to Kellen — got Vernon within a goal at 6:05 of the third period, and Mike Collins sent it to overtime at 18:11.
“They’re a great team,” Courtnall said. “They got a couple of bounces, and we weren’t able to stay on top.”
The round robin continues through tomorrow, leading up to the semifinals on Friday, and the final on
Sunday. Tickets are still available for RBC Cup games. Call 250-385-1555, go to victoriagrizzlies.com or visit the Grizzlies’ box office.
Last night, the Grizzlies left no doubt they belonged at the national Junior A hockey championship but they still couldn’t beat the Vernon Vipers. Down 4-2 in the third period, the Vipers came back to defeat the Grizzlies 5-4, when Cole Ikkala scored on rebound at 9:17 of the first overtime period.
“They’re a pretty resilient group, they really are,” Vernon coach Mark Ferner said. “Regardless of the deficit, we feel we can come back from any score.”
At three wins and no losses, the undefeated Vipers have secure a semifinal berth in the tournament, while the Grizzlies, at 1-2, the Humboldt Broncos and Kingston Voyageurs, 1-1, and the Summerside Western Capitals, 0-2, will fight it out for the remaining three spots.
Today’s games include Humboldt and Kingston at 2 p.m., and Victoria and Summerside at 7 p.m.
The Grizzlies knew they needed to play error-free against the Pacific region champions, but a couple of undisciplined moments left them down 1-0 after the first period. About to go on a power play, two bad decisions gave Vernon the man advantage, and Chris Crowell needed little time to put the first goal past Victoria goaltender Anthony Grieco at 16:57.
It was a tough start, but the Grizzlies have waited a long time for this week.
Early in the second, Evan Pighin intercepted a pass deep in the Vernon zone, got it to Cody Bremner, who missed the last game with an injury. Bremner deked around Vernon goalie Andrew Hammond, and jammed the puck home at 2:41.
The Vipers responded, when the Grizzlies were caught on a bad change, and Bryce Kakoske connected on a fat rebound, but then it was the Interior boys who were stung by trying to deter Victoria veteran Brian Nugent.
First six-foot-five Kyle Bigos flattened Nugent and went to the box, then Mike Leidl kneed the Grizzlies captain into a somersault. In a wild sequence of power plays, which at times had fans wondering which team had the man advantage, Nugent scored to tie game 2-2 at 11:38.
“We didn’t get down when they had the momentum,” Victoria forward Justin Courtnall said.
Surviving the Vernon pressure, the Grizzlies kept coming, avoiding the neutral zone trap the Vipers used to stun the Broncos 7-1 on Monday. Sam Higgins lifted a high floater from the blue-line that dropped into the net at 13:22, and a perfect two-on-one from Derek Lee to Jonathan
Milhouse gave Victoria a
4-2 lead at 14:21.
With a couple of nice saves by Grieco, the Grizzlies clung to the two-goal advantage, but gradually it dissolved. The lethal Jones twins — Connor to Kellen — got Vernon within a goal at 6:05 of the third period, and Mike Collins sent it to overtime at 18:11.
“They’re a great team,” Courtnall said. “They got a couple of bounces, and we weren’t able to stay on top.”
The round robin continues through tomorrow, leading up to the semifinals on Friday, and the final on
Sunday. Tickets are still available for RBC Cup games. Call 250-385-1555, go to victoriagrizzlies.com or visit the Grizzlies’ box office.
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