(Game Preview) Salmon Arm @ Vernon:

Salmon Arm (0-0-0) @ Vernon (0-0-0)

Tonight is opening night and the start of the 49th regular season for the BCHL. Tonight is the Vipers home opener as they face their arch rivals in a home and home series with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The last meeting between these two teams was in last year's BCHL's Interior Conference Final's where the Vipers held off the Silverbacks in 6 games to win the 2009 Interior Conference Championship. Tonight is going to be very special for all Viper fans and the returning 13 players from last years RBC Cup winning team as the team will raise the 2009 RBC Cup Banner along with the other banners the Vipers won during last years long playoff drive. The Vipers are trying to become the first team since the 1990-1991 Vernon Lakers to repeat as National Champions. It was 20 years ago that the Vernon Lakers won their first National Championship. The Vipers will now have to remember that everyone no matter what the standings are, are going to do whatever it takes to knock off the defending champs. KEY RETURNEES: (Vipers) F Connor Jones (19-41-60), F Kellen Jones (15-37-52), F Braden Pimm (24-30-54), F Mike Collins (25-25-50), D Adam Thompson (7-15-22), G Graeme Gordon (14-6, 2.92 GAA) and D Kevin Kraus (1-18-19). KEY RETURNEES: (Silverbacks) C Mark Zengerle (31-62-93), F Travis Statchuk (8-15-23), F Bobby Lipsett (11-16-27), F David Killip (8-6-14), G Tony Ierfino (18-6-0-0, 2.57, 4 SO). Zengerle will again centre the top line while Statchuk should provide more offence after playing just 33 games last season, missing time battling a sports hernia. Lipsett wears the “C”, and along with Killip, will provide leadership.

Here’s a look at this years exhibition games between these two teams:

August 29th @ Salmon Arm: Vernon wins 9-2

Vernon would score three in the 1st and four in the 2nd period and never look back going on to the 9-2 victory. Dylan Walchuk lead the way with 2 goals, while veteran Cory Kane scored 1 goal and 2 assists. Graeme Gordon (16 saves) & Blake Voth (6 saves) split the duties between the pipes. Matt Cassidy & Devon Roesler scored the Silverbacks two goals. Adam Harris (14 saves) & Will Frolek (13 saves) each played half a game.

August 30th @ Revelstoke: Vernon wins 6-3

Tonights pre-season game was played in Revelstoke. Josh McKissock, Drew George, Mike Collins, Cole Ikkala, Kellen Jones and Nick Amies handled the Vipers’ attack. Bobby Lipsett, Matt Cassidy and Faiz Khan answered for Salmon Arm.Tyler Steel (13 saves) and Blake Voth (15 saves) shared the win for Vernon.

Heres a look at last year's season series:

September 5th @ Vernon: Vernon wins 4-1

The Vipers & Silverbacks clashed in the Vipers home opener. The Vipers were carried out onto the ice in the teams opening ceremonies in the back of the Vernon RCMP pickup trucks with the lights flashing as they introduced each player. Then a swat team member come shooting down a rope from the rafters, the officer then ran to a RCMP van on the ice and opened the back doors as the Vipers Captain & Assistant Captains jumped out from the back of the van. Salmon Arm opened the scoring just eleven seconds into the period, with a goal from Conor Morrison. This was the one and only goal the Backs would score as Vernon would beat Bryan Gillis four times going on to the 4-1 victory. Steve Tresierra, Cory Kane, Kellen Jones & Adam Thompson led the attack for Vernon. Andrew Hammond picked up his first win of the season making 27 saves.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573358

September 6th @ Salmon Arm: Salmon Arm wins 5-4 (Overtime)

This was the back of a home and home series between these two Okanagan rivals. Tonight was Salmon Arms home opener and they didn’t let the home town crowd down. Just 1:41 into Overtime, Zac Rasmussen scored the game winner as the Silverbacks record the 5-4 OT win. Mark Zengerle & Conor Morrison collect three points each. Bryan Gillis picks up his first win of the season making 23 saves. John Digness picks up two points in the loss for Vernon.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573363

September 20th @ Salmon Arm: Salmon Arm wins 7-2

This was an ugly game if you’re a Vernon fan. Salmon Arm destroys Vernon in a big 7-2 victory. The Silverbacks outplayed the Vipers as 1st star, Mark Zengerle collects four points. 2nd star, Keenan Desmet scores two goals and picks up two assists. 3rd star, Conor Morrison picks up (1 & 3). Andrew Hammond was given the hook after giving up four goals on just 17 shots. Backup Mark Segal didn’t do much better, allowing three goals

.http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573397

November 7th @ Vernon: Salmon Arm wins 4-3

The Backs win there third straight against Vernon, in a 4-3 win. David Killip & Colin Lidster each pick up two points in the win. Bryan Gillis makes 31 saves between the pipes collecting the victory. Kellen Jones leads the way for the Vipers with one goal and one assist. The Silverbacks lead the season series 3-1.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573532

December 19th @ Vernon: Salmon Arm wins 4-3

Salmon Arm wins there fourth straight against Vernon with a 4-3 victory, there 11th win in a row. Mark Zengerle led the way with a goal and 2 assists. Zengerle was all over the ice. D-man, Ashford McMaster picked up 2 assists in the win, looking very solid. Bryan Gillis was steady, having to make his best saves for last, in the 3rd period, facing 15 Vernon shots. Matt Walters & Zac Rasmussen played a feisty role, getting under the skin of some Vipers. Walters & Rasmussen both played with that in your face style of hockey. The Vipers played about 7-8 minutes of the game, inwich they made a late rally, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to the Silverbacks on the scoreboard and in the standings. Salmon Arm with the win, moves 5 pts up on Vernon for first in the Interior.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573657

December 20th @ Salmon Arm: Vernon wins 6-4

The Backs jumped out to a early 2-0 lead with goals from, Mark Zengerle and Keenan Desmet before the Vipers scored three straight goals in the 2nd period and went on to the 6-4 victory. Brothers Connor & Kellen Jones lead the way for Vernon with 3 pts each along with Vernon product Bryce Kakoske also putting up 3 pts in the win. Former Silverbacks goaltender, Graeme Gordon makes 21 saves beating his former club, improving his record to 9-0 as a Viper.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573661

December 29th @ Salmon Arm: Salmon Arm wins 7-3

Vernon got off to a good start, scoring first with a goal by Mike Collins, but on the next rush the Silverbacks would score four quick goals just over the next three minutes jumping ahead 4-1 and in full control. Anytime the Vipers would score to climb back to within two goals, Salmon Arm answered right back within minutes after the Vernon goal, re-taking the three goal lead once again. Former Silverback goaltender Graeme Gordon allowed all seven goals, suffering his first loss as a Viper. Viper killer Mark Zengerle lead the way with a goal & a assist. Jason Beatie added two assists, and Captain Matt Walters pitched in with a goal and some physical play. Vernon played most of the 3rd period shorthanded as tempers flared in the final period. Salmon Arm was the far better team, looking very strong on home ice. Should be a war tonight.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573669

December 30th @ Vernon: Vernon wins 2-1 (Overtime)

Tonight was the fourth straight meeting between these two hockey teams during the holiday break. Travis Statchuk opened the scoring putting Salmon Arm up 1-0 in the 1st period. Backs goaltender Bryan Gillis stood on his head all night, making some big saves, but couldn’t stop Cory Kane with two minutes remaining as the Vipers tied the game after firing 38 shots on Gillis after three periods of play. The game would head to overtime before Mike Collins beat Gillis 44 seconds into the extra frame giving Vernon the 2-1 OT victory. Gillis would make 39 saves in the loss. Andrew Hammond made 26 saves getting the win before 2,994 fans at the Wesbild Centre.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573672

January 23rd @ Salmon Arm: Vernon wins 4-2

A big crowd of 1,782 packed the Sunwave Centre to catch the final home meeting between these two clubs. Salmon Arm jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead early in the 1st period with goals from, Justin Cseter & Mark Zengerle but Vernon battled back, scoring four unanswered goals to defeat the Silverbacks 4-2. Cameron Brodie scored his 1st goal as a Viper on a funny bounce inbehind the Backs net. Other Vernon goals come from, Mike Collins (2) & Connor Jones. Andrew Hammond made 22 saves between the pipes for the victory, while Bryan Gillis made 25 saves taking the loss.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573741

January 31st @ Vernon: Vernon wins 2-0

The biggest corwd of the season packed the Wesbild Centre to watch the Vernon Vipers defeat the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 2-0 in the final meeting of the year. Braden Pimm in the 2nd and Kory Roy in the 3rd lead the scoring attack for the Vipers. Bryan Gillis makes 33 saves in the loss, Andrew Hammond made 37 saves in the win. Vernon goes 0-5 for on the powerplay while Salmon Arm goes 0-5. The Silverbacks outshoot the Vipers 37-35.

http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573768


Here's a look at both team's rosters:

Vernon:

#3 Defence Garrett Noonan 91 Norfolk, MA 6'1" 205

#4 Defence Erik Soderlund 90 Carlsbad, CA 6'4" 205

#5 Forward Mike Collins 90 Boston, MA 6'1" 180

#6 Defence Darrin Robak 91 Red Deer, Alb 6'2" 180

#7 Defence Dan Nycholat 89 Calgary, Alb 6'2" 190

#9 Forward Dylan Walchuk 92 McBride, BC 5'9" 170

#10 Forward Connor Jones 90 Montrose, BC 5'10" 170

#11 Forward Cory Kane 90 Irvine, CA 6'3" 198

#12 Forward Cole Ikkala 90 Philadelphia, PA 6'0" 205

#14 Forward Braden Pimm 89 Fort St John, BC 6'0" 190

#15 Forward Kellen Jones 90 Montrose, BC 5'10" 168

#16 Forward Drew George 91 Cupar, SK 6'0" 165

#17 Forward Bredan Persley 93 Kelowna, BC 6'1" 200

#19 Forward Jonathan Milhouse 89 Yorba Linda, CA 5'10" 185

#20 Forward Rob Short 89 Coldstream, BC 6'0" 207

#21 Defence Kevin Kraus 89 Garden Grove, CA 6'2" 200

#22 Forward Sawyer Mick 91 Vernon, BC 6'1" 180

#24 Defence Steve Weinstein 90 Los Angeles, CA 5'9" 175

#25 Defence Nick Amies 92 Enderby, BC 6'2" 190

#27 Forward Bryce Kakoske 90 Vernon, BC 6'0" 205

#28 Defence Adam Thompson 90 Calgary, Alb 6'1" 198

#29 Forward Patrick McGillis 91 Calgary, Alb 5'10" 185

#30 Goaltender Blake Voth 91 Herbert, SK 5'10" 170

#35 Goaltender Graeme Gordon 89 North Vancouver, BC 6'2" 197

Salmon Arm:

Forwards:

F 9 Chris Hoe – Burnaby, BC F

# 12 Tyler Gubb – Markham, Ontario F

# 15 Devon Roeszler – Chatham, Ontario F

# 16 Josh Manson – Prince Albert, Saskatchewan F
# 17 Brett Knowles – Vanderhoof, BC F

# 18 Rick Soo – Tokyo, Japan F

# 19 David Killip – Kelowna, BC F

# 20 Devin Gannon – Kamloops, BC F

# 22 Bobby Lipsett – Salmon Arm, BC F

# 39 Zac Rasmussen – Kamloops, BC F

# 88 Mark Zengerle – Rochester, New York F

# 91 Travis Statchuk – Wadena, Saskatchewan F

# 94 Corey Chakeen – Clarendon Hills, Illinois F

# 98 Matt Cassidy – London, Ontario

Defensemen:

# 4 Mike Puddifant – Salmon Arm, BC D

# 5 Jayson Reardon – Lumby, BC D

# 8 Jagger Dirk – Penticton, BC D

# 10 Greg Noyes – Lucan, Ontario D

# 11 Charlie Vasaaturo – Sewell, New Jersey D

# 14 Justin Krabben – Rocky Mountain House, Alberta D

# 28 Josh Monk – Langley, BC

Goaltenders: G

# 1 Tony Ierfino – Montreal, Quebec G

# 29 Kurt Williams – Rocky Mountain House, Alberta