This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:Published: September 29, 2009
Jonathan Milhouse won’t win any style points for the two goals he scored in the Vernon Vipers’ 5-1 win over the Williams Lake Timberwolves Saturday night at Wesbild Centre.
One was a weak backhander that trickled over netminder Evan Dauenhauer’s right pad as he drove to the net early in the first period. The Yorba Linda, Calif. product’s second came midway through the second frame when he only got a piece of his one-timer from the slot that still somehow slid into the left corner past the screened Wolves’ keeper on the powerplay.
Pretty goals or not, Milhouse (3rd and 4th goals) will take them. More importantly, the underlying work ethic that he and linemates Braden Pimm and Mike Collins (3A) used to create offence indicates they’re gelling nicely as a line.
The talented forward wishes he could have added a third goal in front of 1,736 fans.
“I’ve never had a hat trick,” grinned Milhouse. “I’ve had tons of two-goals, but never three so it would have been good to get it, but there is still lots of season left.
“Pimmer is probably one of the hardest workers I have ever had the chance to play with and Mike’s very skilled and I’m pretty lucky to be playing with them. We’re just starting to get used to each other and good things are happening.”
Dauenhauer, a Vernon product who played last season with the PIJHL Ridge Meadows Flames, wishes he could have had a few of those goals back.
“Vernon’s a good team. They’re tough to play against. We’re a good team too, we’re just having a rough start to the season,” said Dauenhauer, as he headed to the back parking lot to meet with friends and family before hopping on the bus for Castlegar.
“I was so excited to play here, so excited to come back. It’s always a good game with Vernon. I had a whole bunch of (friends watching)... in the 20s or 30s.”
The Vipers, who debuted their new third jerseys, dominated the first period, outshooting Williams Lake 15-5 (38-15 overall).
Snakes’ forward Connor Jones had several solid chances, but couldn’t convert. Linemate Cory Kane fed him a slick pass under a defender’s stick on an odd-man rush, but he couldn’t get a touch on the open net. Jones then missed on a glorious shorthanded chance as he danced around a defender but missed the final touch.
Rookie Dylan Walchuk set up the Vipers’ other first-period goal as he wheeled up the wing, hit the brakes at the sidewall and spotted Sawyer Mick (2nd) driving to the net. Mick went top shelf as he crashed the net.
Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner says they will take the points, but knows they need to be better when they visit the Westside Warriors Friday night at Royal LePage Place. They host the conference-leading Penticton Vees Saturday at Wesbild.
“I thought we had a good first period, but we took things for granted in the second,” said Ferner. “We started taking some shortcuts and that’s not how we want to play.
“The neutral zone is going to dictate whether you’re going to play offence or defence, and we weren’t hard enough on pucks, we turned pucks over... and that’s an area we need to get better at.
“This week coming up is going to be a very good test for this hockey team.”
Williams Lake answered late in the second period as the Vipers got caught at the blueline. On the ensuing odd-man rush, Jason Diehl (2nd) ripped a hard wrister past netminder Blake Voth (14 saves), who was making his Vipers’ debut, from 30 feet out.
Shortly after, Walchuk (2nd), on a clever chip pass from Collins, walked in alone shorthanded and mesmerized Dauenhauer with a flurry of forehands and backhands before tucking the puck low left side.
Jones, who has looked snake-bitten all season, pocketed his first goal on a gorgeous one-timer set up by twin brother Kellen.
“It’s good that we’re getting the chances so it means we’re doing something right. It was nice to see him score – I was pretty pumped,” said Kellen.
“He really beared down there. The first couple chances he was a bit lackadaisical, but he really put it in the net and made sure it went in.”
Added Timberwolves head coach Dave Dupas: “We knew it was going to be difficult, so we just tried to relax and try and gain some confidence playing against these guys.
“The boys just have to keep learning and playing these sort of games and eventually maybe we can start to compete a little bit.”
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