Milhouse At Home In Viper Den:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Milhouse at home in Viper den

Milhouse locates his scoring touch, if not style points, for Vernon Vipers

Published: November 05, 2009

Jonathan Milhouse is learning what it means to be a Vernon Viper.

The explosive skating Yorba Linda, Calif. product collected a goal and an assist to earn first star as the Snakes pulled a 4-3 comeback win over the Salmon Arm SilverBacks before 1,142 B.C. Hockey League fans Tuesday night at the Sunwave Centre.

Before coming to Vernon in an offseason trade with the Victoria Grizzlies, Milhouse, 20, didn’t pull penalty kill duties. His coaches used him solely for offence.

Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner has him playing in all situations with linemates Braden Pimm and Mike Collins, including marking the SilverBacks’ top line of Mark Zengerle (2A), Tyler Gubb and Travis Statchuk Tuesday night.

Not that they really had a choice in a road game. Salmon Arm head coach Matt Hughes used last change to match his big guns against Pimm’s line.

“Even though he (Zengerle) got two points, I thought Braden did an unbelievable job against him,” said Ferner. “We’ll take that matchup anytime.”

Regarding Milhouse, Ferner adds: “He’s starting to know the expectations. It’s not just some of the time, it’s all of the time. He has the potential to be one of the best in the league, but it’s up to him.”

Milhouse is relishing the opportunity to play key minutes with the Snakes.

“It just shows that he (Ferner) has trust in us. I like being in key situations, that’s what I wanted to have happen when I came here...to be counted on in all situations.

“In Midgets I was penalty killing a lot, I played powerplay and I was playing all the time. When I got up to juniors they never really put me on the penalty kill.”

Despite being outplayed and outshot 15-6 in the first period, the ‘Backs skated to the intermission with a cushion on goals by second star David Killip (16th) and Gubb (7th).

Milhouse (8th) opened the Vipers’ offence shorthanded when he won a footrace to collect Kevin Kraus’s outlet pass, flew up the left wing boards and beat Tony Ierfino low glove side.

“Everybody was telling me from the bench afterwards that I was right neck and neck with the guy at the blueline and all of a sudden he was in the dust,” grinned Milhouse, sporting the beginnings of a shiner on his right eye.

“I was going to hit Gubb and Tommy (Vipers’ d-man Adam Thompson) hit me with his shoulder instead.”

A minute after the Milhouse goal, forward Sawyer Mick (5th) fired a shot between a SilverBack defender’s legs that fooled Ierfino (24 saves) to pull Vernon even.

Milhouse then set up Bryce Kakoske’s fourth goal, using his speed to force the Salmon Arm defenders deep before the Vernon native potted a powerplay marker at 2:28 of the third frame.

Just 37 seconds later, rookie sniper Dylan Walchuk (9th) pocketed the winner when he deflected Nils-Erik Soderlund’s point shot.

“We dug ourselves a hole early even though I thought we were probably the better team,” said Ferner. “It was a good test for us being down 2-0 early against a good hockey team.”

Added Milhouse: “It was really big. I don’t think anybody got down too hard on themselves and everyone just stayed focussed. We all know what kind of team we have here.”

After a shaky start, Vipers’ netminder Graeme Gordon (23 saves) settled down in the final 40 minutes.

Vernon (18-1) now holds a 3-0 season series lead over Salmon Arm (12-8-1-1), but they have all been one-goal games, including one in overtime.

The Snakes now head north for their final northern road swing, and they’ll do so in style. The Vipers’ bus got a bit of a makeover and is now covered with the team name and logo, complete with “5 Time National Champions.”

The Vipers visit the Prince George Spruce Kings (7-12-1-1) tonight at the Coliseum, followed by a trip to the Vault Saturday to play the Quesnel Millionaires (6-12-0-3). They finish the trip against the Williams Lake Timberwolves (5-11-1) Sunday at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.

“It’s good to get it (northern games) out of the way. The weather and roads are still good. We won’t have to go up there until playoffs possibly,” said Ferner.

“Good starts are going to be important. If we’re playing close to our best, we’re going to have a chance to win. If we go up there thinking it’s going to be easy, we could be in for an eye-opener.”

After getting pummelled 7-3 by the cellar-dwelling Timberwolves Saturday night, and 8-2 by the Trail Smoke Eaters (6-14-1-1) Sunday, the Millionaires responded with a 4-1 win over the host Spruce Kings Tuesday night at the Coliseum.

Taylor Holst and Skyler Smutek, first and second stars respectively, led the Mills with a goal and assist each.

Brad Bourke handled the Sprucies’ attack with a second-period powerplay goal.