Vipers stop Saints for RBC berth
Published: April 27, 2011
SPRUCE GROVE – Rankings don’t seem to mean a whole lot to the Vernon Vipers. Just ask the Powell River Kings and, more recently, the Spruce Grove Saints.
After sweeping the Kings, rated No. 2 in the Canadian Junior A Hockey League poll, in the Fred Page Cup, the Vipers knocked off the No. 1 Saints in Game 7 of the Doyle Cup regional series for the second straight year. They are the first team to record three straight Doyle titles, and will commence their defence of the RBC Cup national junior A crown Saturday in Camrose against the host Kodiaks.
Other regional champions competing in the five-team round-robin tourney include Portage Terriers of Manitoba (Western), Wellington Dukes (Central) and Pembroke Lumber Kings (Eastern); the latter two clubs are from Ontario.
As was the case throughout the Doyle series, Game 7 was a tight-checking tilt between two systematic clubs Sunday night at Grant Fuhr Arena. Deadlocked 2-2 after 40 minutes, David Robinson scored the series winner with six minutes to play on an odd-man rush as Vernon skated to a 4-2 win.
Saints’ defenceman Jesse Slobodian hit the outside post with a point shot and Kyle Murphy scooped up the loose puck and wheeled up ice with linemates Robinson and Bryce Kakoske, who threw a puck on net just in time for the Viper captain to redirect it over netminder Vince Marozzi’s right shoulder.
“There’s some people outside this dressing room that didn’t think we’d get by the Westsides and Salmon Arms. Not a lot of people gave us an opportunity against the No. 2 team in the country in Powell River, and then coming into this building knowing how good they are, the No. 1 team, I’m just extremely proud of our boys,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner.
“We try to bring certain players into this program, and first and foremost they have to be good kids. They sacrificed so much for this, not only on the ice, but off the ice.”
Murphy, named Vernon’s game MVP and one of the Vipers’ most reliable forwards throughout the series, is thrilled to be a part of this drive to the RBC.
“With the guys who have been here for a couple years, you can sense the energy and it’s kind of addictive. The whole playoff run has been a great experience,” said Murphy, who came back to play junior A after a season with the NCAA Division 1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
After suffering a deflating 2-0 shutout loss in Game 6 Saturday night, the Vipers needed just 38 seconds to solve Marozzi Sunday as Dane Muench buried the first shot of the game, netting the rebound off a Brett Corkey blast from the point.
Dylan Walchuk, who led all Vernon scorers with four goals and two assists, made it 2-0 when he took a chip pass from Marcus Basara at the blueline and fired a weak backhander that squeaked through Marozzi's five-hole at 14:05.
The Saints' Scott Allen replied just over a minute later on the powerplay, snapping a shot just inside the right post from the high slot to re-energize 1,300 fans. Allen was the top Doyle sniper with 6+1.
After trailing 5-1 on the shot clock early in the game, the Saints ended the first period with a flurry to outshoot the Snakes 13-9 and carry momentum into the second.
Josh Keizer equalized for Spruce Grove on a tremendous shorthanded effort at 6:37, blocking Adam Thompson's point shot and then winning a foot race to break in alone to score on Kirby Halcrow.
Thompson, one of three Vipers to return for a third straight RBC (Kakoske and Stevie Weinstein are the others) made amends for his earlier mishap by lofting a clearing shot 180 feet into the empty Spruce Grove net with 20 seconds to play.
“For a little while down the ice there it was going wide, but it got a good bounce when it landed. It lifted the pressure a little bit for us,” grinned the Calgary native.
“I was just hoping I got that opportunity because I kind of blew it a little bit for the boys in the second. Sometimes things just work out.”
Coming into the season, the Viper veterans knew they would be counted on to lead the way.
Said Weinstein: “With how many guys we lost, Ferns kind of wanted to lean on our veterans and our experience. Ferns told us we got to believe. Not too many people thought we’d be in this position except the guys in our locker room. It’s nice to prove all the outsiders wrong.”
Spruce Grove head coach Jason Mckee shrugged in his post-game interview, as if to ask what more could his team do.
“There’s not a lot to choose between the two teams. That was a great hockey game and it’s one of those things; they hit the post and it goes the other way and they won a stick battle on the third goal. But it wasn’t one play that won or lost this series,” said Mckee.
When asked what he told his players after the game, the classy coach replied: “That’s between us. There’s not a lot to say at this point. Those kids gave everything they had this year to get themselves in this position and to fall short by one goal, it’s tough.”
SNAKE BITES: Vipers d-man Max Mowat was rocked by Spruce Grove captain Bryce Van Brabant early in the first period. The rookie d-man lay prone on the ice for several seconds before struggling to his feet and labouring off the ice. He did not return.
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