Vipers pickpocket Powell River
Published: April 03, 2011
Stealing a win from Hap Parker Arena has been akin to breaking into the Royal Canadian Mint. It’s just not that easy.
The Powell River Kings had allowed just seven home losses – four in the regular season and three more in the playoffs – heading into Game 1 of the Fred Page Cup Finals Friday night on the Sunshine Coast.
The Vernon Vipers handed them loss No. 8 with a 3-1 win before 1,376 B.C. Hockey League fans to take an early lead in the best-of-seven series.
“It’s definitely not an easy place to play in. We did ourselves a big favour by taking the first one,” said Bryce Kakoske, who pocketed the winner late in the first period to earn second star.
Vernon’s Dylan Walchuk continued his post-season tear, opening the scoring 6:41 into the first period when he stripped a Powell River defender before turning and firing from the slot to beat netminder Michael Garteig.
The goal came after the Kings opened the first period with a ton of pressure in the Vipers’ zone, including an early powerplay. Both teams went scoreless with the man advantage; Powell River went 0-for-3, Vernon went 0-for-2.
“We expected that. First game of a series at home, we knew they were going to come out hard. We survived that and came out of the first period with a 2-0 lead,” said Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner.
“We were of the mind-set of coming in here and trying to get a split. Now that we got the first one, the goal is to get the second one.”
Game 2 went Saturday night on the Sunshine Coast.
Games 3 and 4 go Monday and Tuesday night respectively at Wesbild Centre. If necessary, Game 5 would go Thursday in Powell River, Game 6 would go Saturday in Vernon and Game 7 would go Monday, April 11 in Powell River.
Despite the Game 1 victory, Ferner believes the Vipers can be better than what he saw Friday night.
“We did enough to win that game, but we weren’t as good as we have been and we weren’t as good as I know we can be.”
Kakoske completed the first-period scoring with 64 seconds to play, on pretty much a carbon-copy of Walchuk’s goal.
“Their d-man was behind the net, I went to flush him out and I got the signature Kellen Jones stick lift on him and just turned and fired,” smiled Kakoske.
Powell River head coach Kent Lewis said the Kings would need a much better effort to get back into the series.
“I don’t think any facets of our game were very good last night,” he said.
“Vernon with a lead is very good. They know how to play their game and we gave them a two-goal cushion and didn’t generate enough to make it close.”
The Kings’ lone goal came in the final minute of the second period when third star Daniel Schuler beat first star netminder Kirby Halcrow (20 saves) on a goal-mouth scramble.
“They had us pinned in there and had our dee caught out and they couldn’t get off,” said Ferner.
The Vipers completed the scoring on an odd-man rush five minutes into the third period. With Mike Zalewski carrying the puck wide and linemates Darren Nowick and John Knisley driving to the net, Zalewski fired a shot that appeared to deflect off a Powell River d-man past Garteig (23 saves).
SNAKE BITES: Viper d-man Phil Patenaude returned to action after being injured in Game 2 of the Interior Conference finals. Forward Dane Muench, who sustained a separated shoulder early in the Westside Warriors series, took the pre-game skate...The Salmon Arm SilverBacks completed the future considerations portions of their trades to acquire F Mike Hammond of the Cowichan Valley Capitals and F Brad Reid of the Coquitlam Express. The ‘Backs sent F Devin Gannon and F Brandon Mistal to the Capitals, while D Clinton Atkinson and F Cody Michelle went to the Express...Jim Ingram, former Trail Smoke Eaters’ coach, signed with the Cowichan Valley Capitals and will serve as co-coach with Dale Purinton...Josh Koper notched the winner 2:38 into overtime to give the host Spruce Grove Saints a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Camrose Kodiaks in Game 1 of the AJHL Enerflex Cup series Friday night at Grant Fuhr Arena. The winners of the Fred Page and Enerflex finals will meet in the Doyle Cup regional series, which begins Friday, April 15, hosted by the BCHL winner.
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