Express shock Vipers
Dec. 8, 2017
Morning Star Staff
It’s a single point the Vernon Vipers might regret let slipping away at some point this B.C. Hockey League season.
The Coquitlam Express – they of the four wins in 29 games – rolled into Vernon and knocked off the league-leading Vipers (21 wins) 3-2 in overtime in front of 1,550 stunned fans at Kal Tire Place Wednesday.
Eric Linell scored his team-leading 17th goal at 2:48 of the first five-minute extra period, beating Anthony Yamnitsky for the game-winner.
"It was just like how the night went for us. He shot it out from the corner, Anthony was following the puck; the puck hit something and went into an empty net," said a disappointed Vipers' head coach Mark Ferner. "But it also wasn't our best effort, to say the least"
The Vipers got a point thanks to the effort of veteran forward Jesse Lansdell.
With his team trailing 2-0 and killing a penalty with seven minutes left to go, Lansdell scored two shorthanded markers. The first was on a penalty shot as he beat Express goalie Brock Hamm at 13:00, just 10 seconds after Keyvan Mokhtari was sent off for cross-checking.
Lansdell scored his second shorthanded goal on the Express man advantage 1:21 later to tie the game 2-2.
"Good thing Jesse had a good two minutes," said Ferner.
Lansdell has seven goals on the season, three of them shorthanded.
Sam Kozlowski staked Coquitlam to a 2-0 lead with his fourth and fifth goals of the year, one in each of the first two periods.
Coquitlam went 0-6 with the man advantage, Vernon was 0-5.
The Express are now 2-1-1 under new head coach Jason Fortier, who took over Nov. 27 when Barry Wolff was fired (former Enderby resident Rob Boyd remains as an Express assistant coach).
"It's a huge two points, especially when you go into someone else's building, and especially when they're in first place overall," said Fortier. "The kids are doing a lot of positive things on the ice. I expect us to turn things around."
The Vipers will be without their leading goal scorer for a bit longer.
Forward Brett Stapley has been selected to play for Canada West at the upcoming World Junior A Challenge in Truro, NS Dec. 10-16.
"It's a well deserved honour for Brett," said Ferner. "He's a competitive player that's having a great year for us. It's a great honour and he'll represent the city just fine."
Canada West will open the tournament Dec. 10 against the Czech Republic.
Stapley, a University of Denver commit, is one of 15 B.C. Hockey League players selected to the Canada West roster following training camp held in Calgary.
The 18-year old Campbell River native has 17-goals-surpassing his career high from a year ago- and 21 assists for 38 points in 31 games played this season. Only Jimmy Lambert (13-28-41) has more points on the Vipers.
A total of 60 players were invited to the tryout camp in Calgary, including Vipers goalie Ty Taylor and Vernon defenceman Powell Connor of the Chilliwack Chiefs.
With the single point, the Vipers stay in first place in the Interior Division, two points ahead of the red-hot Penticton Vees, who won their 11th straight Wednesday, 5-1 at home over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The Vees are unbeaten in 12.
Vernon visits Salmon Arm Friday, then host the Vees Saturday at 6 p.m. in the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
Fans are asked to bring a teddy bear or a stuffy to the game and litter the ice with them after the Vipers score their first goal.
The stuffed animals will be collected and given to the Kiss-FM Santa Toy Club for distribution throughout the community.
SNAKE BITES: Taylor was back from the selction camp to backup Yamnitsky... The Celebrate the Civic game featuring the Vipers and Prince George Spruce Kings meeting Saturday, Jan. 6 at the Vernon Civic Arena has completely sold out. For those still looking for tickets, there may be tickets released from season ticket holders who can't attend. Those tickets will be released closer to the date. The game is being played exactly 80 years to the day the Civic opened-Jan. 6 1938- with an exhibition match between the Vancouver Lions and Sopkane Clippers.
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