Vipers Lose Nailbiter In Prince George:

This is in todays Morning Star newspaper:

Vipers lose nailbiter in Prince George

John White

Dec. 7, 2018

Local Sports

You have to take the victories where they come in sports. For the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL, sometimes they aren’t literal wins but emotional ones.

Despite the 2-1 loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings on the road Wednesday night, the Vipers have to feel pretty good about taking the second place overall team to a tight one-goal game. Even more so when you consider there was an empty-net goal in the last two minutes of the game.

Really, if Vernon could get their power play on track things could be very different in the Interior Division standings. They went 0-3 on the PP Wednesday night in Prince George.

Another plus was the solid play of newly acquired goaltender Bradley Cooper, who stopped 31 of 32 shots on the night.

Prince George’s Dustin Manz got the 5-on-5 goal with just under 13 minutes to go in the third, with assists from Liam Watson-Brawn and Max Coyle, while Ben Brar dumped in the empty-netter with 1:12 to go on the clock.

Vernon’s Teddy Wooding scored his eighth of the session on a setup from Jagger Williamson and Matt Kowalksi with just 33 seconds left in the game, sparking hope of a last-second tie, but it was not to be.

Shots were fairly even: Prince George held the edge at 33 to 32.

The Vipers return home Saturday night for a game against West Kelowna at Kal Tire Place. Game time is 6 p.m. West Kelowna is within striking distance of the Vipers if they can get a win streak rolling.