1st
13:18 MER Rylan Van Unen (12) ASST: Payton Matsui (21), Chase Nameth (12) (PP)
14:36 MER Ben Ward (5) ASST: Chase Nameth (13) (PP)
17:00 VER Connor Marritt (14) ASST: Dawson Holt (18) (PP)
2nd
5:30 MER Jerzy Orchard (5) ASST: None
6:00 VER Max Bulawka (18) ASST: Connor Marritt (23)
9:50 VER Ryan Shostak (5) ASST: Dawson Holt (19)
12:31 VER Ben Helgeson (9) ASST: Matt Kowalski (27), Dawson Holt (20) (PP)
17:29 VER Hunter Donohoe (2) ASST: Landon Fuller (12), Connor Sleeth (17)
3rd
11:13 VER Nicholas Kent (1) ASST: Dawson Holt (21), Connor Marritt (24)
Reilly Herbst made 33 saves in the win, while Ryan Winter made 39 saves in the loss. Vernon outshot Merritt 45-36
I have picked a victory song for the Vipers this season and after every win I will play Tarzan Boy by Baltimora
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r0n9Dv6XnY
Boxscore-Game Summary,
https://bchl.ca/stats/game-summary/9607
Merritt Centennials Blog,
http://q101.ca/sports
Game Report,
https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/official-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=9607
Text Boxscore,
https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/text-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=9607
I watched tonight's game online and it didn't look good early for the Vipers who fell behind 2-0 and 3-1 but rallied to come back for the 6-3 victory. I thought the Vipers played much better in the 2nd and 3rd periods and were the better team. Dawson Holt returns to the lineup with four assists tonight. Vernon has been struggling and continues to get off to slow starts. How many times have we seen this team, fall behind early and have to try and come from behind. This team has been inconsistent all season and has yet to improve with only seven games remaining in the regular season. This was a big win, after Salmon Arm won 3-0 in Langley tonight. The Snakes move five points up on Wenatchee are still a point back of the Silverbacks. What's up with this crazy schedule this year? Tonight was the Vipers fourth game in seven days.
ReplyDeleteThis was posted on the Centennials website:
ReplyDeleteVipers Strike Back Against Cents
February 5, 2020
The Merritt Centennials started out strong, but the Vernon Vipers awoke and didn’t look back as they scored 5 unanswered en route to a 6-3 Cents loss.
The Tuesday night affair started out a little on the sleepy side as neither team found much purchase through the first 10 minutes. It wasn’t until a pair of penalties to the Vipers that the Cents were able to open the scoring. Rylan Van Unen sniped top corner hockey to make it 1-0 with plenty of time remaining on the powerplay, and Ben Ward was able to tally on the powerplay as well as the Cents were able to shootout to a quick 2-0 lead. However, the Vipers were no slouches on their extra man advantage as Rylan Van Unen went off for slashing and the Vipers Captain Connor Marritt was able to tally to make it 2-1. That would be the score heading into the second period. Shots after 1 were 14-10 Cents.
In the second period, the Cents had a solid start, but then things turned sour. Jerzy Orchard scored on a nifty wraparound, where he was denied on one side, but got a backhand to go on the other to make it 3-1. However, that awoke the Vipers and they’d score on the ensuing shift, and 4 unanswered. Max Bulawka, Ryan Shostak, Ben Helgeson, and Hunter Donohoe would all score in the 2nd period for the Vipers to know the Centennials back a peg. Shots after 2 were 30-24 Vipers.
The final frame saw the Cents and Vipers skate at an even rate, but Nathan Kent would add his first in the BCHL to make it 6-3 Vernon. Ryan Winter stopped 39/45 shots in the losing effort. Final Shots 45-36 Vernon.
After the game, Assistant Coach Paul Barnes said the Cents seemed to lose their way after the 3rd goal.
“We kind of took our foot off the pedal after the third goal, and let the Vipers come back in the game. We need to keep pushing at those points and keep the pressure on.”
The Centennials will look to rebound on the road against the Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday night.
This is posted on the Vipers website:
ReplyDeleteAfter the Buzzer – Vipers Double Up On Cents
February 4, 2020
Merritt, BC: The Vernon Vipers had 6 different goal scorers and Reilly Herbst turned aside 34 of 37 as they downed the Merritt Centennials 6-3.
A pretty tentative start in the first period without many scoring chances. The Vipers had a simple approach of getting pucks in and trying to cause turnovers. Special teams was the difference in the period as the Cents found themselves on a 5 on 3 powerplay and Rylan Van Unen snapped a shot from the right circle to make it 1-0. With the powerplay continuing 5 on 4, Ben Ward jumped on a puck in the slot to make it 2-0. The Vipers killed off the remainder of the powerplay and generated a good chance of their own, but Ryan Winter made an outstanding save off of Ben Helgeson to keep it 2-0. The Vipers drew a penalty on the play and following a great save from Herbst, Connor Marritt went the other way and wired a wrister top corner to make it 2-1. Late in the period Herbst again made a big save stopping Rylan Van Unen on a break away to keep the game 2-1 after 1 period.
The Vipers were forced into an early penalty kill and were able to effectively kill it off. The Cents increased their lead as Jerzy Orchard banked in a loose puck off the arm of Herbst to make it 3-1. Thirty seconds later Max Bulawka potted home a rebound following a Connor Marritt shot to make it 3-2. Following a successful penalty kill, Ryan Shostak was sprung on a breakaway and ripped a shot low to Ryan Winter’s blocker to tie the game up at 3. It was the Vipers turn on the powerplay minutes later and some nice passing set up Ben Helgeson for a tap in on the far post to give Vernon their first lead of the night. Late in the period Hunter Donohoe walked into a slapper from the left circle that made its way through Winter to make it 5-3 for the Vipers after 2.
In the third, the Vipers tightened up defensively. They were able to add another midway through as a Nick Kent point shot got through a maze of bodies for his first BCHL goal to make it 6-3. That’s the way this one would end.
The Vipers return home Friday to face the Nanaimo Clippers at 7pm.
Ben Sanderson- injured..I heard from a reliable source that Ben Sanderson has quit the Vipers and went home. Is he the third or fourth Viper to walk out this year. I'm not at all surprised if this is true cause there are alot of whispers out there that the player morale is at an all time low.
ReplyDeleteI heard last weekend from a reliable source and mentioned it on one of my game recaps that Ben Sanderson has gone home, but only due to his injury. I didn't hear he quit the team. I also heard the last time he was injured and out for a lengthy period of time, he went home, due to his long term injury.
ReplyDeleteSooner the better, we don't want him next year as 20 year old who skates around , never hits and scores. i guess he got his mom's hands not his dad's. i wish him luck finding a place to play as 20 year old.
ReplyDeleteSooner the better really disappointing this year as 19 year old. Skates around rarely hits and scores a goal once a month. We dont't want him next year as a 20year old. Our lack of production this year from the 19 year olds have been our problem, cash, helgeson , sanderson and the 20 year old fop sleeth.Our future looks good with all the first and second year olds providing scoring and leadership
ReplyDeleteNice talk ,Anonymous at 11:53 am . What purpose is served by referring to a young man ( Sleeth ) , as a " fop " ? Did you intend to type , " flop " ?
ReplyDelete