Having an undefeated team come into their rink was thought to be a good early-season test for the Thompson-Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League’s Vernon Re/Max Tigers.
The home team passed the exam.
The Cats outscored South Okanagan 6-2 in the final 20 minutes to post a convincing 13-7 win over the Flames Saturday night at Wesbild Centre.
“We were pleased with the win as South OK was undefeated coming into our barn on Saturday night and the coaches felt it was a good test for us early in the season,” said head coach Myles Brumpton.
“Going into the third we shortened our bench in the attempt to open the game up (it was 7-5 Tigers after 40 minutes), and the outcome was exactly what we were after as the boys improvised their play on the floor, when required,
“The team showed serious grit and determination the entire game, and as a collective group, the coaches are very reassured in our group as we feel it speaks volumes about the integrity and type of character that we have on our bench.”
Defensively, Brumpton said the Tigers as a unit responded well to their checking assignments and kept South Okanagan’s big guns to the outside for the majority of the game.
Of particular note, Brett Hanna (very strong on the penalty kill), Jake Soleway, Joey Klein (great on the PK as well) and Chris Hamilton all played like tanks as they stapled more than a few bodies to the boards and floor.
Brumpton said the tough defensive play really deterred penetration through the middle for the second half of the game.
“The team is continuing to adapt positively to the new systems the coaching staff have implemented,” said Brumpton. “ We tweaked their play on the bench (during the game) and they made great strides in adjusting on the fly.”
Riley Soleway led the Vernon offence with five goals and an assist while Craig Bigsby chipped in 3+3. Rookie Jay Seaton was a set-up artist, dishing out five assists.
Brennan Plante was strong at both ends of the floor, chipping in 2+1 on offence, and solid D and an aggressive forecheck.
Special teams was one of the keys to the Tigers’ win as they took 10 penalties and the penalty kill operated at 70 per cent efficiency. The powerplay converted on 55 per cent of their opportunities.
The 2-0 Tigers host the winless Kamloops Rattlers (0-3) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wesbild Centre.
The 0-2-1 Armstrong Shamrocks visit the 1-1-2 Kamloops Venom Saturday night.
