The Vernon Home Building Center Vipers split a pair of Okanagan Mainline Midget Tier 2 Hockey League games.
After losing 5-4 to Kelowna Saturday night in front of a large contingent of friends and family at Civic Arena, the Vipers shut down West Kelowna Warriors 6-0 Sunday at Royal LePage Place.
Kelowna took an early kneeing major and ejection on Damian Coljee-Fehr, but Vernon’s powerplay fizzled with just two shots.
Shortly after the big penalty kill, Kelowna potted their first of the game off the rush.
Dex Elders tied it with a bank shot off the Kelowna netminder with 5:26 left in the first. Kelowna re-took the lead at 3:24 as Vernon scrambled with their D-zone coverage.
The Vipers gave up a shorthanded breakaway in the dying minute of the first that was stopped by Ty Sedlacek.
Vernon came out strong in the second period with some good puck control down low as the penalty to Kelowna expired, making it 2-2 at 19:18 off a snipe by Kyle Sherwood, assisted by Connor Johnston.
The Vernon boys seemed to feed off the energy of a monster Lee Christiensen hit, going ahead 3-2 as Joe Eggert won an offensive zone draw back to captain Dylan Sedlacek for a wrister from the point tipped in by Eggert.
Kelowna took the lead for good with their third PP goal at 18:25 of the third, making it 4-3. Some sloppy defensive zone play resulted in Kelowna’s fifth goal off a turnover with 9:38 remaining.
Vernon pushed hard to come back with Dylan Sedlacek sniping a wrister from the slot, taking advantage of a poor Kelowna change. Assists on the play were provided by Eggert and Christiensen.
The Vipers struck the post from the point with six attackers in the final seconds.
It was total domination Sunday as the Home Building crew outshot West Kelowna 68-17 with Isaac Waldermaas earning his first shutout of the season.
Caden Bracken (2), Stephane Richard, Johnston, Eggert and Elders scored in West Kelowna.
“We were disappointed with the effort we had on Saturday night and knew we needed a bounce-back game,” said Vernon head coach Jared Barendregt. “The guys are learning that a full 60 minutes is needed for success with our group.”
The Sun Valley Source for Sports Vipers went 2-1 in a three-game Bantam Tier 1 series versus the host Prince George Cougars.
The Cougars took the opener 6-3 but Vernon followed with 5-3 and and 4-1 victories.
Vernon opened up a 3-0 lead Saturday on goals from Steel Quiring, Braeden McAmmond and Porter Trevelyan.
Prince George levelled the score in the second period when Vernon got into penalty trouble. The Vipers re-grouped and bagged two unanswered goals. Issac Thomas and Trevor Kennedy added insurance snipes in support of Cayden Hamming.
The Sunday series decider saw Vernon grab an early 2-0 lead on goals by Zack Funk and a sweet snipe from McAmmond. PG cut the lead in half before Vernon put things away with two more goals. Ben Imrich scored from the point and Quiring banged in a rebound. Assists went to Connor Hansen, Kennedy and Feist.
In Bantam Tier 3 play, Vernon Fix Auto Vipers iced the host Penticton Vees 4-2 Sunday.
The Vipers called up goalie Mason Bueckert from Bantam House and he posted the win.
Reily Teager, assisted by Jacob Green, jumpstarted the Vernon attack. Ben Reinhart passed back to the point where Damian Glover blasted in the Snakes’ second snipe.
Cody Beckner fed Ronac Chauhan, who circled the net and hit a wide open Damion Glover, who stepped up from the point and converted the winner.
Glover and Trevor Moore played catch from the points and set up Beckner, who beat a couple of Vees for the extra goal.
