Their B.C. Hockey League road warrior glory is over after two months.
The Vernon Vipers, who last lost away from home Dec. 7 in Penticton, lost 3-0 to the Merritt Centennials Tuesday night before 350 fans at Nicola Valley Arena.
The Snakes are 12-11-2-3 on the road, fourth best in the 17-team BCHL. Vernon hosts the first overall Wenatchee Wild Friday night at Kal Tire Place. The Wild are tops with 252 goals and are ranked No. 10 in the 132-team Canadian Junior Hockey League.
Jake Berger recorded 30 saves for his first shutout of the season. Berger, a Minnesota product, is 17-15-0-2. Ty Taylor, of Richmond, dropped to 12-10-0-2.
Roadrunner Zach Risteau buried a wrister right under the bar from the bottom of the left circle at 7:50 of the first period for his 24th of the season. Cade Gleekel and Rylan Van Unen drew assists.
The Cents upped their lead 76 seconds later when Tyler Ward snapped home his 13th of the season after Taylor made a huge save. Michael Regush and Nicholas Wick earned helpers. Ward and Regush were teammates with Taylor on team West at the recent CJHL Prospects Game in Cornwall.
The Vipers came close to cutting the deficit as red-hot Ryan Brushett rang a shot off the cross bar.
Van Unen added insurance late in the third with Nick Fidanza and Chase Bell pocketing assists on his fifth of the year.
Viper d-man Sol Seibel went toe to toe with left winger Zach Zorn in a spirited second-period fight, for his second BCHL scrap.
Merritt, who has Vernon product Brett Jewell as captain, improved to 20-20-8-2, good for a share of fourth place in the Interior Division with the West Kelowna Warriors, 5-3 losers to the Langley Rivermen before 735 fans at Royal LePage Place Tuesday night.
Vernon dipped to 27-16-5-4, 10 points in front of the third-place Trail Smoke Eaters, who are three points ahead of West Kelowna and Merritt.
The top two teams receive first-round playoff byes.
The top five teams from the Interior, and either the fifth seed from the Mainland Division or the sixth seed from the Interior, also qualify for the post-season. This crossover spot will play the third-seed Interior team in the first round.
Surrey is fifth in the Mainland with 35 points, while the Salmon Arm Silverbacks are sixth in the Interior with 42 points. The Silverbacks and Smokies tied 1-1 in double overtime before 1,045 fans Tuesday night at the Shaw Centre.
Former Viper d-man Carter Stephenson scored for Salmon Arm, while Connor Brown-Maloski converted for Trail.
