Morning Star Staff
Daniel Wachter pulled the hat trick as EC Red Bull Salzburg Under 20s upended the Vernon Vipers 6-4 in international exhibition hockey play before 1,277 fans Monday night at Kal Tire Place.
It was Salzburg’s second win in three tries against B.C. Hockey League teams. The Red Bulls outlasted the West Kelowna Warriors 8-6 to jumpstart their four-game tour a week ago. Salzburg then lost 6-1 to the first-place Penticton Vees last Wednesday. The Red Bulls finish their tour Wednesday night in Victoria versus the Grizzlies.
The Vipers, who still have several players battling the flu, recalled forwards Keaton Gordon of the Junior B Kamloops Storm and Jake Toor of Yale Academy in Abbotsford, along with defencemen Carter Stephenson (Vancouver NW Giants) and Chris Jandric (Cariboo Cougars) from the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League.
Wachter, 18, buried a wrister in the mid-slot after a turnover 2:31 into the third period to break a 2-2 deadlock. He supplied the winner with 4:07 remaining with a top-cheddar shot past Brendan Barry, 47 seconds after Liam Finlay made it 4-4 from the left crease after a feed from d-man Latrell Charleson, who strolled down the left wall after taking a feed from Chris Jandric.
The roadrunner Wachter beat d-man Mac Ferner to a loose puck and buried an empty netter for the hat trick with just seconds left.
Phillip Lindner, Paul Sztatecsny and Marek Valach also scored for Salzburg, who led 2-0 just 4:24 after the national anthems were sung.
Ben Butcher, Steve Jandric and Brett Stapley on a sweet breakaway deke after Salzburg d-man Lindner, the nicest skater on the ice, blew a tire near centre. The Vipers started taking control of the tilt after Butcher’s snipe at 16:39 of the opening period on a gorgeous three-way passing play with Stapley and Finlay.
Steve Jandric levelled things at 2-2 when he went top shelf after a nifty back pass by captain Colton McCarthy from six feet.
The teams went scoreless in the second period before Valach rattled the water bottle going high on Barry on a powerplay midway through the third (McCarthy in the penalty box).
The Red Bulls outshot the Vipers 32-21 with Wouter Peeters going the distance in net. Maximilian Eggers earned three assists for the Austrian squad, which is sprinkled with a few German and Canadian products.
Vernon rested regulars Riley Brandt, Hunter Zandee and Christian Cakebread.
Salzburg badly outshot the Trinity Western University Spartans but lost 4-2 in earlier exhibition play. The Red Bulls had one day off to explore Vancouver, training on days where they had no games.
Salzburg is third in Group A of the Erste Bank Young Stars League at 16-11-1. Left winger Valentin Busch is ranked 132nd among International skaters in Central Scouting’s mid-term ratings.
Red Bull Salzburg has several familiar faces in its executive including club director and former NHL head coach Pierre Pagé and skills coach, former NCAA star and NHLer Brian Savage.
Salzburg is coached by former Boston College standout and Carolina Hurricanes draft pick J.D. Forrest as well as former Clarkson University defenceman and Bentley University assistant coach Matt Curley.
Please see more Vipers-Red Bull coverage in Wednesday’s Morning Star.
