The Vernon Vipers have pocketed points in their last five B.C. Hockey League games, setting up a key Hallowe’en spooktacular game with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at Kal Tire Place.
The Vipers lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Powell River Kings Friday night and finished their short road trek by shutting down the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 4-0 Saturday night.
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Vernon is 7-5-4 and sixth in the crazy tight Interior Division, two points back of the Silverbacks and West Kelowna Warriors and one point behind the Penticton Vees and Wenatchee Wild. The Trail Smoke Eaters are last, one point back of the Vipers.
Teddy Wooding scored his fourth of the season as he poked a loose puck home at the side of the Bulldog goal at 2:42 of the second period before 1,107 fans at Weyerhaeuser Arena. Just 65 seconds later, Nick Cherkowski tipped in a Coleton Bilodeau shot for his first BCHL goal. Both players are Vernon minor hockey graduates.
Captain Jagger Williamson kept the puck on a 2-on-1 and ripped home his fifth of the year to make it 3-0 two minutes later, assisted by Josh Latta. Williamson’s snipe chased starter Cole Demers, who was replaced by John Hawthorne.
Newbie Ben Sanderson hung on to the puck on another odd-man rush and scored his first goal as a Viper to make it 4-with 44 seconds left in the second stanza. D Michael Young earned the assist.
Things got chippy in the third as Alex Swetlikoff tangled with Spencer Hora of the Dawgs 3:52 into the period.
The Vipers killed off four Bulldog powerplays in the period. Vernon outshot Alberni Valley 42-26 with Aidan Porter recording his second shutout of the season. The Dawgs fell to 7-10-1, third in the Island Division.
On the Sunshine Coast, Williamson (8th) beat Hayden Missler with 23 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Vernon goalie Max Palaga was on the bench for a sixth attacker.
Mitch Williams and Nathan Fawcett scored for the Kings in the shootout, while Williamson and Sebastian Streu missed on their attempts.
The Kings won their first shootout of the season, the last team in the BCHL to do so, while Vernon fell to 0-5 in the shootout before 950 fans at Hap Parker Arena.
Former Viper Ryan Brushett earned the first star with his eighth goal of the year and one assist for Powell River. Brushett pulled the hat trick and the first star last season in a win with the Surrey Eagles, shortly after he was traded by the Vipers.
Fawcett also converted in regulation as the Kings improved to 11-6 and second spot in the Island Division.
Streu rang up his second of the year for the Vipers, who were outshot 35-26. Vernon played the weekend without sniper and alternate captain Jesse Lansdell (suspended).
The Chilliwack Chiefs brushed back the Cowichan Valley Capitals 3-2 Sunday and are No. 1 in the league at 15-6.
In other Sunday play, the Silverbacks upended the Prince George Spruce Kings 3-2, while the Victoria Grizzlies dispatched the Eagles 6-2.
In Saturday tilts, West Kelowna stopped Penticton 5-3 before 3,141 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre, Salmon Arm bottled up Trail 4-2, Powell River defeated Nanaimo 4-1, Merritt stuffed Victoria 4-2, Coquitlam Express toppled the Caps 5-2, Prince George beat Wenatchee 4-1 and Chilliwack shaded Langley 5-4.
In Friday action, West Kelowna grounded the Silverbacks 4-1, Wenatchee ambushed the Caps 8-1, Alberni Valley blanked the Nanaimo Clippers 8-0, the Penticton Vees mauled the Cents 6-1, Surrey doubled the Langley Rivermen 4-2 and Prince George iced the Smokies 5-2.
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