So far so good for the Vernon Vipers in the B.C. Hockey League pod season.
The Vipers improved to 2-0 with a 5-3 win over the West Kelowna Warriors Sunday, April 4, at Kal Tire Place.
The Warriors opened the scoring on a powerplay as Cameron Hicklin deflected home his first BCHL goal. The Vipers had a number of good chances throughout the first period, but weren’t able to capitalize until the end while on a two-man advantage. Ryan Shostak set up Nick Kent who wired a slap shot past Warriors goalie Johnny Derrick to make it 1-1 after 20 minutes.
While shorthanded early in the period, JoJo Tanaka-Campbell was sprung on a breakaway and finished off a nice move to make it 2-1. Brennan Nelson had a great chance to equalize for West Kelowna in the later stages of the period, but bobbled the puck on a penalty shot keeping the game 2-1.
Cam MacDonald set up Seth Bafaro a few moments later to increase the Vipers lead to 3-1. Hicklin got the Warriors back to within one as he poked home a loose puck past Vipers netminder James Porter Jr. to make it 3-2 Vernon after two periods.
Carter Wilkie struck early in the third period on the powerplay with a laser wrist shot over the shoulder of Porter Jr. to make it 3-3. The tie didn’t last very long as Kjell Kjemhus centered a puck that was slipped home by Tanaka-Campbell for his second goal of the night to make it 4-3. Cam MacDonald sealed the game with a shorthanded marker with just over six minutes remaining.
Porter Jr. finished with 24 saves for Vernon while Derrick made 27 stops for West Kelowna.
The Vipers are next in action against Salmon Arm on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Vernon beat the Silverbacks 4-1 Friday to kick off the pod schedule. The Warriors will next play Thursday, April 8, against the Gorillas. West Kelowna edged Salmon Arm 2-1 Saturday.
Vernon, Salmon Arm and West Kelowna will play 20-game schedules at Kal Tire Place.
READ MORE: West Kelowna Warriors open BCHL pod play with win over Salmon Arm
READ MORE: WATCH: Vernon Vipers kick off Pod Season with win over Salmon Arm
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Vernon Vipers goalie James Porter Jr. stops West Kelowna’s Brennan Nelson on a second-period penalty shot during the Snakes’ 5-3 BCHL win Sunday, April 4, at Kal Tire Place. (Lisa Mazurek - Vernon Vipers Photography)
