Rather goal-challenged of late, the Vernon Vipers exploded for a 7-4 win over the host West Kelowna Warriors before 1,000 fans Friday night at Royal LePage Place.
Newbie Derek Brown pulled the hat trick as the Vipers improved to 30-12-1-4, good for a share of first place with the Penticton Vees in the B.C. Hockey League’s Interior Division. Both teams have 65 points, one more than the Wenatchee Wild.
Brown bagged a pair of power play snipes, while Jesse Lansdell, Jimmy Lambert, Brett Stapley and Coleton Bilodeau supplied singles in front of Ty Taylor. D-man Michael Ufberg and forward Jordan Sandhu each produced two assists.
RJ Murphy, with a deuce, Ryan Steele and Bennett Norlin countered for the Warriors, who are fifth at 23-22-1-1, four points in front of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Viper head coach Mark Ferner had to shuffle his lines with captain Jagger Williamson sidelined with an upper-body problem and Keyvan Mohktari leaving the game early with an injury.
The Vipers trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes before unleashing six snipes in the second period. Brown counted a hatty in a span of nine minutes. Lambert capped the eruption with his 16th goal of the season with 1:33 left in the wild period.
Bilodeau pocketed his first BCHL goal at 5:58 of the final period with Ufberg and Sandhu drawing helpers. Norlin completed the offence with 67 seconds to play.
Vernon outshot West Kelowna 39-31 with Taylor registering his 19th win of the season. He leads the league with a 1.84 goals against average. Cole Demers and Nik Amundrud split the West Kelowna netminding.
“I felt we played OK,” said Ferner. “We got a five-minute power play (D Stephen Klyeson took boarding major on Lambert), scored and then we took off from there in the second period. We finally started to find the back of the net.”
Lansdell and Willie Reim of the Warriors received roughing minors and misconducts early in the third period. Shortly after, Viper d-man Chris Jandric and Marino earned misconducts.
The Vipers entertain the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tonight and play a matinee Sunday in Trail against the Smoke Eaters.
Trevor Adams converted at 1:22 of 3-on-3 overtime as the Silverbacks clipped the Bulldogs 7-6 before 1,000 fans at the Shaw Centre.
Former Vernon d-man Sol Seibel scored once for the Silverbacks.
Michael Sacco pulled the hat trick for Alberni Valley (14-24-4-4), while Jackson Doucet added two goals.
SNAKE BITES: Viper F Josh Prokop scored once as Team West stuffed Team East 5-2 in the CJHL Prospects Game Tuesday night in Mississauga. Stapley also played for the West…The North Zone lost 6-4 to host Whitehorse in Midget Tier 2 play Friday. Jarred Feist, Jacob Dewitt, Austin Roest and Grayson Williamson scored for the North Zone…The Vees doused the Powell River Kings 4-1 on the Sunshine Coast…The Kelowna Chiefs shaded the North Okanagan Knights 5-4 in KIJHL play Friday night before 200 fans at Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong. Jett Saharchuk, with three goals, and Jaden Hay handled the Knights’ offence. Tyler Love registered the winner at 7:11 of the third period.
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