Vipers Game Day – Vipers Look For Series Victory in Game 6

Photo: Lisa Mazurek

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game Time: 6:00 pm PDT

Location: Kal Tire Place

Radio: 107.5 Beach Radio

Webcast: Hockey TV 

Vernon Vipers

GM & Head Coach: Jason McKee

2022-23 Playoffs: GP 5, 3-2

Home: 1-1-0-0

Away: 2-1-0-0

GF: 19

GA: 14

Power Play: 5 for 22 – 22.7%

Penalty Kill: 15 of 21 – 71.4%

Top Scorer: Lee Parks (6-2-8)

*If necessary

Last Game: The Vipers used some great goaltending and some timely scoring as they secured a 2-1 win in Game 5 in West Kelowna on Friday night.  Reagan Milburn and Ethan Merner had goals.  Ethan David made 31 saves on 32 shots for his third win of the series.  The Vipers PK was 3 of 3 including a big kill in the last two minutes of regulation to finish the game.  Ethan Merner’s goal was his first BCHL playoff goal in his first BCHL playoff game.

Tonight: The Vipers can punch their ticket to the second round of the playoffs, but it will be far from easy.  The old cliché is “the fourth game is the hardest to win” and it’s a cliché for a reason, because it’s true.  The Vipers will face a desperate Warriors team who have seen their offense dry up.  Vernon has surrendered just 1 goal against in their last 7.5 periods.  The offensive success the Vipers have had has stemmed from traffic and deflections in front and a persistent forecheck.  Lee Parks has a point in all 5 games of the series thus far.  Home ice has been a huge advantage to the Vipers this season, tonight’s game is a massive one at the friendly confines.

West Kelowna Warriors

GM & Head Coach: Simon Ferguson

2022-23 Playoffs: GP 5, 2-3

Home: 1-2

Away: 1-1

GF: 14

GA: 19

Power Play: 6 for 21 – 28.6%

Penalty Kill: 17 of 22 – 77.3%

Top Scorer: Christopher Duclair (3-4-7) Brennan Nelson (2-5-7)

Last Game: The Warriors played a solid 60 minutes on Friday but ran into some hot goaltending.  Despite being held off the scoresheet for the first time in the series, Chris Duclair was electric and had a trio of high-quality scoring chances.  Defensively they didn’t allow a lot either, but the Vipers were opportunistic with what was presented to them.  Cayden Hamming bounced back after getting the hook in game 4, with a 30 save effort to give his team a chance to tie it up late.

Tonight: It’s no secret the Warriors will play with a bit of desperation.  They have had success in Vernon’s building with 2 wins in 4 chances including a convincing win in Game 3.  The Warriors transition game can be lethal with the speed and skill of their forwards.  West Kelowna would like to see better starts.  They have surrendered the opening goal in four of the first five games of the series.