Vipers draw first blood in rivalry series
Vernon wins 3rd game of season in Penticton, taking opener 3-2
The Vernon Vipers continue to make themselves right at home at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Austin Adamson broke a tie at 1:45 of the third period and Vernon held on to beat the Penticton Vees 3-2 in Game 1 of the Interior Division championship series in front of 3,118 fans Friday at the SOEC.
The Vipers have three wins and a tie in five games in Penticton’s rink this season. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series goes tonight at 6 p.m., also at the SOEC.
Steven Jandric and Cameron Trott also scored for the Vipers, who never trailed in the game.
Gabe Bast scored one and assisted on the other by Taylor Ward for the Vees.
Darion Hanson made 36 saves for the win while Mat Robson turned aside 21 shots for the Vees.
The Vipers scored on their first shot of the game at 3:44 as Steven Jandric sped past the Vees defence, rounded the net and surprised Robson with a wraparound.
Bast tied it at 8:09, blasting a high shot from the right circle after his first attempt was blocked. Grant Cruikshank and Ty Amonte assisted.
Vernon reclaimed the lead on a power play at 11:36, with Trott one-timing a Chris Jandric pass from the left circle over Robson.
The Vees tied it up on a power play of their own at 5:46 of the second period. Jones and Bast combined to set up Ward, who beat Hanson five-hole from the right circle.
Vernon took the lead again on a tough bounce at 1:45 of the third. A reverse around the boards by Vees blue-liner Mitch Meek glanced off referee Grant Tyson’s skate right to Jesse Lansdell — and he quickly set up Adamson in close for a tap-in.
The Vipers came close to adding to the lead with five minutes left as Brett Stapley rattled a close-range shot off the crossbar.
The Vees got Robson to the bench for an extra skater with 1:40 left and Vernon’s Cooper Watson took a cross-checking penalty with 58 seconds left to set up a frantic finish. Jones appeared to tie it for the Vees with 34 seconds left, but the goal was waved off because of a high stick.
Hanson, named the game’s first star, made a sensational stop off Bast in the dying seconds as the Vipers held on.
Bast and Steven Jandric rounded out the three stars.
ICE CHIPS: Vipers’ second-line centre Jagger Williamson was a late scratch due to illness, with F Brody Dale drawing into the lineup . . . . The Vees scratched F Ryley Risling, D Kenny Johnson, D Greg Brydon and D Sam Rossini.