Vipers lose in championship game

It was a heartbreaking end to the 2023-24 season for the Kensington Moase Plumbing and Heating Vipers on April 28.

The Antigonish Bulldogs scored two unanswered third-period goals to edge the Vipers 3-2 in the 2024 Don Johnson Memorial Cup Atlantic junior B hockey championship game in Mount Pearl, N.L.

It marked the second year in a row the Bulldogs defeated the Vipers by one goal in the final. In 2023, Antigonish built a 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-3 win in Liverpool, N.S.

The Bulldogs’ Venel Campbell tied the game 2-2 at 5:17 of the third period, and Ethan Twolan scored what proved to be the championshipclinching goal at 11:43.

ILLEGAL EQUIPMENT PENALTY

Any hopes of a Vipers’ comeback were dealt a big blow with 2:03 remaining in regulation time when a Kensington player was assessed a minor penalty for illegal equipment. This call led to the Vipers also receiving two 10-minute misconducts, a game misconduct and a gross misconduct.

Each team was assessed two minor penalties in the game.

GOALTENDING

Winning goaltender Adam Tkacz stopped 23 of 25 shots. Vipers goaltender Noah Visser had a much busier afternoon, turning aside 41 of 44 shots.

Cameron Bell also scored for the Nova Scotia-champion Bulldogs. Sam Grant and Brodie Macdonald added assists for Antigonish.

Max Chisholm and Chandler Desroches scored for the P.e.i.-champion Vipers, who were making their 15th appearance at the Don Johnson Memorial Cup tournament.

PERIOD SCORES

Chisholm tied the game 1-1 in the final minute of the first period, and Desroches scored the lone goal of the middle frame at 2:23 to give the Vipers a 2-1 lead at the end of 40 minutes.

Carson Mackay and Harrison James earned assists for Kensington.