Vernon, BC: Josh Latta scored twice and Aidan Porter stopped 17 shots as the Vernon Vipers won Game 7 in front of a sellout crowd at Kal Tire Place over the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters.
In the first Game 7 played at Kal Tire Place in nearly 9 years, the city embraced the evening with over 3200 fans in attendance. They were treated to a pretty solid start from the home side as the Vipers jumped out to a 5-1 shot advantage in the first 6 minutes. Josh Latta opened the scoring as he danced through the neutral zone before letting a hard wrister go from the left circle to make it 1-0. Nick Cherkowski added to the lead a few minutes later as he walked off the corner boards and a shot banked off a couple of bodies in front to make it 2-0. The Smoke Eaters got on the board on the powerplay as Hayden Rowan deflected a pass past Aidan Porter to make it 2-1. The next shift, the Vipers restored their two goal lead as Jagger Williamson jumped on a rebound in front of the Trail goal to make it 3-1 after 1. The Vipers held the Smokies to just 3 shots in the period.
In the second period, the Vipers continued to frustrate the Smoke Eaters who tried to carry in over the Vipers blue line. The defenders had great gap control and smart sticks to slow up the speedy Trail forwards. The Vipers increased their lead when Ben Sanderson found Carver Watson sneaking in from the left blue line and he ripped home his first of the playoffs to make it 4-1. Donovan Buskey replaced Adam Marcoux and the Vipers tested him often. The period ended with a 4-1 score.
The Vipers knew the Smokies would come out gunning in the final period in an attempt to tie the game. The Vipers were given a pair of powerplays in the period which helped slow up the Smokies. At the end of the first penalty, Braeden Tuck was set up from behind the goal to make it 4-2. That was all the Vipers would surrender. They clogged up the middle of the ice, kept the Smokies to the outside and minimized most of the good chances. Buskey would go to the bench for the extra attacker, but again the Vipers played a tidy defensive game. Josh Latta would hit the empty net to make it 5-2. A very classy move by Jeff Tambellini of the Smokies as he put Adam Marcoux as well as the other 20 year olds to finish the game as the buzzer sounded in a 5-2 Vipers win.
The Vipers would like to wish all the graduating Smoke Eaters all the best and thank the Trail organization for a great series. They would also like to thank all 3200 plus fans who sold out Kal Tire Place and made it a great environment.
The Vipers will now face the Wenatchee Wild in the Interior Finals with the dates still yet to be determined.
