Vernon, BC: The Vernon Vipers look to put a bow on their regular season with a victory as they host the Trail Smoke Eaters.
The Vipers (26-20-4-3) come in after a disappointing 6-1 loss in West Kelowna on Sunday afternoon. Luke Lavery had the lone goal. The Vipers finished the road portion of their schedule with an 11-10-3-3 record. The Vipers were 10-4-1 on the road since January 2. Their home record has been impressive too, 9-4 since January 1. It was quite the turnaround for the Vipers in 2022 with a record of 19-8-1.
The Smoke Eaters (19-28-2-2) come into the game after three straight losses to the Wenatchee Wild. 6-2, 3-1, 5-2 were the final scores. The Smokies have been bamboozled by the injury bug, with Evan Fradette, Brady Hunter and others with extended stays in the injured list. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games, with two wins over Wenatchee and one over Merritt.
Both teams know who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs. The Vipers will head to West Kelowna for a 3 vs 6 matchup, while the Smoke Eaters draw the Penticton Vees in the first round starting on March 31.
The Vipers are 4-0-1 against Trail this season.
You can catch all the action starting at 6:45 on BCHL.TV or 107.5 Beach Radio.
