Vernon, BC: The Vipers gave more than 2,200 fans plenty to cheer about Saturday night, scoring four shorthanded goals in a 7-3 win over the West Kelowna Warriors.
The home opener victory extended Vernon’s winning streak to three games and improved its record to 3-1 on the season.
Evan Schulha opened his BCHL goal-scoring account in remarkable fashion, scoring twice in the first period — both shorthanded and both during the same penalty kill. Will Johnson and Jed Lake added shorthanded goals in the third period to complete an outstanding offensive night for Vernon’s penalty killers.
Mykolas Skadauskas, Tommy Karmiris and Toms Trockis also found the back of the net as the Vipers followed up two straight road wins with a memorable home debut
Mykolas Skadauskas, Tommy Karmiris and Toms Trockis also found the back of the net as the Vipers followed up two straight road wins with a memorable home debut.
The penalty kill did much more than provide offence. Vernon shut down all five West Kelowna power plays, improving to a perfect 14-for-14 on the season. The Vipers also went 1-for-4 on the power play, scoring with the man advantage for the fourth consecutive game.
Sammy DiBlasi turned aside 32 of 35 shots to earn his second victory of the season.
Emmanuel Chan and Olivier Chan each recorded three points for the Warriors, while Ethan Sawyer finished with 20 saves on 26 shots. West Kelowna fell to 2-2 after being outscored 15-6 over its two-game road trip.
The Vipers’ homestand continues Saturday, October 3, when the Salmon Arm Silverbacks visit for a 6 p.m. puck drop.
Get your tickets at vernonvipers.com.
New Era. Same Venom.
