Victoria, BC: The powerplay struck twice and Colby Feist scored his first BCHL goal as the Vernon Vipers got back into the win column with a 5-2 win over the Victoria Grizzlies.
The Vipers came out buzzing in the first period. They’d strike first on a powerplay after some great movement. Dawson Holt found Connor Marritt in the left circle and he’d make no mistake to make it 1-0. Three and a half minutes later, Ben Helgeson set up Colby Feist for his first BCHL goal to make it 2-0. The Grizzlies would get some chances of their own, but Reilly Herbst and the defense core stood tall. A late powerplay for the Vipers saw Matt Kowalski get set up in the right circle and he’d snap a shot over the shoulder of Joe Howe to make it 3-0.
The Grizz chipped into the deficit following a Nico Somerville point shot that made it through a maze of bodies and off the post and in to make it 3-1. Less than two minutes later Trevor Bishop converted on a chance it front to make it 3-2. The game tightened up after that with neither team able to hit the back of the net.
In the third, the Vipers pulled away after a brilliant shift from Brett Fudger. He blocked a shot and turned it into a rush up the ice. He’d finesse a puck across to Connor Sleeth who snapped it home to make it 4-2. The Vipers surrendered just 6 shots in the period as they minimized most Victoria chances. Dawson Holt finished off a nice 2 on 1 rush with Connor Marritt to make it 5-2 and thats the way it would finish.
The Vipers will head on to Cowichan for a date with the Caps on Saturday night.
