Phot0 credit: Vernon Vipers

By Pete McIntyre

junior hockey

Vipers get set for playoff tilt with Smoke Eaters after crushing Kings to end regular season

Mar 31, 2024 | 9:45 AM

Update

The Vernon Vipers closed out their regular season in the BC Hockey League with a 6-2 win over the Powell River Kings Saturday night before 2,547 fans at Kal Tire Place.

Nick Mikan scored two goals for Vernon who finished with a 33-19-2-0 record and in fourth place in the Interior Conference.

The Vipers will host the fifth-place Trail Smoke Eaters in the opening round of the playoffs Friday, April 5.

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Game 1 – Friday April 5th – Kal Tire Place – 7pm

Game 2 – Saturday April 6th – Kal Tire Place – 7pm

Game 3 – Tuesday April 9th – Cominco Arena – 7pm

Game 4 – Wednesday April 10th – Cominco Arena – 7pm

Game 5 – Friday April 12th – Kal Tire Place – 7pm (if necessary)

Game 6 – Sunday April 14th – Cominco Arena – TBD (if necessary)

Game 7 – Tuesday April 16th – Kal Tire Place – 7pm (if necessary)

Season ticket holders have until noon on game day to purchase their tickets before they will be released for general purchase.

Playoff tickets are on sale now at vernonvipers.com

The other Interior match-ups are shown in the article below.

Vernon Vipers confirm first-round playoff opponent after OT loss to Spruce Kings
March 30, 2024

The Vernon Vipers will close out the regular season tonight (Mar. 30) against the Powell River Kings and then get set for a playoff battle with the Trail Smoke Eaters.

After all the games were played in the BC Hockey League on Good Friday, the playoff matchups in the Interior Conference were settled with Vernon to play the Smokies starting Friday, April 5 at Kal Tire Place.

After an exciting 6-5 overtime loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings Friday before a big crowd of 2,845, the Vipers can finish no higher than fourth place in the conference, with Trail in fifth.

Salmon Arm Silverbacks are four points ahead of the Snakes in third, each with one game left.

Salmon Arm will play the Merritt Centennials in round one. The first place Penticton Vees will face off with Prince George and the second place West Kelowna Warriors will host the Cranbrook Bucks.

The Surrey Eagles, who lead the Coastal Conference with 88 points, will finish first overall in the BCHL with the defending champion Vees in second.

The Powell River Kings, 9th and last in the Coastal Conference, will be the only team not to qualify for the BCHL’s post-season.

The fans got their money’s worth Friday at Kal Tire Place as Noah Dorey tied the game at 5 for the Vipers with just 1.1 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, only to have Spruce King Skogen Schrott score the winner 3:36 into the extra frame.