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Image credit: Vernon Vipers
By Pete McIntyre
BCHL

Saturday night special: Vipers topple league-leading Vees in shootout

Nov 26, 2023 | 8:00 AM

The Vernon Vipers pulled off perhaps the biggest win of their season before one of the largest crowds of the year.

George Stavrianeas scored the winner in the sixth round of a shootout as the Vipers knocked off the BC Hockey League-leading Penticton Vees 2-1 on Saturday night.

A crowd of 2,541 took in the contest at Kal Tire Place.

“This was one of the better wins I’ve seen in this building in a long time,” Colton Sparrow, Vipers assistant coach, told vernonvipers.com. “We were short players, but not short on effort. It was gutsy and we found a way. Our goaltender was outstanding. It was really fun to be a part of tonight.”

Ethan David was named the first star, making 41 saves in the Vipers net for his 12th win of the season.

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Will Ingemann made 23 stops in the Vees net.

Maks Percic, in the first period for Vernon, and Parker Murray in the second for Penticton, were the only goal scorers, and just three penalties were called all game.

“It was a great win tonight,” Stavrianeas, the shootout hero, said. “Ethan David kept us in it the whole game, but we played as a team and everyone bought in for the win. Scoring the shootout winner was an amazing feeling and having my dad there to watch it was even better. It was a great way to end parents weekend.”

On Friday, the Trail Smoke Eaters outshot the Snakes 46-27 in taking a 3-2 win in overtime before 2,080 fans at Kal Tire Place.

Colin Reay was named the first star in that one, despite taking the loss in the Vernon net, and Isaac Tremblay scored both goals for the home team.

With the three points, the Vipers are now 15-5-1-0 for 31 points, third in the BCHL, and three back of the league-leading Vees.

The Vipers next play Wednesday when they host the West Kelowna Warriors.

by Pete McIntyre
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