UPDATE: SUNDAY, OCT. 31, 4:35 P.M.
A former teammate haunted the Vernon Vipers Halloween Sunday in Duncan.
Brett Fudger scored twice to lift the Cowichan Valley Capitals to a 4-2 win over the Snakes. Vernon picked up two of a possible six points on its three-game Vancouver Island swing with an overtime loss in Victoria and shootout defeat in Port Alberni.
Fudger, who played with the Vipers in 2019-20, was dealt by Vernon, along with hometown product Colby Feist to the Capitals in October 2020 in exchange for forward Will Arquiett.
Massimo Sarantos Lombardi scored in between Fudger’s pair to give the Caps a 3-0 lead heading into the third period.
Matthew Culling, on a powerplay, got Vernon on the board at 1:48 of the final frame, and Ryan Shostak brought the Snakes to within a goal at 12:41.
But less than a minute later, Mason Croucher scored for the Capitals to restore the two-goal bulge.
Roan Clarke made 50 saves for Vernon in the wide-open contest while Cowichan counterpart Matthew Hutchinson made 36 saves.
ORIGINAL STORY
When the Vernon Vipers and Alberni Valley Bulldogs play each other, goals are hard to come by.
The hometown Bulldogs blanked the Vernon Vipers 1-0 in a shootout in B.C. Hockey League action in Port Alberni Saturday, Oct. 30, six days after the Snakes shutout Alberni Valley 3-0 at the BCHL Showcase event in Chilliwack.
Unless the two teams meet for the Fred Page Cup championship, they won’t play each other again this season.
Vernon, which wraps up its three-game Vancouver Island swing Sunday at 2 p.m. in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals, hit two goal posts and a crossbar Saturday. They outshort the ‘Dogs 12-1 in the third period but could not solve goalie Hobie Hedquist.
Nicholas Remissong and Luke Buss scored in the shootout for Vernon but Logan Lorenz, Zack Tonelli and Griffen Barr were denied by Hedquist, who finished the game with 30 saves.
Ethan David made 21 saves while being tagged with the tough defeat. Finn Brown got the shootout winner for Alberni Valley.
The Vipers have picked up a point in each of their first two games on the Island. The trip started with a 6-5 overtime loss to the Grizzlies in Victoria Thursday.
Matthew Wood scored on a powerplay 67 seconds into overtime to give Victoria the extra point.
Lorenz forced overtime with a powerplay goal at 10:26 of the third period. Tonelli, Remissong, with two, and Luke Pakulak also scored for the Vipers who had their three-game winning streak stopped.
Roan Clarke made 32 saves for Vernon.
The Vipers visit the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Wednesday, then host the Wenatchee Wild Friday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Kal Tire Place.
READ MORE: Silverbacks to play Vernon in BCHL Retro Theme game in Salmon Arm
READ MORE: Vernon Vipers sweep BCHL Showcase games
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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