Prentenders perhaps in the regular season, the Green Pub Moose turned into contenders and more in the Boston Pizza Hockey League playoffs.
Points derby champion Colton Thibault pocketed 5+2 as the Moose bottled up the RE Postill & Sons Orphans 8-6 in the third and deciding game of the championship series Monday night at Priest Valley Arena.
Thibault, a former Salmon Arm Silverback, topped the scoring table with 48 goals and 104 points in the regular campaign as the Moose finished eighth in the nine-team circuit with a dozen wins.
Former North Okanagan Junior B Knight Mat Lambert supplied 2+3 for the Moose, who led 4-3 at the midway break. Steve Vallier also scored, while Brett Lambert produced a pair of helpers in front of Ethan Huizinga (25 saves).
Former Vernon Viper captains Dave Robinson and Kevin Kraus joined Ryan Kurbis, Chad Thomas, Rob Bauml and Randy Todyschuk in recording snipes for the fifth-place Orphans. Ex-Viper Bryce Kakoske provided two assists in front of Jason Silzer (18 stops).
Mat Lambert counted 3+1 and Thibault earned 2+1 as the Green outlasted the Orphans 9-8 in overtime in the series opener last Friday night at PV. Thibault netted the winner a 3:01 of the extra session, unassisted.
Corey Hug forced overtime at 5:51 of the final period, assists going to Graham Jones and Vallier.
Jones, Vallier and Kyle Sherwood had the other Green snipes. Brett Lambert garnered three assists and Nathan Harrer a pair.
Matt McDonald scored twice and Kakoske rang up 1+4 for the Orphans, who got singles from Grand Forks Border Bruins grad Waylon Folliott, ex-Prince George Spruce King Leath Gare, Bauml and Kyle Clarke.
The Moose outshot the Orphans 37-30. It was tied 5-5 at the break.
Robinson, with 3+3, and Thomas, with a hat trick, boosted the Postill crew to a 9-5 win in Game 1 Saturday night at PV.
Gare dialed 1+4, Kakoske pumped in 1+3, Jeff Ovington scored once and Kraus provided three helpers as the Orphans built up a 6-2 lead at the intermission. Folliott had two helpers.
Brett Lambert pulled the hatty for the Moose, who got singles from Jones and Sherwood. Vallier, Jared Suetter and Hug each drew two assists.
The Vernon Vixens, sponsored by Caliber Sport Systems, had a great weekend in Nelson as they tried to defend their title at the 22nd annual Blueliners Women’s Hockey Tournament, with new bench boss Keith Chase at the helm.
The Vixens grounded Kaslo 5-2 and stopped Spokane 5-1 to finish first in the round-robin.
Game MVP Danielle Grundy (3) Vickie Taylor and Bernie Dwan handled the offence versus Kalso with assists coming rom Cassie Bosworth, Jen Spitzer and Edeen Ramsay
Grundy pulled another hatty against Spokane with MVP Christine Bosworth (1+3) and Mandy Christensen picking up singles. Taylor and Brooke Berube added clutch helpers.
The Caliber girls lost 8-6 to Spokane in a fast-paced semifinal with Taylor bagging a deuce and singles going to Grundy, Berube, Edeen Ramsey and Cheryl Meier. Sabre Cherkowski, MVP Michaela Case and Brittany Chase earned assists.
The Vixens received fantastic goaltending all weekend from Michelle Embleton. The Vixens have had a great year, finishing first in their Armstrong Safe Hockey League. They will play in the Village Green Hockey Tournament, April 6-8.