Vernon H&L Glass Atom A Development Vipers maintained their unbeaten ways in Okanagan Minor Hockey League play over the past two weekends.
The Vipers’ first win came Jan. 15 when they hosted the Kamloops Blazers, winning a hard-fought 4-3 decision over the visitors. Twice the Vipers rallied from one-goal deficits to pick up the win.
Ben Tyssen finished off a passing play from linemates Reed Witham and Cohen Bentham midway through the third period to break a 3-3 tie. Kamloops tied the game 32 seconds into the third period on a shorthanded tally.
The Blazers opened the scoring before Vernon tied the contest on a shorthanded goal from Harrison Sharman. Kamloops scored again to take a 2-1 lead into the second period.
H&L Glass tied the game on a goal from Bryden Ezekiel, set up by Ben Tyssen, and Liam Locke’s unassisted marker gave the Vipers a 3-2 lead going into the final 20 minutes.
Vernon went 2-for-2 for the weekend, beating the hometown Kelowna Rockets A-1 squad 9-5 Sunday, Jan. 16.
The Vipers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from Jake Black (assist to Aidan Boyd) and Sharman (assists to TJ Podollan and Harlan Hesby). The Rockets attempted a comeback in the second period with a pair of goals, but the Vipers seemed to have all the answers as they notched four of their own.
Tyssen started the flood (assisted by Nathan Sluggett), then it was Witham (Cohen Bentham), Hesby (Sluggett) and Trent Keenan all adding to the lead. Kelowna wasn’t ready to go away quietly and came out firing on all cylinders in the third, bringing it back to a 6-5 game with the Vipers holding on.
Vernon pulled it together for a strong, three-goal finish to the game. Sharman got his second off a feed from Boyd, followed by a tally from Podollan (Black, Ezekiel) and then Keenan iced the game off a pass from Tyssen.
After a week of hard practice, Vernon returned to the ice on Jan. 22 against the Kelowna A-2 Rockets. H&L Glass came out swinging and never stopped, rolling to a 9-3 victory. Goals came from Sharman (3), Locke (2), Tyssen, Ronin Raymond, Witham, and Hesby.
Next up for the Vipers is a re-match with Kelowna A-2 on Saturday, Feb. 5.
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