After a trip to the Kootenays last weekend yielded no wins, the Vernon Vipers were happy to be back at Kal Tire Place on Saturday, Feb. 3 as they dismantled the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 5-2 in BCHL action.
Payton Struck scored the lone goal in the opening period for the home squad. In the second, the teams traded goals, with Vernon’s Noah Dorey potting home his second of the year, while Marcus Broberg had his fourth of the campaign for the Silverbacks.
Vernon doubled their lead to 4-1 quickly in the third, with Adam Csabi and Georgios Stavrianeas lighting the lamp within six minutes
Salmon Arm’s JJ Monteiro tightened the deficit to 4-2 late in the frame on the power play, but Julian Facchinelli’s empty netter wrapped up the 5-2 win.
Both teams fired 35 shots apiece on net, with Ethan David’s 33 saves yielding him his 15th victory.
“The boys prepared well for the game and certainly did enough to win,” said assistant coach of the Vipers, Colton Sparrow. “It was an amazing crowd and a very important two points.”
The Vipers now have a 22-14-1 record on the year, five points back of the Silverbacks (24-12-0-2) for third in the Interior Conference.
Vernon will head to Vancouver Island next weekend for a double-header against the Victoria Grizzlies and Cowichan Valley Capitals.
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