The Vipers Challege You To $2 Per Goal!

Vernon Vipers are Painting the Rink Pink again on October 24th when they host the Prince George Spruce Kings to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. The Vipers will be wearing limited edition jerseys that will be auctioned off at the game, with all proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society. First Choice Haircutters will be on hand cutting hair by donation and the Vernon Vipers are challenging all businesses and fans to meet or beat a $2 per goal donation. $2 per person may not sound like much but together we can make a significant difference. Get your co-workers, friends and family together and collectively donate per goal and help make cancer history.

Come enjoy a great game of hockey and help fight a great cause! Other events at the game include a silent auction and frisbee toss. Stay posted for auction items and sponsor donations!

For more information or to pledge a donation please contact the Vipers Office at 250-542-6022.
 
Fans can also donate by visiting The Vipers Event Page on the Canadian Cancer Website (click here)

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
FOR 2010 WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE

Before the battle for gold begins on November 8, Canada’s two World Junior A Challenge entries will get a chance to stretch their legs and the hometown Penticton Vees will see how they stack up against international competition when exhibition action comes to the Okanagan.


Canada West and Canada East will both hit the ice twice before the games count in the standings, including an all-Canadian match-up at the Wesbild Centre in Vernon, B.C. on Friday, November 5. The westerners then head to the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton the following night to face the United States in a rematch of the last two WJAC gold medal games, while Canada East rolls into West Kelowna, B.C. to take on Russia at Royal LePage Place.

The Canada West-United States game is the first half of a doubleheader at the SOEC on Saturday, November 6 – the Vees will look to defend their home rink in the nightcap when they face Switzerland.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
Friday, November 5
Canada West vs. Canada East 7 p.m. PT Wesbild Centre Vernon, B.C.

Saturday, November 6
Canada West vs. United States 3pm SOEC Penticton, B.C.
Canada East vs. Russia 7pm Royal LePage Place West Kelowna, B.C.
Penticton Vees vs. Switzerland 7pm SOEC Penticton, B.C.

TICKET INFORMATION

Vernon, B.C. – Tickets are available for $10 each and can be purchased at the Vernon Vipers office between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, or on any Vipers game day at the Wesbild Centre box office starting at 9 a.m. Tickets can also be booked over the phone with Visa or MasterCard at 250-542-6022.

Penticton, B.C. – Tickets are available for $10 each and can be purchased in person at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office, by phone at 1-877-763-2849 or online at http://www.valleyfirsttix.com/.

West Kelowna, B.C. – Tickets are available for $10 each and can be purchased by phone at 250-762-5050 or online at www.selectyourtickets.com/sports/warriors.

Vipers To Paint The Rink Pink Again

The Vernon Vipers will be getting back from a weekend on the road with 4 out of a possible 6 points. Taking there only loss on Friday against Prince George! Redemption was sweet though as they then beat the Spruce Kings 6-0 on Sunday afternoon. Now the Vipers have a very busy October with a road game every Friday and a home game every Saturday plus a couple Sunday games and one Wednesday game. But the biggest thing about October is the Vipers 2nd Annual Paint The Rink Pink night scheduled for Sunday October 25th! The Vipers will soon have a link on their website for family and fans to donate online and once again the Vipers will have limited edition jerseys with all proceeds going to The Canadian Cancer Society! We hope everyone can support us on our efforts as once again we want to raise as much as we can for this great cause! Fans and sponsors are also encouraged to donate prizes for the event and Bounce Hire will be on location with a ton of great interactive games for the fans to enjoy. For more information or to donate please contact the Vipers Office at 250-542-6022.


Coming up this weekend the Vipers will host the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Saturday night. The game is sponsored by The Pantry Restaurant and presented by On Side Restoration. Tell everyone you see to come out and cheer on your Vernon Vipers as they host the Capitals for the only time in the regular season!!!

Cents Steel two points from Vipers

Roger knox

Morning Star Staff



The only things making it a more perfect result for Tyler Steel would have been scoring the winning goal and being named a game star.
However, the Vernon product made 31 saves, including three in overtime, to give the Merritt Centennials their first B.C. Hockey League win of the season, a 5-4 double overtime decision over the Vernon Vipers – the same team that cut Steel late in training camp – in front of 1,405 fans Tuesday at the Wesbild Centre.
“I just went into it like any other game I was playing, I got really focused and was determined to get a win in my first time playing in my hometown,” said Steel, 17, who had family and a bunch of friends in the stands as he picked up his first BCHL win. “It crossed my mind a little bit that I wanted to send the Vipers a bit of a message, but I just wanted to prove to everyone that I can play in this league and be good in this league.
“I thought I did pretty good. I want that last one back, but we ended up winning, that’s a good thing. We worked really hard, guys played their roles very well, everyone just played great.”
Defenceman Jeff Zmurchyk scored his first of the year 1:20 into double overtime for the 1-5 Centennials. He picked up a loose puck in his own end during the three-on-three, skated into Vernon territory and wired a wrist shot from the left face-off circle that cleanly beat Vipers rookie goalie Bryton Udy – the man who beat out Steel for the back-up role to Blake Voth – on the glove side.
The Vipers forced overtime when Dylan Walchuk banged in a puck on the doorstep with 33 seconds left in regulation time. Kyle Murphy started the play by driving to the net around a Centennials defender and getting a high shot away on Steel. The puck dropped to Walchuk, the game’s second star, who fought off a check to put in his second of the night and fourth of the year.
Merritt had taken a 3-2 lead just three minutes earlier on a penalty shot goal from first star Dustin Johnson. Referee Mike Boisvert awarded the shot after Vernon defenceman Steve Weinstein dove on the puck in the crease behind Udy as a Merritt shot hit Udy high on the chest, went up in the air over his head and landed behind him in the crease.
Johnson went to the backhand and beat Udy over the right shoulder for the go-ahead goal, setting the stage for Walchuk’s equalizer.
“We’re not used to having to defend one-goal leads late in the game, that’s our first time doing it,” said Merritt head coach Luke Pierce, a former Viper. “It’s something, like everything, that’s a lesson that our guys are going to learn. I liked our effort level. It wasn’t from a lack of trying, it was from a breakdown. Give Vernon a lot of credit, especially Dylan Walchuk. I thought he was one of the best players on the ice tonight.”
Walchuk opened the scoring at 3:34 of the first with a goal similar to his game-tying marker. He stood at the edge of the crease and scored on a rebound after Steel stoned David Robinson and Mark Basara in close.
The Centennials tied the game with their first of three powerplay goals on the evening less than two minutes later. Stephen Wall won a face-off to Udy’s right in Vernon territory, and Merritt leading scorer Regan Soquila, one of 11 rookies in the Centennials lineup, ripped his fourth of the year past Udy.
Merritt took the lead with the man advantage with only 16 seconds left in the opening frame as Johnson tried to pass from behind the net. The puck went off defenceman Elliot Richardson’s skate and through Udy’s legs.
Vernon scored the only goal of the second period when Weinstein deflected a Bryce Kakoske shot from the point on the powerplay that went five-hole on Steel.
Basara gave Vernon a 3-2 edge 3:53 into the third when a point shot his leg as he was screening Steel and got past the Merritt netminder.
Jeff Jones, who earlier in the week committed to Robert Morris University, an NCAA Division 1 school in Pittsburgh, tied the game for Merritt on the power play at 6:43, one-timing a cross-ice pass from Johnson past Udy.
Jones was the game’s third star.
“Tonight’s loss is obviously very disappointing,” said Vernon head coach Mark Ferner. “We had some guys with some good efforts but just not enough. It’s unacceptable. We win as a team, lose as a team. We needed to be better in a lot of different areas, our penalty kill, our own-end play, our efforts away from the puck. Right now we’re not there.”
The game marked the debut of Coldstream defenceman Max Mowat for the Vipers. He was acquired after being cut by the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. Mowat saw a regular shift paired with Richardson.
“It’s been a good experience since I’ve been here, I’ve liked the guys ever since I’ve been here,” said Mowat, who practiced Monday with the team for the first time. “We had it going there for a bit tonight then we got outworked.”
The Vipers visit Prince George Friday night and Sunday afternoon, and travel to Quesnel to face the host Millionaires Saturday. Next home game for Vernon is Saturday, Oct. 2, against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.

CANADA WEST EVALUATION CAMP ROSTER ANNOUNCED

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), announced on Tuesday the 41 players that will attend the Canada West evaluation camp in preparation for the 2010 World Junior A Challenge.


The evaluation camp, scheduled for September 27-28, will be held at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, B.C., the same venue that will host the 2010 World Junior A Challenge from November 8-14.

Mark MacMillan (Penticton, BCHL) has been invited to camp, but will be unable to take part due to injury. He remains under consideration for a place on the final Canada West roster, which will be named in late October.

Canada West has appeared in the gold medal game at all four previous World Junior A Challenges, winning gold in 2006 in Yorkton, Sask., and 2007 in Trail, B.C., before settling for silver in 2009 in Camrose, Alta., and last year in Summerside, P.E.I.

The Canada West roster is comprised of players from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

“As a coaching staff, we are looking forward to bringing together 41 of the top Junior A players in western Canada for the evaluation camp,” said head coach Larry Wintoneak of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. “It will be exciting not only for us, but for the fans in Penticton as well to watch these players compete.”

Canada West’s evaluation camp roster includes:

• Four (4) goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 25 forwards

• Ten (10) players returning from the 2009 World Junior A Challenge (Breitkreuz, Dias, Downing, Fritz, Gallacher, Ginn, Halcrow, Laleggia, Marshall, O’Donnell)

• Three (3) players drafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (Gallacher – Florida, 4th round, 93rd overall; MacMillan – Montreal, 4th round, 113th overall; Marshall – Tampa Bay, 6th round, 156th overall)

• Fourteen (14) players from the BCHL, 11 players from the AJHL, eight (8) players from the SJHL, five (5) players from the MJHL and three (3) players from the SIJHL


CAMP SCHEDULE

Monday, September 27
9:15-10:30 a.m. Practice Red
10:45 a.m.-noon Practice White
7:30 p.m. Game Red vs. White

Tuesday, September 28
9:15-10:30 a.m. Practice White
10:45 a.m.-noon Practice Red
7:30 p.m. Game Red vs. White

All practices are free to attend. Tickets to the two Red-White games are available for just $5. Tickets can be purchased in person at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office. In addition, fans who have already purchased a 13-game, full-tournament package will receive complimentary tickets to the evaluation camp; tickets can be picked up at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office.

Canada West will play in Group B at the 2010 World Junior A Challenge, joined by Russia and Switzerland, while Canada East, Sweden and the United States will comprise Group A. Round-robin play will run until Wednesday, November 10, with both semifinals taking place on Saturday, November 13. The gold medal game, which will be shown nationally on TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, is set for Sunday, November 14 (check your local listings). All preliminary round games, quarter-finals, semifinals and the bronze medal game can be seen live via webcast through FASTHockey at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com.


For more information on the 2010 World Junior A Challenge, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/wjac.


BCHL Players
Matt Ginn, Goaltender, Victoria Grizzlies

Kirby Halcrow, Goaltender, Quesnel Millionaires
Joel Rumpel, Goaltender, Penticton Vees
Tim Daly, Defenceman, Langley Chiefs
Joey Laleggia, Defenceman, Penticton Vees
Josh Monk, Defenceman, Salmon Arm SilverBacks
Marcus Basara, Forward, Vernon Vipers
Madison Dias, Forward, Victoria Grizzlies
Grayson Downing, Forward, Westside Warriors
Mark MacMillan, Forward, Penticton Vees*
Sam Mellor, Forward, Trail Smoke Eaters
Brendan O'Donnell, Forward, Penticton Vees
Travis St. Denis, Forward, Trail Smoke Eaters
Dylan Walchuk, Forward, Vernon Vipers
*Unable to take part due to injury.

Basara Brings a Championship Pedigree

Don Klepp
Winners are drawn to winning programs, so it’s no surprise that Marcus Basara ended up in Vernon.


The 17-year-old Coquitlam native played the last two years at Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. He was a prominent member of the 2010 Telus Cup champion Notre Dame Hounds, registering 37 goals and 28 assists in 43 games.

He was the Hounds’ top scorer and second in the league in goals. That’s no small feat in an AAA Midget league whose representative has won five of the last Telus Cups and six of the last ten.

Marcus was courted by the WHL Prince Albert Raiders, who coveted the speedy winger’s scoring touch. However, he chose the Vipers because, as he says, “I always wanted to come here. That record speaks for itself. Those national championships – you know they’re doing something right in Vernon!”

It didn’t hurt that Patrick McGillis, a Notre Dame alumnus who was the Hounds’ captain in 2008-2009, was already on the Viper roster. “Yes, it was pretty cool to come here and suit up with Pat; he was a real leader with the Hounds.”

Marcus was scouted and recruited by Viper head scout Larry Black, who impressed Marcus and his parents, Milos and Karen, with a common-sense approach. The Basara family was also won over by the support shown by the Vipers for the players’ education.

Along with five team mates, Marcus is enrolled in the High Performers program at Vernon Secondary School. His ambition, like most of the Vipers, is to earn an athletic scholarship to an NCAA hockey power.

When asked about his goals for this year, he says, “I just want to work hard every time I’m on the ice. I guess my ultimate goal is to get noticed by some colleges, so I can continue to play good hockey and get a good education, too. But in the meantime, it’s important to have fun, to enjoy the game. I love hockey, and it’s really fun when your hard work gives your team and yourself some success.”

Viper fans will have already noticed Marcus Basara’s high skill level. He describes his style of play as “kind of an offensive player. I like to use my speed to create scoring chances.”

He acknowledges, though, that he needs to work on his defensive play, especially at this level. “I’ve been lucky to be on a line with Dave (Robinson) and Wally (Dylan Walchuk). I learn a lot just by watching them, and they always seem to be in the right place.”

“Coach Ferner and Coach Williamson have been telling me to work hard, really hard in the defensive zone.” He adds, “You look at the teams that win Cups, they don’t give up many goals.”