Just four games remain in the Vernon Vipers regular season. Yet, the team is feeling fresh again, thanks to new head coaches as they won back-to-back weekend games at home to further entrench themselves into the fourth spot in the BCHL’s Interior Conference.
Assistants Lukas Lomicky and Colton Sparrow took over head coaching duties for the Vipers as Jason McKee left the team on Saturday morning in a “mutual parting of ways.”
The Vernon Vipers and head coach Jason McKee have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced on March 16.
McKee, who also served as the club’s general manager, had been behind the Vipers’ bench since 2019.
The new head coaches led the Vipers in win a nail biter 3-2 in overtime Saturday, March 16, against the Nanaimo Clippers from Kal Tire Place North, while their home rink underwent maintenance.
Scoring occurred in just the first period, with Hank Cleaves and Owen Kim’s goals being sandwiched by Clippers’ Luke Buss and Isa Parekh markers.
After a goalless second and third, Julian Facchinelli would be the hero in the overtime, ripping home his 11th of the season. Colin Reay stood tall in net for the Vipers, making 44 saves for his ninth win of the year.
On Sunday, the Vipers fended off a pesky Alberni Valley Bulldogs team, 3-2, to push their record to 30-19-1 on the year.
Three straight Vernon goals started the game, as Luke Bibby, Facchinelli and Luke Pakulak each found the back of the net.
The Bulldogs would make it a game, with goals in the second and third (Matt Kursonis, Brady McIsaac), but Ethan David’s 25 stops on the night sealed the victory for the Vipers.
With four games left in the season, the Vipers will play the Prince George Spruce Kings in their next three, with next weekend’s tilts being in the Spruce Kings Kopar Memorial Arena. BCHL playoffs begin April 5.
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