Photo by: James Doyle Photography
The last time Prince George faced off the Vernon Vipers, they were coming off a big loss the night before to the Trail Smoke Eaters. Vernon fired 49 shots on Liam McCloskey, but the young goalie was able to stop 46 of them, and hold on for the victory. This time Prince George wasn’t so lucky, as they fell 6-3.
They got off to a good start though, as Nic Ponak and Matt Stief led an attack, with Cooper Prechel coming up as the trailer. Ponak and Stief crossed one another, before dropping the puck back to Prechel who scored his first in the BCHL.
Prechel’s goal was named the TSN Goal Call of the Week which can be heard HERE.
Vernon would not give up despite allowing the early goal, and replied with two of their own as Ben Butcher scored on a double rebound, and Callum Volpe unleashed a shot from the point that beat McLeod who earned the start for Prince George.
Off a faceoff win the second, Prechel got the puck over to Penner who fired one home, ending a 22 goalless drought for the big Prince George product. Again the Vipers bit back with two of their own, as Mitchell Oliver, and Christian Cakebread each scored to send Vernon into the second intermission up 4-2. The goal by Cakebread was particularly difficult to swallow, as it looked as if McLeod had covered the puck, but the refs consulted as a group, and awarded it as a goal.
Cakebread scored an unquestionable goal in the third to bump the Viper lead to three, but Nic Ponak would reply with 14 minutes left to make things interesting. Matt Stief took the original shot, but Ponak was able to tip it in front. The goal went along with the primary assist on Prechel’s goal for Ponak who was named the third star of the game.
With the Spruce Kings pushing to get within one, Vernon would steal the puck, and turn it around for an odd man rush led by Charley Michalowski. He dished it over to Ben Butcher who beat a diving McLeod to ice the game at 6-3. For Butcher, it was his first game in Prince George since falling in Game 6 last season as a member of the Langley Rivermen.
