The Vernon Vipers snapped a 1-1 tie with four unanswered goals in a 5-1 victory over the West Kelowna Warriors Tuesday at Royal LePage Place.
It was the teams' second meeting in 24 hours after skating to a 3-3 the night before at Wesbild Centre in Vernon.
Adam Tambellini scored three times to pace the Vipers attack. Joe Serpico and Riley Hunt also scored for Vernon.
Captain Max French replied for the Warriors on a first period power-play, in a game that deteriorated into a steady stream of players heading into the penalty box.
The teams combined for 16 minor penalties, a major, three misconducts and a game misconduct over the final 40 minutes.
Warriors rookie defenceman Adam Plant chalks it up to pre-season hockey.
"It's fun, you can get on the power-play and just try and work your magic there," says Plant. “It's pre-season hockey, you don't really get that good flow. Everyone is new and you don't really know where people are going to be and it gets a little scrambly which leads to penalties.”
Plant, who played four games with the Warriors as a 16-year-old last season, was on the wrong end of the most vicious hit of the night.
He was drilled into the boards from behind by Vipers forward Kurt Hildebrand.
Teammate Reid Simmonds came to his aid and ultimately tangled for several moments with Vipers Logan Mick.
"He's a great team player. It shows the class from our vets, they'll do anything for anybody. You want to be standing beside him when you go out onto the ice," added Plant.
The Warriors finished off the night 1-11 with the man advantage, which included two lengthy five-on-three's plus three-and-a-half minutes of the major penalty.
The Vipers went 1-7 on the power-play.
Cody Porter and Garrett Rockafellow split the netminding chores.
Porter, who won't turn 15 until next month, made several spectacular saves in turning aside 28 of the 31 shots he faced over the first half of the game. Rockafellow allowed two goals on 18 shots.
Austin Smith went the distance for Vernon facing 39 shots.
Following the game, Warriors Head Coach/GM Rylan Ferster pared down the roster as the team gets closer to declaring its 22 player opening season roster.
The final roster spots will likely be determined by the end of the week as the Warriors play two more pre-season games, in Penticton Thursday and at home Friday to the Wenatchee Wild of the North American Hockey League.
Following that game the Warriors will prepare for the BCHL's inaugural Showcase event the following weekend in Chilliwack.
They open the regular season there with games against Salmon Arm and Surrey.
Visit The General’s Report for interviews and ongoing coverage of the West Kelowna Warriors.
