The Vernon Vipers saved their biggest offensive output of the B.C. Hockey League season for the last night.
The Snakes hung double digits on the Trail Smoke Eaters, rolling to a 10-3 victory Wednesday, March 23, at Kal Tire Place in Vernon91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s regular season finale.
Trail closes out the season with a home date Friday, March 25, against the Wenatchee Wild, then visit the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday.
Vernon91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s previous season-high for goals scored was in a 9-0 romp over the Merritt Centennials.
Eight different Vipers registered a multi-point night and goalie Ethan David stopped 26 shots as the Vipers finished the year in sixth place at 27-20-4-3.
Vernon jumped out to an early lead after Reagan Milburn slammed home a rebound for his 16th goal of the season. While shorthanded, Cam MacDonald was hauled down on a breakaway resulting in a penalty shot. On the ensuing shot, MacDonald ripped the puck home post and in to make it 2-0.
Just 17 seconds later Matthew Culling converted on a turnover for his 12th of the season. Cade McNelly, who was sitting in the box for the shorthanded goals, was sprung on a breakaway as he came out of the box and he snapped a shot low blocker to make it 4-0.
The Smokies would make a change in goal, replacing starter Owen Albers with Ethan Shebansky, and the period ended 4-0.
The Vipers extended the lead on a powerplay as Luke Pakulak spun at the far post and went bar down for his ninth of the season.
Trail got on the board on a delayed penalty as Zach Michaelis tucked one through David, making it 5-1. A few minutes later Luke Lavery found some daylight in the right circle and went up under the bar, making it 6-1.
Defenceman Talon Zakall was next to find the back of the net with his fifth goal of the season.
Less than a minute later Josh Orrico converted on a 3-on-1 rush for the Smokies91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ second marker.
Trail cut the deficit on an early third-period powerplay as Coalson Wolford was set up in front to make it 7-3.
Pakulak scored another powerplay goal for his 10th of the season, and a minute later MacDonald scored his second of the night. That resulted in another goalie switch for Trail, with Albers returning between the pipes.
It didn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t matter to Vernon as 22 seconds after the change, Jack Glen snapped home his fifth of the season.
Albers and Shebansky finished with a combined 24 saves.
League playoffs start Friday, April 1 with Vernon visiting the West Kelowna Warriors and Trail taking the bus to Penticton for a date with the regular-season champion Vees among the four Interior Conference first-round best-of-seven affairs.
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