The Vernon Vipers are the defending Doyle Cup champions, but their return to the B.C.-Alberta championship showdown is shaping up to be far more challenging than it was in a series sweep a year ago.
Last season, the Vipers toppled the Grand Prairie Storm in a quick four-game series to advance to the RBC Cup tournament. In 2010, the Fred Page Cup winners face the Spruce Grove Saints, who enter the best-of-seven series as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team according to the final CJHL’s Top 20 Rankings.
It sets up a potentially outstanding series with the two top Junior A hockey teams battling for the right to play for a National Championship when the RBC Cup begins in Dauphin, Manitoba on May 1st.
“It's going to be a challenge with them ranked No. 1, but we're right behind them and we have championship experience from last year,” says Vernon goaltender Graeme Gordon. “It's going to be a good series and we're looking forward to it. We expect it to go the distance and hopefully we come out on top.”
#1 – Spruce Grove Saints vs. #2 – Vernon Vipers
Spruce Grove: 52-4-1-3; 108 points
Vernon: 51-6-0-3; 105 points
Recent Form: The Vipers enter the series with confidence as the defending champions following another Fred Page Cup victory. They beat the Kings 3-1 in Game 7 on Monday night. After only six regulation defeats during the regular season, Vernon has been challenged in the playoffs but continues to win big games.
Meanwhile, the AJHL champion Saints are arguably the most dangerous team in the nation on the heels of a 12-4 record in the playoffs, which followed a remarkable 52-4-1-3 mark during the regular season. Spruce Grove completed the 2009/10 season 25 points ahead of their next closest rival, the Grand Prairie Storm, in the AJHL’s North Division.
After losing a single game in two rounds, they battled through a tough seven-game series with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Similar to the path faced by Veron, the Saints were forced to return home for a Game 7 meeting after a road defeat in Game 6, but they bounced back with a 6-0 win in the deciding game on Tuesday.
Doyle Cup Record: This is the second Doyle Cup meeting between the two franchises, who last faced off in 1996. Vernon was crowned champions after a hard-fought seven-game series victory over the St. Albert Saints, who moved to Spruce Grove eight years later. It was the last time the Saints won the Enerflex Cup before their recent triumph.
Historically, this is the Saints’ fifth appearance in the Doyle Cup, which they captured twice with back-to-back titles over the Penticton Knights in 1981 and 1982. The Vipers are making their 10th appearance in the Doyle Cup with six championships to their credit. The franchise captured its inaugural title in 1989 when they took out the Red Deer Rustlers in six games and hoisted the trophy three times in four years with consecutive victories in 1991 and 1992.
Players to Watch: Vernon arguably sports the deepest lineup in all of Junior A hockey with four lines that can score and contribute off the scoreboard. The Vipers are led offensively by the Jones twins, Connor and Kellen, who ripped it up in the Fred Page Cup series against Powell River. Teamed with Sahir Gill, the threesome has combined for 54 points in 19 games over three rounds of the BCHL playoffs with Connor leading the team with 20 points.
Gill scored the game-winner in Game 7 of the BCHL Finals and contributed two goals and four assists during the championship series. Also look out for Jonathan Milhouse, who contributed three goals to the Fred Page Cup victory, including a key marker in the Vipers’ Game 5 victory and a pair in Game 7.
For the Saints, the top line of Adam Henderson, Brett Cameron and Jordan Draper shoulders most of the scoring load for the Alberta champs against a tight defensive team.
Cameron scored four goals and added an assist in Spruce Grove’s Game 7 win over Fort McMurray, while Henderson ended a scoring slump with a goal and three helpers. Henderson, a Yukon native, was third in team scoring during the regular season with 56 points in 51 games played and finished second overall in the AJHL playoff scoring race with 20 points.
Meanwhile, Draper tallied 22 goals and 30 assists in an injury-shortened season in which he played in only 35 games. The Sherwood Park, Alberta product sits third in playoff scoring with 15 points in 12 games.
2010 Doyle Cup Schedule:
Game 1: Friday, April 16th at Spruce Grove – 7:00 PM, Grant Fuhr Arena
Game 2: Saturday, April 17th at Spruce Grove – 7:00 PM, Grant Fuhr Arena
Game 3: Sunday, April 18th at Spruce Grove – 7:00 PM, Grant Fuhr Arena
(if first two games split)
Game 3: Tuesday, April 20th at Vernon – 7:00 PM, Wesbild Centre
(if first two games swept)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 21th at Vernon – 7:00 PM, Wesbild Centre
Game 5: Thursday, April 22th at Vernon – 7:00 PM, Wesbild Centre
(if first two games split)
Game 5: Friday, April 23th at Vernon – 7:00 PM, Wesbild Centre
(if first two games swept)
Game 6: Saturday, April 24th at Vernon – 7:00 PM, Wesbild Centre
Game 7: Sunday, April 25th at Vernon – 7:00 PM, Wesbild Centre
