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May 9, 2010
NR.064
DAUPHIN, Man. – The Vernon Vipers have won the 2010 RBC Cup as national Junior A champions, becoming the
first team since the Vernon Lakers in 1990-91 to win back-to-back national championships. The Vipers earned
their sixth title all-time with an 8-1 victory over the Dauphin Kings in Sunday’s championship game.
Dylan Walchuk, Kellen Jones and Cole Ikkala scored goals in a span of 48 seconds early in the second
period, turning a 1-0 Vernon lead into a 4-0 advantage as the Vipers defended the title they won in Victoria,
B.C. one year ago. Thirteen players from that team returned for this season.
The first period was all Vipers, as they peppered Kings netminder Joe Caligiuri with 16 shots in the
opening 20 minutes, but the only goal they could muster came off the stick of Cory Kane, who snapped a shot
past the glove of Caligiuri at 14:28.
The tournament hosts tried valiantly to tie the game early in the second period, but both Steven Shamanski
and Shane Luke were turned away point-blank by Vernon goaltender Graeme Gordon, who stood tall when it
mattered – allowing only one goal in two playoff-round games.
Walchuk got the three-goal spurt started at 6:28, beating Caligiuri off the left wing on a two-on-one,
Jones made it 3-0 at 7:07, batting a puck out of mid-air, and Ikkala pushed the lead to four at 7:16, scoring
on another two-on-one, this time off the right wing.
Bryce Lamb ended Gordon’s bid for his second consecutive shutout with a power play goal for the Kings
midway through the middle frame, but Patrick McGillis tapped home a Walchuk rebound before the horn sounded
to restore Vernon’s four-goal lead after 40 minutes.
With the result all but decided, the Vipers added three more goals in the third period – Sahir Gill made
it 6-1 before Jones and Garrett Noonan rounded out the scoring with power play markers in the final
six-and-a-half minutes.
Vernon added the 2010 crown to titles won in 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999 and 2009, putting it two ahead of the
Prince Albert Raiders (1977, 1979, 1981, 1982), who are the only other team to win at least four. Dauphin was
making its National Junior A Championship debut and won the MJHL and ANAVET Cup titles to become the first
RBC Cup host team since Halifax 2002 to win league and regional championships. Despite Sunday’s loss, the
Kings were a remarkable 43-3-1 on home ice this season.
The 2011 RBC Cup will be held in May 2011 in Camrose, Alta., with the Camrose Kodiaks serving as the host
team.
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