Skip to content

Red Deer Vipers eliminated from HJHL playoffs

Vipers drop a three-game series in first round
31938837_web1_221108-RDA-sports-schedule-wrap_1
The bench of the Red Deer Vipers watches their team in action while playing a game in the Heritage Junior Hockey League at Servus Arena in Red Deer. (Photo by Ian Gustafson/ Advocate staff)

The Red Deer Vipers Junior B hockey season came to an unfortunate end last week.

They lost to the Rocky Rams in the qualifying round of the Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) playoffs and were sent home in a winner moves-on scenario.

Despite pushing the Rams to a third and deciding game, the Vipers saw this season as a disappointment.

“This was an immensely disappointing year,” said director of hockey operations Brady Sim. “Despite being young we feel that we could have been better at times and had a lot of opportunities in the past where it got away from us or we just didn’t show up.”

“The fact of the matter is 12-24-2 is not a good record… At the start of the year, we were talking about this team threatening for the north division title. We look at our roster and the teams that are still playing and to tell you the truth we don’t think those rosters are a ton better than ours.

“Our goal every year is to compete and make deep playoff runs and at the very least be in the conversation for the HJHL Championship.”

In Game 1, Red Deer lost a close 7-6 contest in Rocky Mountain House after erasing a four-goal deficit. The next game Red Deer returned home to win an offensive showdown 6-4 to keep their season alive.

In the final game of the series on Saturday the Vipers took a 2-0 lead late in the third period. However, a penalty taken by Red Deer put the Rams on the powerplay who scored with just four minutes left in the game.

In the dying seconds, Rocky Mountain House got the equalizer with 12 seconds left and scored again in overtime to advance to the semi-finals.

“In game three I thought we played pretty well. We played probably one of the best games of the year but it was the same old story we couldn’t score despite playing well,” he said.

“I think there was a controversial call on us that in our view wasn’t a penalty… With four minutes to go that allowed Rocky back into the game and credit to them, they found one with 12 seconds left. Anything can happen in overtime and unfortunately, we didn’t get the next one but they did.”

Overall, Sim said they played a great series but have no one to blame but themselves after losing the first game of the series in nail-biting fashion.

“Had we not done that I think we’d probably be talking about a different result but that’s part of learning for a young hockey team in the playoffs,” Sim said.

“You can’t take nights off, especially in a three-game series. There’s not a lot of runway and you set yourself up to be in a position to not control your fate.

“Whenever you don’t win the last game of the season it’s always a tough way to go out no matter what.”

Sim explained having the intensity to win in the playoffs begins in the regular season. The hardest part of the loss he said was having a two-goal lead in the third period and still losing.

“Myself being in the building I could taste it and I think everybody could. With four minutes left on the clock and a two-goal lead I think we were all guilty of looking forward a bit and not taking care of the task at hand,” he added.

At this level, he explained it’s hard to tell who will be back until you get closer to training camp in August. They don’t expect the whole team to return but anticipate a solid majority to do so.

“We’re comfortable taking the same team back against next year. Just with internal growth and some lessons learned we expect to be better but at the same time there are going to be new kids coming,” he said.

In the semi-finals, the league-best Sylvan Lake Wranglers take on the Rams in a seven games series. The first game takes place in Sylvan Lake on Wednesday at 8 p.m. followed by in Rocky on Friday at 8:30 p.m. The winner of the series will move on to the division final.



Ian Gustafson

About the Author: Ian Gustafson

Ian began his journalism career as a reporter in Prince Albert, Sask. for the last three years, and was born and raised in Saskatchewan.
Read more