Canucks 6, Vipers 2

SEXSMITH -- The puck played tricks early and Charles Radke had plenty of treats as the Dawson Creek Canucks skated past the Sexsmith Vipers 6-2 Friday night.

The tricks came in the first three minutes of the game when the Vipers threw the puck towards the net from behind the goal line in the corner and it somehow found a way behind Tyson York who was between the pipes for Dawson Creek.

It took nearly the entire period for the Canucks to answer but answer they did. On the power play Charles Radke (9th) (Colter Mclean, Reid Smith) walked out from the corner and put a shot past Vipers goaltender Spencer Jebb into the top corner to tie the game after one. It wasn't tied for long. On their second power play of the game the Canucks' Ryan Walker (2nd) (Tyson Stefanyk, Lucas McKenzie) buried a rebound past Jebb to take the lead 2-1. It was also the game's Safeway turning point. In the final half of the second, Dawson Creek would get markers from Colter McLean (9th) (Radke, Smith) and Charles Radke (10th) (Smith) to lead 4-1 after forty minutes.

Sexsmith would cut the lead to two early in the final stanza but the Canucks would soon put it away. Reid Smith (9th) (Nathan Bomben) restored the three goal lead and then Charles Radke (11th) (McLean, Tyson Keen) would complete the scoring with his hat trick goal on the power play.

Canucks goaltender Tyson York made 18 saves on 20 shots in the victory. The Canucks power play improved and went 3 for 5 while the penalty kill was good on 2 of 3 kills.

A pair of bouts on the fight card tonight. It started with Mike Bouchard and Ricky Bohning. Bohning got the decision in a close fight. The main event involved Reid Smith and Lukas Heikan. Both guys threw some big hits but Smith got Heikan's helmet off and was delivering repeated uppercuts and hard rights. Smith eventually got the jersey over Heikan's head an get's the decision.

Three stars from the broadcast: 1) Charles Radke 2) Reid Smith 3) Tyson Stefanyk

Next up for the Canucks will be a date with the North Peace Navigators Saturday night. I'll be on the air with the pregame show at 7:45pm (AB time) on Peace FM and the play by play will start at 8:00pm (AB time) on Peace FM.

=====

I'll be showing up late to the Halloween party tonight. Hope everyone's still awake. Better late than never I guess.

Have a great night and I'll post some Halloween photos tomorrow.

dd