VIPERS NOW SHOW OFF THEIR DEFENSIVE SIDE.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer VALENCIA - Even when the Vipers were winning early this season, their defense was considered a liability for the Valencia/Sylmar-based Pee Wee Pee Wee, Pee-wee or peewee may refer to:
But significant progress in that area has been a key in what has become a remarkable season. And now more than ever, the Vipers are counting on a strong defense in their quest to win the California Amateur Hockey Association championship. Playoffs begin today at Ice Station Valencia. The top-seeded Vipers (15-1-1 in CAHA CAHA Cape Hatteras National Seashore (US National Park Service) CAHA Canadian Amateur Hockey Association CAHA Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán CAHA Colorado Amateur Hockey Association CAHA California Amateur Hockey Association ), who won the regular-season CAHA title, will face the Beach City Lightning of Huntington Beach Huntington Beach, city (1990 pop. 181,519), Orange co., S Calif., on the Pacific coast, across from Santa Catalina Island, in an oil-producing area; inc. 1909. It manufactures aerospace vehicles, aircraft parts, optical instruments, and heat transfer equipment. today at 4:15, the first of five games they'll play in the round-robin format. The championship game will be Sunday at 11:20 a.m. The playoff champion, and possibly the second-place team, will advance to the Pacific District championship, which will be at San Jose's Logitch Ice Center from March 4-7. The district championship features six teams. Three will be from California - San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. has already qualified - and the others will be state champions from Oregon, Washington and Nevada. The district champion advances to nationals, which will be in Lavonia, Mich., from March 31-April 4. But the Vipers probably aren't going anywhere without a strong defense. ``No doubt about it,'' Vipers coach Larry Bruyere said. ``You can't overstate the importance of defense (in the playoffs). If they don't show up, we don't win.'' The Vipers defense, which is ranked among the CAHA's best in fewest goals allowed, is led by Josh Shin shin (shin) the prominent anterior edge of the tibia or the leg. saber shin marked anterior convexity of the tibia, seen in congenital syphilis and in yaws. . Matt Schreiber, Kyle Herring, Keegan Guy, Larry Pope, and Chris Blessing have also made significant defensive contributions, although Blessing was recently moved to a wing position. ``It was kind of hard at the beginning,'' Shin said, ``but since we've gotten used to playing together, then we became a good defense.'' And even when the defense has struggled, goalie Ricky Ascencio has excelled. ``We've had a lot of bad games, but Ricky has really come up big,'' Shin said. --Blessing in disguise: Blessing's move to forward was originally made out of necessity during the recent Pikes Peak Pikes Peak, 14,110 ft (4,301 m) high, central Colo., in the Front Range of the Rocky Mts.; discovered by U.S. explorer Zebulon Pike in 1806. There are many higher peaks in the Rockies, but this is the best known and most conspicuous because of its location on the (Colo.) tournament. The Vipers were shorthanded on their front line after Raymon Pahoyo had to serve a one-game suspension for an illegal check, and Kyle Bowen had strep throat Strep Throat Definition Streptococcal sore throat, or strep throat as it is more commonly called, is an infection of the mucous membranes lining the pharynx. Sometimes the tonsils are also infected (tonsillitis). . But the physical Blessing has thrived in that role, giving the Vipers' front line a hard checker check·er n. 1. a. One, such as an inspector or examiner, that checks. b. One that receives items for temporary safekeeping or for shipment: a baggage checker. 2. it previously lacked. ``He really seems to have adapted to the role and we're going to stay with it,'' Bruyere said. ``It's funny how those things work out.'' --Early-bird special: An eagerly anticipated matchup between the Vipers and the San Diego Gulls The San Diego Gulls were a minor league ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Division of the ECHL, and played its home games at the IPayOne Center (aka San Diego Sports Arena). After the NHL lockout in 2004, the Gulls became the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. , which was responsible for the Vipers' loss, will be Friday at 7:55 a.m. Pee Wee teams also will play games that begin at 6:15 and 7:40. --More Vipers: The Vipers also qualified their Midget (16-and-under) and Bantam Bantam Former city and sultanate, Java. It was located at the western end of Java between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. In the early 16th century it became a powerful Muslim sultanate, which extended its control over parts of Sumatra and Borneo. (13-14 year olds) teams for this week's CAHA playoffs at the Ice Station. The Vipers, who are in their inaugural season, and the Ventura Mariners, are the only clubs to qualify three teams for the CAHA playoffs. ``For a first-year tier program, we've been successful,'' said Bruyere, who also serves as the Ice Station's director of hockey operations. --Add Burbank: The Golden Bears of Burbank will join the Vipers' tier program next season. ``It certainly expands our pool of potential players,'' Bruyere said. ``It should make us better.'' Gideon Rubin (818)713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com |
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