Vipers set to battle cancer, Thunder

The Red Deer Vipers have a big weekend ahead of them.

"It's our biggest one of the year, by far," says Vipers bench boss JD Morrical.

The Red Deer squad will travel to Okotoks Friday night to take on the unbeaten Bisons (10-0-0, 8 p.m.) and then return home to face the rival Airdrie Techmation Thunder (6-3-0) on Saturday (8 p.m.).

Saturday's grudge match against the Thunder will also be the Vipers' annual Hockey Fights Cancer game.

Last season, the Vipers held the game in honour of one of their own — Kevin Zarubiak, father of forward Tristyn — who passed away from brain cancer shortly after the 2017-18 season.

Red Deer raised $1,600 in 50/50 proceeds, popcorn, bake-sale items and raffle baskets.

This year's game will benefit the Canadian Cancer Society and the Central Alberta Humane Society.

On the ice, the Vipers are looking to get back on track after a promising 4-0-0 start turned into a 4-3-0 record.

"We started out the season good but the last three games, we've been playing really soft," Morrical says.

Six key injuries played a major role in the Vipers' current three-game skid but Morrical refuses to use them as an excuse.

"The team that we have should have been able to get a few more points," he says. 

"I really like our team this year. We have a young group of forwards that I think, with a little more work with us, should help us be a pretty good team again.

The Vipers have struggled to find the net, scoring just 15 goals in their seven contests, which is second-worst in the HJHL in offensive output.

But with a healthier lineup and a little more seasoning for the younger players, Morrical can see a lot more red lights being lit in the future.

"We have some young guys who are good players," Morrical says. "When they come into this league at 18, it's a big jump from midget triple-A or midget double-A.

"Some guys don't like to admit it but when you're playing against 20- and 21-year-old guys, there's not that many 18-year-olds who can come in and be big, impact players."

Red Deer will be without two of its top forwards this weekend with Justin Paarup and Rylan Burns still on the mend.

But there is good news on the injury front with forwards Jacksyn Goodall and Nicholas Scott and top defender Keenan Smith returning to action.

And they'll be thrown right into the fire in Okotoks, which has outscored the competition 66-20 during their run of perfection.

"I'm not going to say we figured (the Bisons) out by any means," Morrical says. "I don't think I've ever won a game as a coach on the road in Okotoks.

"We've beat them at home a couple of times but Okotoks is always a really tough place to play, especially on a Friday night when all the boys are working and have school.

"But I think we're ready. We had two good practices this week and I can tell the guys are excited for the game."

Saturday night will see the Vipers and Thunder rekindle their rivalry, which has seen the clubs meet in the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.

"We've gone head-to-head with them (in the playoffs)," Morrical says. "Every game we play with them is tight.

"There's a lot of hate and every game is always amplified and I don't expect anything different this year."