Colton Sparrow scored what proved to be the winning goal at 7:16 of the second period to lead the Vernon Vipers to a 4-1 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters Friday at the Cominco Arena.
The snakes’ win coupled with a 2-2 tie with the West Kelowna Warriors Saturday puts them atop the BCHL’s Interior Divsion, one point up on both Penticton and Merritt.
Tyler Povelofskie wired a shot over the glove of Smokie netminder Riley Corbin at 7:49 of the first to open the scoring as the Vipers outshot the Smokies 23 to 17 through two periods.
Dexter Dancs would make it 3-0 at 4:18 of the third, and less than a minute later Sparrow would notch his second of the night to make it 4-0.
Trail captain Adam Wheeldon put one by Austin Smith with just 31 seconds to play to spoil the shut-out bid. The Smokies get set for a home-and-home with Salmon Arm this Friday and Saturday.