{"id":801094,"date":"2019-11-06T17:56:43","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T00:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=374088"},"modified":"2019-11-06T17:56:43","modified_gmt":"2019-11-07T00:56:43","slug":"with-more-home-games-and-local-players-breckenridge-vipers-semipro-hockey-expects-best-season-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/with-more-home-games-and-local-players-breckenridge-vipers-semipro-hockey-expects-best-season-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"With more home games and local players, Breckenridge Vipers semipro hockey expects best season yet"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Breckenridge Vipers get a final practice session in at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 5, in preparation for their season opener this upcoming weekend against the Utah Blizzard.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

BRECKENRIDGE \u2014 Six years after the Breckenridge Vipers semiprofessional hockey team was founded, team owner and center Rick Batenburg and general manager and goaltender JR Engelbert are confident the Vipers are finally becoming the town\u2019s team.<\/p>\n

\u201cBreckenridge is a hockey town,\u201d Batenburg said.<\/p>\n

In the wake of a 2018-19 Mountain West Hockey League season, when the Vipers played for a title in Las Vegas, Batenburg, Engelbert and company have worked through the offseason to grow the team\u2019s relationship with the town of Breckenridge and Summit County. This season, the Vipers will play 18 home games at Stephen C. West Ice Arena, more than ever before. The team also will feature more Summit County locals than ever before, with 20 of the 25 players residing in the county.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see there\u2019s a lot of deep culture on our team that is ingrained in Breckenridge,\u201d Batenburg said. \u201cSo these guys really care about each other and the town and want to win for Breckenridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then there is the effort the Vipers have put forth to build a connection with the Summit Hockey youth program. Along with Summit Hockey Director Chris Miller, who is a defenseman for the Vipers, numerous players have helped coach and volunteer at Summit Hockey events early this season, such as the free mites program.<\/p>\n

The goal, Batenburg and Engelbert say, is to further foster a culture of community hockey in Summit, where born-and-raised locals and talented athletes play for the Vipers. One of them is 2016 Summit High School graduate Sean Costello, who will play for the Vipers for the first time this season. When he does, he\u2019ll join former Summit High School coaches of his, Shamus O\u2019Neil and Josh Gionfriddo, who are now his linemates and fellow forwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn previous years, we had a lot of Denver imports, and this year, there are a lot more local guys, and we have a lot better cohesion together,\u201d Gionfriddo said. \u201cWe know each other, we go to the bar together, hang out together, play men\u2019s league together. It\u2019s a lot easier to have each other\u2019s back and develop chemistry. We are kind of like a family.\u201d<\/p>\n

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