{"id":805096,"date":"2020-03-10T18:19:58","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T00:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=380282"},"modified":"2020-03-10T18:19:58","modified_gmt":"2020-03-11T00:19:58","slug":"breckenridge-vipers-hockey-sweeps-park-city-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/breckenridge-vipers-hockey-sweeps-park-city-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Breckenridge Vipers hockey sweeps Park City at home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Breckenridge Vipers skater Tommy Mines possesses the puck in transition during the Vipers’ win over the Park City Pioneers on Saturday.<\/strong>
Elaine Collins \/ Special to the Daily<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

BRECKENRIDGE \u2014 After a pair of losses in Park City, the Breckenridge Vipers semipro hockey team exacted revenge on the Park City Pioneers over the weekend, winning 11-3 on Friday night and 12-3 on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

On Saturday at Stephen C. West Ice Arena in Breckenridge, the Vipers received goals from eight players, including two-goal games by forward Shamus O\u2019Neil and forward Josh Gionfriddo, and a hat trick from Summit County native Sean Costello. O\u2019Neil began the scoring with 15:24 remaining in the first period, assisted by Gionfriddo and defender Tommy Mines. Gionfriddo scored about five minutes later before a pair of goals drew the Pioneers within a 3-2 deficit in the final five minutes of the first period.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neil\u2019s second goal of the first period, at the 1:32 mark, extended the Vipers\u2019 lead to 4-2 and began a streak of six consecutive goals scored by the Vipers before the Pioneers stemmed the tide with a third-period goal. After the game, Vipers goaltender and general manager JR Engelbert said Saturday\u2019s game was the latest example of O\u2019Neil and Costello playing well for the Vipers on the same line together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith them being shorthanded, we knew if we could move the puck, control the puck, it was going to wear them down,\u201d Engelbert said. \u201cShamus, I believe, he has 30 points on the season. In the offensive zone, he protects  the puck well, gets into the dirty corners. He outworks opponents in the hard areas and is able to come out with the puck a lot. He gives himself and his teammates good opportunities to get the puck in the net. He and Sean, they are working well together. Sean\u2019s got great vision with the puck. He\u2019s able to protect it well and is great on the rush.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Vipers will look for more standout play from O\u2019Neil and Costello on Friday at Stephen C. West Ice Arena in Breckenridge, as the Vipers host the Pikes Peak Vigilantes at 7:45 p.m. It\u2019ll be the rubber match for the two Colorado teams for the season after each side won a game against the other earlier in the year.<\/p>\n

Engelbert, who stopped 26 shots against the Pioneers on Saturday, said the Vipers always anticipate a fast-paced game when Pikes Peak comes to town.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are going to play a little more open game,\u201d Engelbert said. \u201cIt\u2019ll be a little bit more of a free-flowing game. Hopefully our structure will be able to contain that, slow them down, play the game we want to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

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