Kensington Vipers

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The Kensington 'Moase Plumbing & Heating' Vipers are a Junior B ice hockey club in the five team Island Junior Hockey League (IJHL).

[edit] Team History

The Kensington Vipers joined the Island Junior Hockey League in 1998 after the Kensington Granites Senior hockey team had folded and the Community Gardens arena was looking for a junior hockey client.

After sponsorship stints as 'Don Clark Insurance' and 'Valley Truss and Metal', a full time sponsor was found in 2003, as Moase Plumbing and Heating assumed sponsorship.

After many underachieving years, the Vipers reached the Island Championship in 2002 but lost in the seventh game to the now defunct O'Leary Eagles. The following season, the team also lost in seven games at the finals but this time to the Sherwood Falcons.

Through the 2003-2004 season the Vipers were amongst the top of the league and remained on top through the end of the regular season and were favoured to win the PEI title. After a quick dismissal of the now relocated Evangeline Loggers of Wellington, the Vipers met their long time rivals in the Sherwood Falcons. The Vipers won their first championship in five games on home ice before a sellout crowd, with arguably the best team they had put forth in franchise history, which included key defence Joey Wood, Matt Ramsay and Travis Gallant, forward Mitchell Jollimore, Robbie Doiron and Tim MacDougall as well as all-star goaltender Dan Corriveau.

The following season, the Vipers continued on their domination atop the Island Junior Hockey League. Kirk MacPhee had proven himself as the league's top playmaker, and former Summerside Capital Brad Doiron was added to the lineup. After gaining home ice advantage through their play in the regular season, the Vipers dismissed their opening round opponent, the Summerside Red Wings, and once again met the Falcons in the Final. After being down 3-2 in games of the best of seven, the Vipers won two in a row to defend their title in which will go down as perhaps the best IJHL final to date.

The following year the Vipers tried to go for a three peat, though they did not finish first overall in the regular season. This would prove to be a difference in the island final, as the Vipers lost the finals to Sherwood in six games and on home ice.

[edit] Don Johnson Cup

In April of 2006, the Vipers hosted the Don Johnson Cup, Atlantic Canada's Junior B Hockey Championship. Although they did not win the PEI championship, they participated in the tournament as the host team.

Participating teams were:

Antigonish Bulldogs (Nova Scotia)
St. Margaret's Bay Ducks (Nova Scotia; replaced Newfoundland & Labrador who withdrawed just days previous to the tournament)
Sherwood Falcons (Prince Edward Island)
Kensington Vipers (Host)

After two shaky performances, the Vipers beat the Falcons in their final game, advancing them to the lone semifinal game versus Antigonish. The Bulldogs won that game 4-3 in overtime on a goal by Patrick Sexton.

In the championship game, the Bay Ducks won 5-3 to capture the Don Johnson Cup title.