Kensington Vipers

Kensington Vipers
CityKensington, Prince Edward Island, Canada
LeagueIsland Junior Hockey League
Founded1998
Home arenaCommunity Gardens Arena Complex
ColoursBlack, Red, and White
     
Owner(s)Canada Tyler Gallant
General managerCanada Pat McIver
Head coachCanada Wade Waddell

The Kensington Vipers are a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Kensington, Prince Edward Island. They are members of the Island Junior Hockey League and are 2011 and 2013 Don Johnson Memorial Cup Atlantic Junior B champions.

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 longtime 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.

2011 Don Johnson Cup

After multiple previous missed chances at the Maritime Junior B championship, the Vipers were not to be denied in 2011. Hosted by their rivals, the Montague Maniacs, the Vipers dropped their first game to them 3–2 in an overtime shootout. The IJHL champions then took on the St. John's Junior Hockey League's St. John's Jr. Celtics and beat them 9–4. The next day, the Vipers took on the New Brunswick Junior B Hockey League's Tri-County River Cats and beat them 4–1. On the final day of the round robin, the Vipers defeated the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League's Bay Ducks to clinch second place with a 3-0-1 record and a spot in the semi-final. On April 30, the Vipers played the Ducks for the second time in two days, this time the Vipers won 4–3 in double overtime. On May 1, the Vipers got their rematch against the Maniacs in an All-PEI final. The Vipers won 3–0 to win their first Maritime Championship and the first PEI title since 2002.

All Time Leader Points

The Kensington Vipers all time point leader is Cameron Webster (GP: 156, G: 171, A:137, P: 298)

Season-by-season record

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
2001–02 30 14 16 0 0 148 156 28 3rd IJHL Lost semi-final
2002–03 32 12 13 4 3 136 137 31 3rd IJHL Lost final
2003–04 32 22 7 3 0 148 96 47 1st IJHL Won League
2004–05 32 25 6 1 0 171 107 51 1st IJHL Won League
2005–06 32 24 8 - 0 167 108 48 1st IJHL Lost final
2006–07 32 20 7 - 5 192 135 45 2nd IJHL Won League
2007–08 40 28 12 - 0 209 145 56 2nd IJHL Won League
2008–09 40 27 10 - 3 193 125 57 2nd IJHL Lost final
2009–10 40 31 7 - 2 216 126 64 1st IJHL Won League
2010–11 40 29 10 - 1 201 136 59 1st IJHL Won League
Won Don Johnson Cup
2011–12 30 19 7 - 4 147 106 42 1st IJHL Won League
2012–13 26 19 6 - 1 149 74 39 1st IJHL Won League
Won Don Johnson Cup
2013–14 32 25 5 - 2 204 130 52 1st IJHL Won League
2014–15 32 23 7 - 2 170 102 48 1st IJHL Won semi-final, 4–0 (Falcons)
Won League Final, 4–0 (Red Wings)
League Champions
2015–16 32 21 9 - 2 148 117 44 1st IJHL Won semi-final, 4–1 (Maniacs)
Won League Final 4–3
League Champions
2016–17 32 20 7 - 5 136 110 45 1st IJHL Won semi-final, 4–3 (Maniacs)
Lost League Finals 3–4 (Red Wings)
2017–18 36 14 16 - 6 138 145 34 3rd IJHL Lost semi-final, 3–4 (Metros)
2018–19 36 25 11 - 0 147 91 50 2nd of 4 IJHL Won semi-final, 4–1 (Metros)
Lost League Finals 1–4 (Red Wings)
2019–20 34 16 15 - 3 98 119 35 2nd of 4 IJHL Playoffs Cancelled due to covid
2021–21 Cancelled due to covid
2021–22 23 13 10 - - 77 72 26 3rd of 4 IJHL Lost semi-final, 2–4 (Metros)
2022–23 29 15 14 - 1 94 95 31 3rd of 4 IJHL Lost semi-final, 2–4 (Metros)
2023–24 24 14 8 - 2 102 76 30 2nd of 7 NBJHL Won Final, 4-0 (Metros)
(Advance to Don Johnson Cup)

Don Johnson Memorial Cup

Eastern Canada Jr B Championships

Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Br. Med. Game Gold Medal Game
2024 W, Kent Koyotes- NB 4-3
L, Mount Pearl Jr. Blades- Host 2-6
W, St. John's Jr. Caps- NFLD 4-0
OTL, Antigonish Jr B Bulldogs- NS 3-4
2-0-1-1 3rd of 5 W, Mount Pearl Jr. Blades- Host 6-2 n/a L, Antigonish - NS 2-3
2023 W, Antigonish Bulldogs- NS 4-2
L, Cornerbrook Stars- NFLD 2-6
W, Kent Koyotes- NB 4-1
W, Liverpool Privateers- NS 5-2
3-1-0 1st of 5 W, Liverpool - NS 2-1 n/a L, Antigonish - NS 3-4
2019
HOST
L, Western Red Wings - PEI 3-5
E, CBR Renegades - NFLD 5-4
L, Sackville Blazers - NS 2-3
W, Moncton Vito's - NB 2-1
2-2-0 3rd of 5 W, Moncton Vito's - NB 6-3 n/a OTL, Western Red Wings - PEI 1-2
Runner ups
2016 W, Moncton - NB 3-1
L, Avalon - NFLD 2-5
L, Cornerbrook - NFLD 3-6
L, Valley - NS 1-3
1-3-0 5th of 5 n/a n/a n/a
2015 W, Tyne Valley - PEI 6-3
L, Moncton - NB 2-4
W, St. John's -Nfld 5-2
L, Glace Bay - NS 0-2
2-2-0 3rd of 5 L, Glace Bay - NS-0-1 n/a n/a
2014 L, Charlotte County - NB 6-8
W, Avalon - Nfld 6-2
OTW, Sackville - NS 4-3
W, Fredericton - NB 3-1
3-1-0 3rd of 6 OTL Sackville - NS 5-6 n/a n/a
2013 L, St. John's - Nfld 3-5
W, Sackville - NS 6-1
L, Moncton - NB 4-6
W, Fredericton - NB 5-1
2-2-0 4th of 5 W Moncton - NB 5-2 n/a W, Sackville - NS 4-3
Don Johnson Champions
2012 W, Moncton - NB 5-2
W, Mount Pearl -Nfld 7-0
L, St. John's -Nfld 1-2
OTL, East Hants - NS 2-3
2-1-1 3rd of 5 L, East Hants - NS 1-2 n/a n/a
2011 OTL, Montague - PEI 2-3
W, St. John's - Nfld 9-4
W, Tri-County -NB 4-1
W, Bay - NS 9-6
3-0-1 2nd of 5 2OTW, Bay - NS 4-3 n/a W, Montague - PEI 3-0
Don Johnson Champions
2010 W, Charlotte County - NB 8-3
W, St. John's - Nfld 4-3
L, Cumberland County - NS 2-7
L, Bay - NS 6-0
2-2-0 3rd of 5 L, Bay - NS 3-4 n/a n/a
Preceded by Don Johnson Cup Champions
2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by Don Johnson Memorial Cup Champions
2013
Succeeded by