The Red Deer Vipers are a Junior "B"Ice Hockey team based in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They played their home games at Red Deer Arena until 2016 when it was torn down to be rebuilt. The Vipers played home games out of Red Deer's Collicutt Centre which only sat about 500 with standing room for a season & a half. In January 2018, the Vipers returned to downtown Red Deer to play in the new Servus Arena which seats about 1,300.
History
The Red Deer Vipers are an original Heritage Junior B Hockey League team, named as the Red Deer Cowboys beginning in the 1987–88 HJHL season. Shortly after, the Red Deer Cowboys were renamed as the Red Deer Vipers. The Vipers are the 1989, 1999, 2004, 2017 & 2018 HJHL champions, the 2004 and 2006 Russ Barnes Trophy champions, and the 2006 Keystone Cup champions.
The Vipers historical rivals have been the Blackfalds Wranglers who reside a mere 10 minutes north of Red Deer.[citation needed] In recent years[when?] the Vipers have developed an intense rivalry with the Airdrie Thunder.[citation needed] The Vipers and Thunder have met in each of the last three[when?] post-seasons. In 2016 the Thunder beat the Vipers in seven games in the north semi-final. In 2017 the Vipers beat Airdrie in the north semi-final in six games. The Vipers beat Airdrie in six again in the 2018 north final.
Media
Since the 2016 HJHL playoffs, the Red Deer Vipers have taken it upon themselves to broadcast road games via internet radio. The first ever Vipers play-by-play broadcast was game five of the 2016 HJHL north semi-final against the Airdrie Thunder. Red Deer native Brady Sim called the game using an iPhone with a wifi connection, Periscope & an Xbox gaming headset.[citation needed] The Vipers defeated Airdrie in game five 2–1, but ultimately lost the series to Airdrie 4 games to three.
The Vipers would arrange to have Sim broadcast that year's provincial championships which the Vipers hosted. The Vipers then began broadcasting games on Mixlr.com, where the broadcasts can still be found today[when?].[1]
The 2023-24seasonmarked the first season since the 2002-03 season (no records prior to 2003-04 season) that the Vipers failed to make the playoffs.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Won Division Qualifier, 2–1 (Thrashers) Lost in Div. semi-finals, 0–4 (Wranglers)
2015–16
38
25
9
–
4
54
162
113
–
3rd, North
Won Division Qualifier, 2–0 (Stampeders) Lost Div. semi-finals, 3–4 (Thunder)
2016–17
38
25
12
–
1
51
171
123
–
3rd of 7, North 5 of 14, League
Won Division Qualifier, 2–0 (Stampeders) Won Div. Semi-finals, 4–2 (Thunder) Won Div. Finals, 4–3 (Colts) Won League Finals, 3–1 (Generals) advance to RUSS BARNES TROPHY
2017–18
36
30
5
–
1
61
198
96
–
1st of 7, North 1st of 13, League
Won Div. Semi-finals, 3–1 (Colts) Won Div. Finals 4–2 (Thunder) Won League Finals, 2–1(Copperheads) advance to RUSS BARNES TROPHY
Western Canadian Jr. B Championships(Northern Ontario to British Columbia)
Six teams in round robin play. 1st vs 2nd for gold/silver & 3rd vs. 4th for bronze.
Year
Round Robin
Record
Standing
Bronze Medal Game
Gold Medal Game
2004
L, Richmond 3–4 W, Regina 4–3 W, Norway House 5–4 W, Aguasabon 10–1 L, Thunder Bay 1–3
3–2–0
3 of 6
W, Thunder Bay 4–3 Bronze Medal
n/a
2006
W, Saskatoon 6–2 L, Campbell River 1–2 W, Delta 4–0 W, Thunder Bay 6–0 T, N Winnipeg 0–0
