Noonan Deflates Millionaires:

Noonan deflates Millionaires

by Don Klepp -Oct 25, 2009

Garrett Noonan’s rocket wrist shot with 20 seconds remaining in the first overtime gave the Vipers a 3-2 win over the Quesnel Millionaires Saturday night in Vernon. The play in overtime was one-sided as the Vipers out shot the Mills 6-0 in extra time. Leading to the winning goal, the Vipers hemmed in the visitors, but Luke Siemens held the fort as he had done all night. He stopped 47 of 50 Viper shots. He was also helped by his D-men who blocked many shots, and he had shots by Dylan Walchuk, Dan Nycholat, and Nick Amies ring off his goal posts. Nycholat’s blast from the point with 35 seconds remaining in the third period would have averted overtime. The first period was scoreless thanks to Siemens, a 16-year old who played Jr. B in Summerland last year. In that opening frame, the Vipers had 21 shots while the Millionaires managed just 5. Siemens was half of the story the other half was the Vipers’ quickness and team speed. Play was much more even in the second period as the Mills had 11 shots compared to the Vipers’ 10 and each team had 4 scoring chances. However, the Vipers scored two sensational goals to take the lead. In his last BCHL game before going with brother Kellen to play for Canada West at the international Jr. A challenge in PEI, Connor Jones broke the ice at 8:02. In his zone, Steve Weinstein chipped the puck to Kellen, who was surrounded just outside his blue line. However, he banked a clever back hand to Connor who roared down the right wing. Connor went hard to the net and beat Siemens through the 5-hole. At 12:45 Braden Pimm replicated Connor’s rush down the right side after Kevin Kraus had picked his way through a tangle of bodies in the Viper zone. Like Connor, Pimm went hard to the net and tried 5-hole, but Siemens closed the gap. Still, the puck followed Pimm and he managed a twisting backhand as he flew by the crease. Unlike the 9-1 debacle in Quesnel on October 15, the Millionaires kept battling and they tied the score in the third period on goals by Taylor Holst and Matthew Herskovitz. Holst scored with team mate Spencer Graboski in the penalty box. When a pass at centre missed Steve Weinstein, Darick Ste. Marie pounced on the wayward puck, and fed Holst, whose breakaway move beat Viper goalie Graeme Gordon. Matthew Herskovitz, a Montreal native who played at Connecticut’s Taft Prep School last year, completed the comeback at 12:23. The rangy defenceman found a loose puck at centre and made some nifty moves as he entered the Viper zone. His long range shot deflected off a Viper D-man and fooled Gordon. Before the period was out, Siemens had to make a sensational pad save on Dylan Walchuk’s one-timer. At the other end, Gordon robbed sniper Trever Hertz on a point blank shot. In the overtime, the Vipers found another gear, while the Millionaires could only hope that Siemens would continue to thwart the Vipers.

Game Notes:

The Vipers have now won nine in a row, while the Mills dropped their second straight road game after two consecutive home victories. This year, they have lost seven of eight road games. Mike Collins, Jonathon Milhouse, and Dylan Walchuk had their consecutive games point streaks stopped at 8. The Mills were without Rylan Stanyer, Brendan DeCock, Lucas Ford, Anderson White, and Brandon Watson. Viper healthy scratches were Patrick McGillis, Darrin Robak, and Erik Soderlund. Holst’s short handed goal was the second the Vipers have surrendered this year. Denver Manderson tallied the other in the only game the Vipers have lost so far in 2009-2010. Referee Nick Swaine called just four penalties, three to Quesnel.