Vipers Depth Sinks Spruce Kings:

Vipers Depth Sinks Spruce Kings

by Don Klepp

Nov 27, 2009

The Prince George Spruce Kings came into Vernon with an upset in mind, but the Vipers broke out with four goals in the third period to win their 21st straight BCHL game, this time by a score of 6-2.

The game’s theme was established early as the Spruce Kings came in with plenty of jump. Import Kyle Manlow led the charge in the opening minutes. By the three minute mark, the Vipers started to respond, with Cole Ikkala and Rob Short testing PG goalie Kyle Nielsen. The period featured ebb and flow as the two teams exchanged bursts of effective forechecking.

During a spell of Prince George pressure, Justin Filion set up Nick DeSousa for a goal at 8:21. The Spruce Kings had a glorious chance to add to their lead when a series of Viper penalties gave the visitors two minutes and 33 seconds with a two-man advantage. They were unable to dent the league’s best penalty kill, however. Their best chance came when Wes McLeod’s screen shot hit iron.

As the penalties concluded, Kellen Jones stole a puck at centre ice and burst in on Nielsen. His series of dekes froze the big goaltender and Kellen put the puck up high. So, the exciting first period ended 1-1.

The second period featured a series of breakaways and partial breakaways. Despite the free-wheeling action, there was just one goal. A neat pass by Jonathan Milhouse helped Mike Collins burst in on the right wing. Collins cut back against the flow and beat Nielsen in tight.

The Spruce Kings kept up their pressure, however, as they sent two and three forwards in to forecheck deep in the Viper zone. The pressure nearly paid off as the Vipers uncharacteristically started to cough up the puck. At the midway point of the period, Lyndon Martell stole the puck at the Viper line and broke in on Gordon, who made a fine skate save to deny the 16-year old Martell.

Later, Connor Jones was sent free by Steve Weinstein’s heads-up pass, but Nielsen thwarted Connor’s breakaway move. On the penalty kill, Rob Short had a partial breakaway. His move beat Nielsen, but the puck slid away from Short as he tried to tuck it home. Finally, Lyndon Martell came close to a clean breakaway, but was headed at the last moment by Adam Thompson.

The Vipers’ depth showed up in the third period as they scored four times and finished the night with all four lines and a defenceman contributing at least one goal. The period started tamely, though, as both teams seemed reluctant to take a chance. Tight neutral-zone checking and cautious forechecking was the norm.

The back breaker for the Spruce Kings came when their power play was stymied in their own zone. Eventually, Dylan Walchuk put on a stick handling clinic, out-maneuvering three Spruce Kings and sweeping behind the net. Seeing Rob Short open in the high slot, Walchuk feathered a pass to Short, whose first-time slap shot overpowered Nielsen.

Soon after, Patrick McGillis picked off an errant pass at the Spruce King blue line. From the top of the right circle, he cut left and slid a shot just inside the right post. Now, Nielsen was under siege and he did well to deny Ikkala and Short. He couldn’t stop them all, though. Mike Collins notched his second of the game and 22nd of the season after being set up by Jonathan Milhouse’s pass from the end boards.

Lyndon Martell got one back for the Spruce Kings at 13:57, putting a well-placed screen shot past Gordon. With a hard shot from the point that went right through Nielsen, Nils-Erik Soderlund scored his first BCHL goal to close the scoring at 19:10.

Game Notes:

•The Vipers have now scored two more short handed goals than power play goals allowed.

•The Viper record of 22 straight wins was set by the 1998-99 team, coached by Sawyer Mick’s brother Troy, who attended this Thursday contest.

•Super pest Zac Rasmussen was effective in his disruptive role in this game. His whack to the back of Dan Nycholat’s legs led Nycholat to challenge Rasmussen. Nycholat out-punched the shorter Rasmussen in the second-period scrap that ensued.

•The Vipers maintained their record of out shooting their opponents in every game this season, this time by 31 to 25, the 18th time in 29 games that opponents have registered 25 or fewer shots against the Vipers.