Four Third-Period Viper Goals:

Four third-period Viper goals

by Contributed

Dec 9, 2009

The Merritt Centennials started well in Vernon on Tuesday, but were unable to maintain their early pressure. Four third-period Viper goals confirmed a 7-1 Viper win.

From the opening face off, the Centennials set up shop in the Viper zone. All three Centennial forwards fore checked hard. That early pressure did not allow the Vipers to change lines, while Merritt players came off the bench. Dustin Johnson culminated the early Merritt dominance with a snap shot that zipped by Blake Voth at 1:08.

Feeding off their success, the Cents were able to carry the play for another minute or so, but then the Vipers worked their way back into the game. In their past three games, the league’s top scoring team had had trouble finding the net, but Connor Jones kick started the Viper attack with a superb goal at 6:28. Veering to his left in the Viper zone, Curtis Gedig spotted Connor on the right wing. Connor picked up Gedig’s long precise pass in full stride and swooped across Keith Hamilton’s goal crease. Hamilton stayed with Connor, but the wily Viper tucked the puck inside the right goal post.

Adam Thompson followed with another fine goal at 8:36, in the wake of good checking by Sawyer Mick. Bryce Kakoske, the game’s first star, found Thompson who had slipped into the left face off circle from his right point position. Thompson’s one-timer gave Hamilton no chance.

In the only Viper power play of the night, Mike Collins made the score 3-1. Kakoske was again involved. He collected the puck in the right corner and passed quickly to Collins, who worked his way left into the high slot where he snapped a high shot past Hamilton’s catching glove.

The second period was a bit of a yawner, with plenty of neutral zone checking and few scoring chances. The Centennials directed 9 shots at Voth, but only one was a legitimate scoring chance. Screened by Silvan Harper, Voth somehow saw and caught a hard point shot by Matt Mazzarolo. At the other end, Rob Short beat Hamilton, but rang a one-timer off the right goal post.

The Vipers exploded for four scintillating goals in the third period. On the second shift of the period, Cole Ikkala took a pass from Connor Jones at the Merritt blue line and fired a laser from 12 feet. The shot beat Hamliton over his right shoulder on the short side at 1:08. Bryce Kakoske’s goal then drove Hamilton from the net at 3:02. Trailing the play, Kakoske was noticed by Braden Pimm. Kakoske calmly took his time and snapped the puck past Hamilton’s glove.

Substitute Riley Wall fared little better, allowing two goals on seven shots. Both were beauties. First, from a scrum at centre ice Rob Short spotted Cory Kane who was unmarked on the left wing. On a clear cut breakaway, Kane roared in to wrist a low shot past Wall’s stick.
The scoring was capped by a slick three-way passing play. Cole Ikkala, the trigger man, was set up by crisp passes by Connor Jones and Jonathan Milhouse.

For the most part, the game was a gentlemanly affair, but two incidents occurred in the third period. After Braden Pimm rocked Silvan Harper with a stiff check behind the Viper net, Jordan Soquila challenged Pimm, but the two did more dancing than punching. At the final whistle, Dustin Johnson objected to Cory Kane’s vigorous play and he started a melee that resulted in several roughing penalties. (Johnson was not penalized.)

Vernon took advantage of their game in hand over Penticton to move seven points ahead of the Vees. The two teams will meet in Penticton Saturday night.

Game Notes:

•Blake Voth won his ninth game in nine starts for the Vipers. In the process, he lowered his league leading goals against average to 1.44.

•Kellen Jones missed the game with a broken jaw suffered against Penticton last Friday. Also, Dylan Walchuk was at the Jr. “A” Prospects game in Winkler, Manitoba, so AP Brendan Persley and reserve defenceman Nils-Erik Soderlund played on a line with Patrick McGillis.

•The Centennials were without injured 20-year olds Ryne Bodger and Alex Valenti. AP Riley Wall substituted for Cole Holowenko, who is with the Chilliwack Bruins while ex-Viper Lucas Gore is out of the lineup with an injury.

•The Centennials surrendered seven or more goals in a game for the 14th time this season.

•The Vipers scored at least seven goals for the 11th time this season.

•Centennial coach Luke Pierce suffered his fourth successive loss after opening his head coaching career with two wins.