Vipers Edge Silverbacks Again:

Vipers edge Silverbacks again

By Don Klepp Added 2009-12-11

A late flurry by the Salmon Arm Silverbacks fell just short as they bowed 3-2 in Vernon Friday night.

Vernon built a 3-0 lead with a goal in each period, but Salmon Arm came back with two third period goals to make the game closer than it deserved to be. Until the last 10 minutes of the game, the Vipers kept the Silverbacks in check, despite determined work by BCHL scoring leader, Mark Zengerle.

Through the first two periods, the ‘Backs managed just 5 shots on Graeme Gordon while the Vipers directed 21 at Tony Ierfino. The Vipers recorded 10 shots and the Silverbacks had 9 in an exciting third period.

Vernon’s fourth line opened the scoring at 7:18 of the first period with a determined and effective forecheck. Darrin Robak and Sawyer Mick went in deep, and they forced an errant pass that Patrick McGillis picked off at the blue line. McGillis put the puck on net, where Robak spun to get a shot on Ierfino. Mick jammed home the rebound.

At that point, teddy bears came raining down on the ice on Teddy Bear Toss Night, a promotion where fans donate teddy bears to the Salvation Army for Christmas gifts and for hospital visits.

The “Backs could not break through the Viper defence in the third. Their only shot came when Graeme Gordon made a key stop on Mark Zengerle’s partial breakaway. At the other end, it looked like Mike Collins had a clear path to Ierfino, but Travis Statchuk’s desperate dive broke up the play just as Collins was about to pull the trigger.

The Vipers did score late in the second. Braden Pimm found himself alone in front of Ierfino and Pimm scored his 15th of the season on nice feeds by Collins and Bryce Kakoske. All game long, Kakoske looked good on this line, shielding the puck well and buying time to allow Pimm and Collins to get free of their checks.

That line struck again early in the third period, with the ‘Backs short handed because of an undisciplined penalty taken by goalie Ierfino at 19:42 of the second.

Although the Silverback penalty kill unit was disciplined and effective on the five Viper power plays in this game, some crisp Viper passing finally broke down the ‘Backs, 32 seconds into the period. All five Vipers touched the puck on the play. At first, it appeared that Kakoske’s one-touch pass set up Pimm at the doorstep, but the goal was awarded to Kakoske, so the pass must have deflected off a defender past Ierfino.

Two minutes later, the Silverbacks were heartened by a Josh Manson goal. Bobby Lipsett dislodged the puck from the last Viper defender at the Viper line, and Manson went in alone. Gordon stacked the pads and almost stopped Manson’s flipped shot, but the puck trickled over the line.
From the point on, the Silverbacks started to exert more and more pressure, which paid off with a Zengerle goal at 17:55. A headmanned pass by Greg Noyes sent Tyler Gubb and Zengerle away on a two-on-one break. Just over the Viper blue line, Gubb’s pass located a streaking Zengerle who beat a sprawling Gordon.

From that point on, it was nail biting time for the majority of the 2691 fans in attendance. With just over a minute remaining, Ierfino was lifted for another attacker. Although Noyes and Chakeen fired several shots from the point, none made their through to Gordon’s goal, and the Vipers escaped with a victory that looked absolutely certain earlier in the period. Final shots were 31-14, in favor of the Vipers.

Game Notes:

• The Vipers have now won all four meetings with Salmon Arm this year, all by one goal.

• As they did last year, Mike Collins and Braden Pimm have been thorns in the side of the Silverbacks, each with five points in the four games.

• Mark Zengerle has also recorded five points in the four games, well below his average against the rest of the league.

• Salmon Arm’s road record dropped to 11 wins and 9 losses, while the Vipers have won all 17 of their road games.