Vipers Outlast Kings:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Vipers outlast Kings

by Don Klepp | Added 2010-01-29

Balanced scoring and strong goaltending led the Vernon Vipers to a home ice 5-2 win over the Powell River Kings, although the Kings gave the 1876 Viper fans a scare with two Chad Niddery strikes in the third period.

The Vipers depth showed in this contest as all four lines contributed goals. Mike Collins got the ball rolling in the first period with a power play goal. He circled with the puck, looking for an opening, and then zipped a 25-foot wrister past Josh Watson.

Dylan Walchuk followed with a crease tap in after Jonathan Milhouse’s determined net drive, and the Vipers went into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead. Despite dominating the first three shifts of the game, the Kings were out shot 13-3 in the period.

Again in the second period, the Kings came out of the room with a relentless forecheck and they had the edge in play for much of the first half of the period. However, the Vipers bounced back with a Cole Ikkala goal at the 10-minute mark. On the rush, Collins shot the puck to the corner for Braden Pimm to retrieve, and Pimm immediately located Ikkala coming through the slot for a one-timer.

Referee Mike Basford got into the act, calling two marginal Viper penalties that gave Powell River a five-on-three advantage for 1 minute 27 seconds. The Kings, who had been held without a shot on two first-period power plays, peppered Blake Voth, but the young netminder made two sensational saves among his several stops.

Again, the Kings started the third period gritty de3termination, but were unable to solve Voth. Then, against the run of play, Kellen drove hard to the net and squeezed the opuck through Watson.

At that point, the Vipers started to play as if the game were over, but the Kings kept on coming. They were rewarded with two Chad Niddery goals from in close, and they came close on three other occasions. After their coach, Mark Ferner, called a timeout at about the 12-minute mark, the Vipers settled down and held the Kings to three shots on goal from that point.

Rob Short capped the scoring with an empty netter at 18.24 after alertly intercepting a point pass and leaving two defenders in his wake.

The two teams will resume their rivalry in Powell River this coming Thursday, to make up the November 18 game postponed by bad weather.

In the meantime, Powell River gets ready to finish its road trip with a game in Salmon Arm Saturday, and the Vipers await the Langley Chiefs, who lost 5-4 in the second overtime in Salmon Arm Friday.