Vipers Rebound To Defeat Warriors:

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Vipers rebound to defeat Warriors

by Don Klepp | Added 2010-01-23

After a sluggish start, the Vipers came back to shade the Westside Warriors 3-2 in Vernon Friday night.

Coming off five games in seven days on Vancouver Island, Vernon lacked focus in the first period, and the Warriors quickly took advantage. Westside’s strategy of clogging the neutral zone resulted in two costly turnovers at the Viper blue line.

At 2:38, Cole Wilson intercepted an errant Viper pass and went in with Cam Reid against defender Dan Nycholat. Wilson’s pass found Reid who beat Graeme Gordon high stick side on Westside’s first shot of the game.

Encouraged by the goal, the Warriors kept up the pressure, even after Tyler Brickler took a high sticking penalty at 8:27. Playing up high at their blue line, Alex Grieve and Grayson Downing picked off a Viper pass to create another two-on-one. The two Warrior forwards went hard to the net and a Viper defenceman went sliding into Gordon’s crease. Grieve was credited with a goal when the puck trickled over the goal line.

That’s the way most of the period went, as Westside created more chances and Vernon continually missed passes and shots. However, late in the period the Jones line brought the crowd of 2215 to its feet with a pretty goal off a line rush.

Adam Thompson cleared his zone, up to Kellen Jones, who then headmanned to his brother Connor. The quick puck movement set up Connor and David Robinson with just one defender to beat. Connor’s cross-ice feed found Robinson at the door step for a deflection over Kevin Jebson at 19:26.

The goal seemed to awaken the Vipers, who controlled play for most of the second and third periods. Shots were 16-12 in favour of the Warriors in the first. From that point, the Vipers outshot the Warriors, 25-17.

Although only two more goals were scored, Gordon and Jebson made some fine saves the rest of the way, with Jebson the busier and more spectacular of the two. He was helped by his left goal post in the middle frame on a laser-beam slapper by Dan Nycholat. And Kellen Jones twice had Jebson at his mercy, only to miss by an inch or two each time. Also, Jebson out waited Connor Jones after Connor had unaccountably been ignored by Warrior defencemen in front of Jebson.

At the other end, Gordon robbed Tyler Brickler in close. Later, he came out to challenge 38-goal scorer Trevor Bailey, who was open in the slot. As a result, Bailey had little room and he blasted the puck into Gordon’s chest protector.

Bryce Kakoske knotted the score at 2-2 at 10:52 of the second period. In the midst of sustained pressure by Kakoske and line mates Dylan Walchuk and Jonathan Milhouse, Kakoske knocked a high clearing attempt and ripped a wrist shot past Jebson before the goalie could react.

It looked like Vernon had scored a go-ahead goal at 2:00 of the third, when Rob Short knocked in Garrett Noonan's pass. However, referee Nick Swaine immediately waved off the goal, ruling that Short’s stick was too high.

The third-period winner came on the Viper’s fifth power play of the night after Westside had been penalized for too many players on the ice. After two disorganized power plays in the first period, the Vipers played well on their subsequent opportunities and they finally capitalized when Curtis Gedig’s high point shot found its way through traffic in front of Jebson.

Once again, the two teams engaged in a close, exciting game. The Vipers have won three of the four this season, twice in Westside (4-3 and 4-1), while the Warriors have walked away with an overtime 2-1 win in Vernon.

The teams resume their rivalry in Vernon again Saturday evening. Get your tickets early!