Vipers Even Series:

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Vipers even series!

by Don Klepp | Added 2010-04-18

In a game that they dominated for long stretches, the Vipers settled for a 3-2 victory Saturday in Spruce Grove. The Doyle Cup series is now tied at a game each.

The BC champions were all over the Saints in the first period but were unable to solve Travis Rolheiser, who stopped 12 Viper shots in the period. Meanwhile, Graeme Gordon had little work in the Viper net. The Saints generated just one scoring chance, on a power play.

Most of the Viper chances came from patient cycling of the puck. All four lines gave the lumbering Saint defencemen fits at times. Patrick McGillis, who had not played since February 21, slotted in with Dylan Walchuk and Jonathan Milhouse in place of Bryce Kakoske. McGillis, who had numerous friends and family in from Calgary, looked right at home.

Walchuk’s extended family, many of whom live in Edmonton and Calgary, contributed another 20 or so members of the crowd. They saw their kinsman play a gritty style that generated scoring chances.

Kellen Jones had perhaps the best chance in the opening period, but his rising shot went off the cross bar late in the period.

Despite the Viper pressure, which continued well into the second period, the Saints scored the opening goal. Scott Allen, who had fired the game winner in game 1, picked off an errant Curtis Gedig clearing attempt and fired a rocket off the underside of the cross bar at 4:14 of the middle frame. It was only the second scoring chance for the Saints in the first 24 minutes of the game.

That goal was merely a blip for the Vipers, who responded with three goals in the period. Kevin Kraus got the ball rolling with a point blast at 6:32. Then the Jones twins went to work.

Connor Jones put the Vipers ahead for good at 9:02. He and Kellen accepted a tip pass from Sahir Gill just outside their blue line. The twins exchanged passes at high speed and Connor finished off the play by driving to the net and jamming the puck under Rolheiser for his 11th goal of the playoffs.

Not to be outdone, Kellen scored at 11:47, one second after an unsportsmanlike penalty to Adam Henderson had expired. The Vipers had created other scoring chances on the power play, but had been unable to solve Rolheiser on plays around the net. Kellen’s high shot came from 20 feet.

For about four minutes, starting at the 12-minute mark, the Saints came alive with a fierce forecheck. Graeme Gordon made a courageous stop on a hard-charging Liam Darragh to preserve the two-goal lead. Later, with Kevin Kraus penalized for holding, Wes McLeod’s screened shot rang iron to the left of Gordon.

Unlike the previous night, when the Saints’ power play sank the Viper cause, the Alberta champs generated only two scoring chances and no goals in their three power plays. Likewise, the Vipers came up empty on their six opportunities. However, they fashioned 10 of their 24 scoring chances with the man advantage. Travis Rolheiser was the Saints’ best penalty killer, as he robbed the Vipers on several close-in chances.

Five of those chances came during three Viper power plays in the second half of the period, as the Saints started to show some frustration with the Vipers’ tight checking and offensive-zone cycle. Again, Rolheiser was excellent, particularly on close-in chances.

The Saints cranked up the tension a little with a late goal. Ryan Kerr held the line and Nate Fleming won a puck battle just inside the Viper blue line. At 18:10, from the high slot Jordan Draper one-timed Fleming’s lateral pass past Gordon. However, the Viper defence maintained their composure, even when Rolheiser was replaced with a sixth attacker.

The third game of the series will be played in Spruce Grove on Sunday, before the series shifts to Vernon for the remainder of the games.

This has become an interesting series. The Vipers’ puck movement, speed, and passing make them look like the better team, but the Saints have a knack for scoring goals against the run of play. In more basic terms, the Vipers “wheel and deal,” while the Saints “bang and crash.”