Vipers Bow To Chiefs In Overtime:

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Vipers bow to Chiefs in overtime

by Don Klepp | Added 2010-11-21

For the second night in a row, and the ninth time this season, the Vipers went to overtime, this time losing 5-4 to the Chiefs in Langley.

Trevor Gerling was the OT hero at 2:44 of the second overtime period, streaking in on a breakaway after Josh Myers had set him free on the left wing. Gerling was able to gain a stride on Adam Thompson after Thompson and David Robinson briefly bumped into each other at centre ice.

The Gerling goal spoiled a strong effort by the Vipers, who outplayed the Chiefs for long stretches, out shooting their coastal hosts 47-28 in the process.

A pair of strange goals gave the Chiefs a two-goal lead, but the Vipers rebounded to tie the contest.

The opening goal came when Matt Ius, who was on his way to the bench for a change, slapped the puck from just over the red line. It fooled Bryton Udy, who had the disk slip between his goal pads at 7:24 of the first period.

For the remainder of the period, the Vipers dominated play. Final shot totals were 15-6 for the opening period, but Langley received solid goaltending from Wyatt Galley, and Ontario refugee who’s the son of former NHLer, Gary Galley.

Another strange goal gave the Chiefs a two-goal cushion. At 4:16 of the second period, Kevin Tuohy’s high point shot pinballed off players in front. The puck eventually bounced in off Brad McBride’s right shoulder.

On the very next shift, the Vipers bounced back with some puck luck of their own. From the left boards, Max Mowat skimmed the puck toward the net. It found its way past Galley at 4:45 after going off Kyle Murphy’s skate.

Defenceman Mowat was also involved in the Vipers’ tying goal at 6:06.

Bryce Kakoske’s long shot deflected into the left corner, where Mowat retrieved the puck and passed to David Robinson for a tap in at the crease. Suddenly, the Vipers had been rewarded for their dominance in the game.

Four goals in third period gave the Chiefs another two-goal lead and another Viper bounce back.

Josh Myers opportunistically tapped in a loose puck at 4:45. He followed Brandon Thompson’s determined path to the net. From the top of the faceoff circle, Thompson split two Viper defencemen, both of whom went for the puck, not the man. Bryton Udy made a nice save on Thompson, but the Chief and the two Viper D-men went past the goal and the puck lay invitingly for Myers.

At 6:06, Josh Hansen made a nice back door pass from the corner and Tyler Miller sneaked in from the point to score.

However, the Vipers continued to press and as their fourth power play of the night was set to expire, Malcolm Lyles drove a low shot through traffic to beat Galley through the pads.

Heartened, they pressed even harder, and they finally scored the tying marker at 18:12, with their net empty.

In the Langley end, David Robinson won a draw against Josh Myers. He got the puck to Bryce Kakoske, who back passed to Adam Thompson at the right point. Thompson’s precise diagonal pass found Mike Zalewski open in the left faceoff circle and Zalewski zipped the puck high into the half-open net.

The Vipers and Chiefs traded chances and half chances in the two overtime periods, but both goalies were very sharp.

Gerling’s excellent goal saved the night for the Langley fans, the most partisan of whom would admit that their team had been outplayed.