Strong Defence Keys Viper Win:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Strong defence keys Viper win

by Don Klepp | Added 2010-12-13

Another strong defensive effort by the Vernon Vipers led to a 3-2 win in Nanaimo Sunday afternoon.

In the last eight games, the Vipers have allowed just 10 goals, five on their four-game Island swing. On Sunday, they held the Clippers to 7 scoring chances and 16 shots.

Playing their fourth game in five days, the Vipers were down to four defencemen. As a result, Darren Nowick was drafted into the D-corps for most of the game.

Like the previous evening in Alberni Valley, penalty killing played a prominent role, especially when Nowick was assessed a roughing call with 3:17 remaining in the game.

To increase his team’s advantage, Nanaimo’s Bill Bestwick pulled his goalie with 28 seconds left in the Nowick minor. However, the Clippers were unable to register a shot on goal during the man advantage.

In the final 1:17, goaltender Charles-Andre Pelletier remained on the bench, but still the Clippers could not fire on net, even though they maintained possession for much of the 1:17.

Viper Captain David Robinson believed that “it was a gutsy effort, I think. We had guys blocking shots and fighting hard along the boards and when we needed him, (goaltender) Vother was there.”

Jason Williamson agreed: “we consider that game a real character builder.”

Although the Vipers had more of the play in the game, the Clippers scored twice on Viper breakdowns. They took the lead in the first period when diminutive Myles Fitzgerald intercepted an errant Viper pass inside the Viper line and set up Victor Newell for a backhand that sneaked inside Blake Voth’s left post.

The second Clipper goal, which knotted the score at 2-2 in the third period, came when Gerry Fitzgerald’s clearing pass was not called for icing. The Viper defenders relaxed, but Leo Fitzgerald nipped in chip the puck past Voth.

In between the two opportunistic Clipper tallies, David Robinson scored twice in the second period. His first goal was made by Bryce Kakoske who shouldered aside Nick Bell behind the Clipper net and allowed Robinson a clear shot from five feet at 8:52.

At 11:10, Robinson raced down the left wing. “I saw that the goalie didn’t come out to cut down the angle, so I shot for the far side and it went inside the post.”

Vernon’s winning goal came at 9:50 of the third period. Todd Skirving dispossessed Todd Gebert behind the Nanaimo goal and flipped out front to Zach McPhee, who quickly capitalized low on Pelletier’s glove side.

Skirving maintains that Robinson notched the key goals: “They were very important for us because we had been working hard with no reward. When he scored, we knew for sure we could win.”

The win gave the Vipers seven of a possible eight points on their Island swing and a one-point advantage over the Penticton Vees in the race for first place in the BCHL Interior Division. The Vees have one game in hand.

The Vees and Vipers will have a first place showdown Friday night in Penticton.