Vipers Lose In Overtime, But Help The Hospital:

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Vipers lose in overtime, but help the hospital

by Don Klepp | Added 2010-12-31

After being outplayed by the visiting Vernon Vipers on Wednesday and again during the first period on Thursday, the Salmon Arm Silverbacks rebounded for a 3-2 overtime win in the second half of the team’s home and home series.

Captain David Killip, who had been a non-factor for most of the game, lifted his team with a goal at 2:53 of the second overtime period.

He was aided and abetted by Jayson Reardon and Brett Knowles as they controlled play in the Viper zone. Off the left boards, Knowles passed rink wide to Killip for a one-timed snap shot that went through Kirby Halcrow’s pads as he desperately slid across.

In sports parlance, the Silverbacks will call the game a “character win” because they had dropped three straight games in which they had allowed six goals. In each game, they had faded late in the game.

In the first overtime period, the Vipers had a four-on-three power play when Killip took his third straight penalty. As they did in the two third period Viper power plays, the ‘Backs bailed out their captain with some spirited penalty killing.

Goalie Kris Moore was tested severely during the Vipers’ overtime power play, but he kept the Vipers at bay.

Moore was also very solid in the first period, when his team was out shot 14-6. The Vipers did strike first, at 10:01, when Aaron Hadley cashed in a rebound of a Darren Nowick shot. During the sequence, the Vipers looked like they would not be denied as they stormed the Salmon Arm net.

Against the run of play, the Silverbacks equalized at 17:36. A Viper defensive breakdown allowed Jarryd Ten Vaanholt to find Bryce Gervais for an open shot in the right faceoff circle. Gervais perfectly placed his shot over Kirby Halcrow’s right shoulder.

Perhaps buoyed by being tied after being outplayed, the Silverbacks played with more determination in the second period and they moved into a 2-1 lead at 1:22. Ten Vaanholt’s innocent shot from the right boards went through Halcrow and the near-capacity crowd went silent.

The Silverbacks maintained their edge until the middle of the period, when the Vipers started to pick up their physical play. The Vipers, who out hit the visitors 14-4 in the period, were rewarded with a Marcus Basara goal at 13:23, following sustained pressure.

Playing on the top line with Kyle Murphy and Bryce Kakoske because David Robinson sat out with an injury, Basara popped in a rebound after both Kakoske and Murphy had put shots on goal.

In this seesaw battle, the Vipers had the edge in play in the third period. Both of Killip’s penalties resulted when he was unable to keep up the speedy Vipers. Vernon nearly took the lead when Mike Zalewski’s low shot looked like it would go in to the left of Moore. However, Moore got the enough of the puck to deflect it onto his left goal post.

Again in the first overtime, the Vipers had most of the scoring chances, but were unable to capitalize. That set the stage for Salmon Arm’s comeback in the second OT period.

A crowd of 3,015, the largest Wesbild crowd of the season, took in the game. As a result, the Vipers will donate $2,000 to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s Tower building fund. For the remainder of the season, each crowd of 2,500 or more will trigger a $1,000 donation, while crowds of 3,000 or more will lead to a Viper donation of $2,000.

Viper Marketing Manager was very happy with the turnout: “The Vipers appreciate the support given to the hospital fund and to the team. Let’s keep it going!”

Vernon and Penticton are now tied for top spot in the Interior Division with 53 points, although the Vees have played one less game. The Vees play Westside on Friday and then meet the Vipers in Vernon on Saturday.