Singleton Decides OT Thriller In Westside:

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Singleton decides ot thriller in Westside

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-01-08

In four previous tries this season, the Westside Warriors have not been able to defeat the Vernon Vipers, but Kyle Singleton’s determined effort gave the hometown Warriors a 4-3 win at 1:16 of the second overtime period on Friday.

The Vipers had forward Kyle Murphy back as Singleton forged across the Viper blue line. Murphy got in Singleton’s way in the low slot but was overwhelmed by the larger Singleton who then found the top of the net from 10 feet.

The play capped an exciting seesaw battle that featured plenty of hitting and end-to-end action.

Early on, the Vipers looked determined to avenge their previous night’s loss to Langley as they took a 2-0 lead.

Steve Weinstein’s slap shot off the rush opened the scoring at 4:35. Warrior goalie Cole Holowenko got a piece of the puck with his catching mitt but was unable to hold the puck.

At 9:43 the Vipers’ new-look power play scored a pretty goal. Four quick passes gave Michael Zalewski a clear shot at a half open net and he buried it from 12 feet.

The Vipers seemed to be in control but a Zach McPhee retaliation penalty gave the Warriors an opportunity to get back in the game and they promptly took advantage when Quinn Gould snapped in a rebound at 16:04.

From that point on, the Warriors started to carry more of the play. The period ended with the Vipers leading 2-1 and leading in shots, 13-10. The hard hitting opening frame saw the Vipers edge the Warriors in hits, 16-14.

The second period was a mirror image of the second, with the shots favoring Westside, 13-10. They scored the first two goals of the period before the Vipers came back with one.

A defining moment in the game came when Kyle Singleton won an intense battle along the right boards in the Viper zone and freed the puck for the pinching Brayden Sherbinin. Alex Grieve, who was alone to the right of Blake Voth, whipped Sherbinin’s quick pass before Voth could recover.

That goal came at 1:29, and at 2:19 the Warriors went ahead on Brett McKinnon’s goal. Grieve got the puck back to the point and Peter McIntosh’s shot glanced off McKinnon, who had his back to the shot.

The rest of the period thrilled the fans with run-and-gun hockey that drove the coaches crazy.

In the midst of one of the flurries of end-to-end action, John Knisley sprung Mike Zalewski loose and Zalewski ripped a shot over Holwenko’s shoulder, just under the cross bar, at 4:45.

Despite the wide open action, there no more goals as the goaltenders took over. The two best saves were by Blake Voth as he stoned Max French and Stefan Nicholishen with his pads.

The coaches clearly preached defence in the second intermission because the third period saw close checking and neither team was able to convert power play chances.

After killing a penalty that carried into the first overtime, the Vipers had the bulk of the scoring chances in the first overtime, but Holowenko stood his ground.

Steve Weinstein had a good shot foiled by Holowenko before Singleton settled the affair.

This game was the third straight that gone to overtime. The teams tied 2-2 in Vernon on December 3 and the Vipers won 3-2 in Westside on December 4. The Vipers had won the two previous meetings 6-4 and 4-1.

Saturday’s rematch in Vernon promises to be another hard fought game.