Centennials Steal Game In Vernon:

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Centennials steal game in Vernon

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-02-12

For the third time this year, the Merritt Centennials have defeated the Vernon Vipers in overtime. On Saturday, Chad Brears scored at 4:35 of the first overtime to for a 3-2 win.

In overtime, the Centennials looked hungry while the Vipers looked tired and out of synch. The Cents fired five shots at Blake Voth while Lino Chimienti had to handle just one.

However, Chimienti was the main reason why the game went to overtime as he stopped all 10 Viper shots in the first period and 16 of 18 in the second. The Quebec native made superb saves that had David Robinson, Patrick McGillis, and Darren Nowick shaking their heads.

The Centennials, who were overmatched in a 6-0 loss to Vernon on January 18, had more energy and resolve than the Vipers in the first 10 minutes on Saturday. They opened the scoring by outworking the Vipers down low. After Steven Wall and Chad Brears had won a battle in the corner, Wall fed Dustin Lebrun for a tap in that eluded Blake Voth at 8:51.

The shots at that point favoured Merritt, 5-1. From that point on, however, the Vipers took over as they registered 9 of the remaining 10 shots in the period. However, they could not beat Chimienti who was particularly sharp on plays in and around his crease.

Vernon dominated the second period, with 18 shots and 9 scoring chances. Despite Chimienti’s heroics, they scored twice.

Darren Nowick notched a power play goal at 9:10. Set up by John Knisley in front, he fanned on his first attempt as he leaned backward, but he had time to direct a second shot that fluttered over a sprawled Chimienti.

Dylan Walchuk put the Vipers ahead at 17:44. After Dane Muench had lugged the puck from his own end and fired a shot on Chimienti from inside the Merritt line, Walchuk pounced on the rebound and fired from 25 feet. Chimienti got a piece of the puck, but it trickled across the line.

A lack of attention to detail cost the Vipers in the third period. At 2:40, Regan Soquila slipped a shot past Blake Voth on the short side after Evan Stack and Jeff Jones had combined to steal the puck deep in the Viper end.

From that point on, there were few scoring chances, although Marcus Basara had a labelled shot ring off the side of Chimienti’s left goal post. Also, Blake Voth came up big on a Merritt 3-on-2 that resulted in an open shot.

The winning goal resulted when Billy Marshall carried the puck deep into the Viper zone and dropped the puck for Chad Brears. Blake Voth was in position to stop the shot, but it bounced off his mid-section and into the net.

In other action in the Interior Division, Salmon Arm came from behind to tie the game in the third period in Trail and win it in overtime, while Penticton scored three times in the third period to win in Prince George.

Penticton and Salmon Arm each gained a point on Vernon in the race for first in the Interior. Vernon has 79 points with three games remaining, while Salmon Arm has 74 points and Penticton has 72, each with five games left in their schedules.

If the Vipers win their final three games, they can’t be caught. However, if they have any more slip ups and Salmon Arm or Penticton run the table, either team could nip Vernon at the wire.