Vipers Bounce Back:

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Vipers bounce back

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-03-22

After dropping the first two games at home versus the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL Interior Division finals, the Vernon Vipers have rebounded with a convincing 5-1 win in game three.

Captain David Robinson led the way with a goal and an assist. His goal at 11:46 of the first period gave the Vipers a lead they would not relinquish.

As was the case in the first two games of the series, the Vipers dominated in the early going. However, on Monday night in Salmon Arm they did not surrender a goal against the run of play.

Robinson’s goal came when he barrelled through a defender to get to the rebound of a Malcolm Lyles shot. He showed the kind of desire and hustle that Salmon Arm showed in shocking the Vipers with five first-period markers on Saturday.

The Vipers’ veteran line of Robinson, Kyle Murphy, and Bryce Kakoske kept the pressure on and Kakoske made the score 2-0 with a slap shot that beat Kris Moore on the short side at 14:29.

On their first power play of the game, Salmon Arm made the score 2-1 when Brett Knowles deflected Clinton Atkinson’s point shot downward at 15:32. At that point, Salmon Arm had scored on four straight man advantage opportunities, going back to Saturday’s contest.

However, the Vipers stiffened their resolve and killed off the remaining five Salmon Arm power plays, which turned out to be a major factor in this contest.

Salmon Arm played better in the second period, but the Vipers created seven scoring chances to three for the Silverbacks and notched the only goal of the period. It came from a dominant 38-second shift by the Nowick line. The quickness displayed by Darren Nowick, John Knisley, and Mike Zalewski was too much for the Silverback defenders to handle.

At 14:54, Kris Moore stacked his pads to rob Nowick, but the trio kept the puck in the offensive zone and they capped their play with Zalewski’s goal at 15:15.

The Vipers once again had much of the play in the third period as the Silverbacks seemed to acknowledge that they were beaten. Shots favoured the Vipers, 13-4, in the final frame.

Patrick McGillis scored a power play goal at 6:18 and set up Dylan Walchuk for a final tally at 9:07. Final shots were 35-17 for Vernon and the scoring chances (19-9) also favoured the Vipers.

Vernon played with just five defencemen because of injuries to Max Mowat and Phil Patenaude. The increased ice time seemed to suit the quintet, all of whom put in a strong effort.

Justin Elliott dressed for Salmon Arm because of an injury to Josh Manson. Otherwise, the home team’s lineup was intact.

Both teams have now won all playoff games in which they’ve scored first and they’ve lost all games in which they’ve surrendered the first goal. The same holds true for Westside in its series with Trail and with Vernon.

Game four of Interior final series goes Tuesday in Salmon Arm, with the series switching to Vernon for game five on Thursday.