Vets Key Viper Victory:

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Vets key Viper victory

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-09-23

Linemates Darren Nowick, Mike Zalewski, and John Knisley each contributed a goal and an assist as the Vernon Vipers overwhelmed the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 5-1 in the two teams’ season opener.

Fellow vets Patrick McGillis and Colton Sparrow also scored and Kirby Halcrow displayed standout goaltending as the Vipers began their defence of their BCHL crown.

Morgan Zulinick and Brett Knowles were the best two Silverbacks in the game but Halcrow stymied them in tight on several occasions. Zulinick had the ‘Backs’ lone goal, to make the score 2-1, 20 seconds into the second period.

The Vipers had struck early in the first period. Brett Corkey’s left wing pass was collected by Mike Zalewski, who beat a Silverback defenceman along the boards, stepped across the blue line and fed a streaking Darren Nowick. From the right faceoff circle, Nowick ripped a low shot that beat Kurt Williams on the stick side.

In his rookie season, Nowick took 30 games to get his first goal, but he scored just 31 seconds into this year’s campaign.

The same line struck again at 14:09 of the opening period. On the power play, Nowick won a draw and dished to John Knisley in the left faceoff circle. Knisley’s cross-ice slap pass was one-timed from the right faceoff circle by Mike Zalewski before Williams could react.

In the second period, after Zulinick took Bennett Hambrook’s pass and snapped a shot past Ryan Renz and then past Kirby Halcrow, the Vipers restored their two-goal lead with a second power play marker.

Marcus Basara won a puck in the offensive zone and responded to Patrick McGillis’s call for the puck. McGillis shot quickly and surprised Williams with a low drive that went between the goalie’s pads.

The Vipers added two goals on sharp shooting in the third period. At 6:34, Marcus Basara collected his second assist when Colton Sparrow accepted Basara’s flip pass and beat Williams with a rising shot.

John Knisley duplicated that feat at 18:24, powering a wrister over Williams’s shoulder. Rookie Marc Hetnik and goalie Kirby Halcrow drew assists on the play, which came after Halcrow had made a sensational save with his left arm.

Halcrow’s save was one of a half dozen highlight reel stops in the third period as the Vipers played giveaway in their end. The visitors outshot their hosts 13-8 in the third period, partly as a result of a string of Viper penalties and partly because of an ever-improving Silverback forecheck.

Special teams played an important role in this contest. The Vipers tallied twice in their four power plays while the Silverbacks were unable to convert any of their seven attempts.

The two teams will renew their rivalry Saturday evening in Salmon Arm.