Nowick Strikes Again:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Nowick strikes again

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-10-24

For the second time in 20 hours, Vernon’s Darren Nowick scored a third period winner. On Sunday afternoon his second goal of the game helped the Vipers edge the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings, 4-3.

His winning goal came at 17:54, at the end of combination passing with his linemates, John Knisley and Mike Zalewski. Knisley started the play by stealing the puck in the Viper zone and headmanning it to Zalewski at centre. The stretch pass created a two-on-one break that Nowick finished with a slick forehand-backhand move.

The goal proved valuable because Jujhar Khaira scored off a scramble with the PG net empty at 19:32.

Nowick had opened the scoring at 4:46 of the first period. On the power play, Max Mowat flipped a point shot that Nowick deflected into the top corner.

Exactly five minutes later, Michael Colantone equalized at the end of a fine three-way passing play with Paul De Jersey and Jujhar Khaira. That goal seemed to energize the Spruce Kings, who played well for the remainder of the period after being dominated in the early going.

The Vipers, who have been at their best this season in the second period, took a 3-1 lead in the second on goals by Colton Sparrow and Marcus Basara. At full throttle, Sparrow buried an Alex Hagen laser pass at 2:31 and Basara had all day to thump in a power play rebound at 9:19.

The Spruce Kings got a power play marker of their own when affiliated player Josh Gray beat Kirby Halcrow from the slot at 11:55.

Gray’s goal came with Jedd Soleway in the box for a blow to the head of Skylar Pacheco. Soleway, who ran right over Pacheco behind the PG net, was then challenged by Kevin Leschuk. Soleway had a particularly physical game for the Vipers, while hulking defencemen Ben Matthews and Trevor Esau each laid some big hits for Prince George.

Other Highlights:

• Marcus Basara and Trevor Esau rang shots off the post in the third period.

• Kirby Halcrow absolutely robbed Michael Klonarakis on an odd man rush while the score was still tied in the first period.

• The Vipers fought fire with fire as Darren Nowick, John Knisley, and Mike Zalewski drew the task of stopping Prince George’s production line of Jujhar Khaira, Paul de Jersey, and Michael Colantone. Head to head, the Viper top line outscored the Prince George trio, 2-1. Colantone’s first period strike came when the Hagen/Sparrow/Hartley trio was on the ice.

The two teams will meet again in Prince George this coming Friday.