Vees Beat Vipers Again:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Vees beat Vipers again

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-10-21

Mike Zalewski Notched His 7th and 8th Goals of the Campaign.

For the second time in six days, the Penticton Vees have defeated the Vernon Vipers by a score of 6-2, this time in Vernon.

As in Friday’s match played in Penticton, the Vees took an early first period lead that they would not relinquish. They struck on the power play at 2:13 when Joey Benik sneaked in to bury a back door rebound.

Smooth skating Mike Reilly, a Columbus Blue Jacket draft pick, made the score 2-0 at 17:12, just as another Vee power play expired. Reilly’s attempted pass in the crease banked in off Ryan Renz’s skate.

Curtis Loik completed the first period barrage when his slap shot from the left wing eluded goalie Kirby Halcrow.

The Vees outplayed the Vipers in the opening 20 minutes, but the Vipers responded with a strong effort in the second period. They struck early when Mike Zalewski took a Brett Corkey pass at centre ice and barrelled into the Vee zone. His snap shot from the right faceoff circle beat Michael Garteig to the stick side.

The Vipers continued to press and looked to score on the power play when Ryan Renz came off the point and found a rebound. His shot from 12 feet looked like a goal, but Troy Stecher’s desperate stick thrust kept the puck out.

Late in the period, Connor Reilly neutralized the Zalewski goal by converting a perfect feed from Mario Lucia after Lucia and Travis St. Denis stole the puck deep in the Viper zone. Another turnover, this time caused by Connor Reilly behind the Viper net, allowed St. Denis to count his 12th goal in 11 games, at 4:20 of the third period.

After Mike Zalewski made the score 5-2, the Vipers’ first power play marker in three games, Troy Stecher got the final goal on a Vee 5-on-3 power play, at 18:17. The Vees, who lead the league at 29.49 percent, finished 2 for 10 on the power play.

Both teams will play again Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. The Vees will be at home against Cowichan valley and Surrey while the Vipers travel to Trail before returning home to face Prince George at 4 pm on Sunday.