Vipers Unable To Recover From Early Deficit:

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Vipers unable to recover from early deficit

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-11-05

The Chilliwack Chiefs created a three goal lead in the first period and held on for a 5-4 win in Vernon on Saturday.

Just 56 seconds into the game, Chilliwack’s top line of Derek Huisman, Malcolm Gould, and Davis Bondra took advantage of lax Viper defending. Huisman was the trigger man after Tyler Miller had shot from the point and Bondra had whacked at the puck.

For most of the remainder of the period, the Chiefs continued to press and the Vipers were fortunate to prevent further damage. But then the roof caved in when the Chiefs scored two quick goals at 15:26 and 16:33.

First, Trevor Hills capitalized on a power play when the puck bounced to him in front of Kirby Halcrow. Then, Mathieu Tibbett converted Kit Sitterley’s feed during a 2-on-1 break. Tibbett, who had auditioned for the Chiefs in the pre-season, was playing his first BCHL regular season game.

At that point, Kirby Halcrow was replaced with Danny Todosychuk. The gambit paid dividends almost immediately as the Vipers played with more urgency. At 17:29, just five seconds after David Thompson had been sent off for hooking, Max Mowat powered a shot through traffic for his first goal of the season. Just over a minute later, Alex Hagen’s wrister found its way though Bryton Udy’s pads and the Vipers went to the dressing room just one goal in arrears.

They continued to press in the second period, out shooting the Chiefs 21 to 9. Still, they could do no better than exchange single goals in the period.

Peter McMullen’s first BCHL goal tied the contest at 2:30. He tipped a Ryan Renz point shot past Udy at the conclusion of a strong shift by McMullen, Jedd Soleway, and Alex Hagen.

However, the Viper fans’ elation evaporated 41 seconds later when Jaret Babych stepped over the blue line and unleashed a low shot that beat Todosychuk just inside his right post.

Early in the third, Peter McMullen nearly tied the game again when his backhand rang off the cross bar.

On the next shift, Malcolm Gould gave the Chiefs a two-goal cushion. A line rush broke down in the Viper zone, but the puck came loose to Gould and he rifled it past Todosychuk.

From that point, the Chiefs worked hard to protect their lead, but the Vipers kept on pressing and their persistence paid off with a pretty goal at 15:23. Colton Sparrow glided over the blue line and held onto the puck while Marcus Basara jumped behind the Chiefs’ right defenceman. Sparrow threaded a pass through for Basara, who went backhand/forehand to baffle Udy.

It was too little, too late for the Vipers as the Chiefs withstood a late barrage. Udy was solid when he had to be, as he faced the team that had brought him to the BCHL.