Vees Spoil Gamache’s Debut:

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Vees spoil Gamache’s debut

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-12-01

Ben Gamache played well and scored in his Viper debut but his new team fell 3-2 to the Vees in Penticton on Wednesday.

Gamache centered Pete McMullen and Jedd Soleway as Jason Williamson put together a gritty, hard hitting line. McMullen, in his finest Viper game thus far, got the Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal and assist in the first period and a fight with Logan Johnston in the second period.

Williamson was impressed with McMullen, who is finding his way in junior hockey: “Give him a lot of credit. He did the things we’ve asked him to do. He played strong defence, stuck to his wing, and made plays when they were available. I thought that whole line was good. Jedd Soleway was strong also, and it’s pretty evident that both wingers benefitted from playing with a veteran centre like Gamache.”

The Vipers were strong in the first period, out chancing the Vees 5-4 and laying on 21 hits. Both Viper goals came in the opening frame.

McMullen opened the scoring at 8:54, jumping on a rebound of a Brett Corkey shot. The goal resulted from concerted pressure by the Gamache line.

On the succeeding shift, however, the Vees got the puck in the Viper zone and kept it there with a relentless forecheck. Eventually, in the midst of desperate defending, a Viper closed his hand on the puck in the crease and Connor Reilly was awarded a penalty shot.

With Kirby Halcrow deep in his crease, Reilly scored with ease, exactly one minute after the McMullen goal.

However, the Vipers took the lead again when Gamache deflected McMullen’s low shot through Michael Garteig’s pads at 12:47. That lead stood up until late in the second period, although Kirby Halcrow had to be brilliant at times to keep his team ahead.

The Vees were quicker to the puck in the second, and they drew three straight Viper penalties. The first two resulted in a 5-on-3 power play for nearly a minute, but gutsy defending and Halcrow’s strong goaltending kept the Vees at bay.

However, the Vees’ potent power play tied the contest at 17:23. Mario Lucia one-timed Joey Benik’s inch perfect pass for Lucia’s 18th goal of the season. Officially, the Vees outshot the Vipers 16-3 in the period, although the shot clock official was reluctant to count Viper shots.

Again in the third period the Vees had more of the play, which eventually resulted in a winner scored by Ryan Reilly. Troy Stecher’s point shot bounced off a Viper in front and Reilly swept it home at 15:35.

Late in the game Vernon had two excellent chances in front but each time the puck bounced over the Viper trigger man’s stick.

“That’s the way things go when you’re in a losing streak,” lamented Jason Williamson, “but I’m proud of the Viper effort tonight. We really competed hard. If we keep on playing like that, we’ll be fine.”

One indication of the Viper effort was their hit total of 52, the most in any game this season by the Vipers. Leading the way was Geoff Crisfield, who laid hellacious hits on two of the Reilly brothers, Mike and Connor.

Troy Stecher jumped Crisfield after the hit on Stecher’s defence partner, Mike Reilly. Crisfield won a decision in that bout, in perhaps his most emotional and most physical game as a Viper.

Crisfield and Brett Corkey logged a lot of minutes because Luke Juha, Ryan Renz, and Max Mowat all were unavailable because of injury. Affiliated player Tom Swales, a Vernon resident who plays for the Jr. B North Okanagan Knights, played his second game for the Vipers.

The Vipers played two other call ups, Ryan Edwards and Chris Derochie, who are 1-2 in the KIJHL scoring race. Along with Riley Hunt, they played a feisty, effective game.

Meanwhile, the Vees iced their full lineup, including their captain, Logan Johnston, who has now served his 26-game suspension.