Vipers Turn Tables On Silverbacks:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Vipers turn tables on Silverbacks

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-12-31

Darren Nowick's shorthanded goal proved to be the game winner.

Reversing the game story from the previous night in Salmon Arm, the Vipers rebounded from a 3-0 first period deficit to defeat the Silverbacks 6-4.

On Thursday, the Vipers had a 3-1 first period lead, but then the Silverbacks responded with six straight goals en route to a 7-4 win. On Friday, the Vipers scored five straight in front of 2153 fans.

The line of Adam Tambellini, Colton Sparrow, and Brendan Persley did much of the damage, registering three goals and five assists. Darren Nowick had another fine night scoring on the power play and short handed.

After Myles McCauley had rocketed two shots past Danny Todosychuk and 16-year-old Vernon product Alex Gillies had beaten Todosychuk with a rising shot from a tight angle, the young Viper goalie was replaced with Kirby Halcrow at 11:55.

The switch had the desired effect, as Halcrow was steady and the Vipers clawed their way back into the game. Colton Sparrow started the comeback with a spirited effort. He beat a defender to a puck behind the Salmon Arm net and flipped it in front for Adam Tambellini’s shot. Brendan Persley tucked in the rebound.

Sparrow was involved in the next Viper score, on a power play at 5:50 of the second period. He and Marc Hetnik set up Brett Corkey for a slap shot that went in off the inside of the post to the right of Kurt Williams.

The comeback gained momentum a minute later when Tambellini completed a play that was created by the forechecking of Sparrow and Persley. Vernon then went ahead for good on another power play goal, Darren Nowick’s deft deflection of Brett Corkey’s point shot at 17:02.

Nowick scored the eventual winner at 4:08 of the third. With Tambellini in the penalty box, Nowick intercepted a pass at the Viper blue line and created a breakaway that he finished with a backhand over Kurt Williams’s right shoulder.

Morgan Zulinick made things interesting at 8:57, as he finished a pretty three-way passing play with Myles McCauley and Sean Flanagan. However, the Vipers put the game out of reach with their third power play goal of the night, a hard shot by Tambellini.

In five games between the two teams this year, the Vipers have scored 11 times in 26 power plays. The “Backs have gone 5 for 31.

In an unusual move, newly acquired Taylor Love joined the Silverbacks halfway through the second period, after his flight was delayed leaving Vancouver. Ben Gamache no doubt wishes Love had been delayed longer because the big defenceman caught Gamache with a knee-on-knee hit and Gamache had to be taken to the hospital for X-rays.

Gamache thus joins Patrick McGillis, Luke Juha, Max Mowat, and John Knisley on the Viper injury list. All five will likely miss the Vipers’ next game, on January 4 in Penticton.