Special Teams Spark Vipers:

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Special Teams Spark Vipers

Thursday, February 16, 2012 - Submitted by Don Klepp

A pair of power play goals and a short handed tally made the difference as the Vipers returned home to defeat the Nanaimo Clippers 5-1 on Thursday.

Aaron Hadley led the way with two goals, including the ice breaker at 5:26 of the first period. Passes from Patrick McGillis and Adam Tambellini sprung him loose on the left side. He beat a defender wide, went behind the net and jammed a wraparound past netminder Billy Faust.

Tambellini, who finished with three points, scored the eventual winner on the power play, at 9:59. The Vipers passed the puck crisply, and Mike Zalewski eventually found Tambellini open in the right faceoff circle. Tambellini overpowered Faust with a wrist shot to the top corner.

Early in the second period, Vernon registered another power play goal. Again, Zalewski was the set up man, zipping a pass from the corner that Hadley tipped over a diving Faust 26 seconds into the period.

The Clippers replicated that goal one minute later when Luke Gordon directed Kyle Kramer’s cross ice feed past Kirby Halcrow at the far post. That was all the Clippers would get, however, as Halcrow had a strong game. He was particularly adept at stopping deflections of point shots with his pads or skates.

The Vipers iced the game midway through the second period when former Clipper, Colton Cyr, set up Mike Zalewski’s short handed goal. Cyr stripped David Iacono at the Viper blue line and moved down the right wing. Graeme McCormack, the lone Clipper defender, kept himself between Cyr and Mike Zalewski, so Cyr fired the puck on net. Zalewski swept in the rebound.

At the end of a quiet third period, Jedd Soleway cleaned up a yard sale in front of Faust for his 11thgoal in his rookie campaign.

In addition to the three special team goals, the Vipers kept a clean sheet during seven Clipper power plays. “We were more aggressive on the PK than we have been in recent games,” said Viper Assistant Coach, Chris Shaw. “Also, we took better care of the puck than in Merritt on Tuesday.”

Temporarily at least, the Vipers move into a tie with Chilliwack for the last playoff spot in the BCHL’s Interior Division, but the Chiefs have two games in hand. On Friday, Vernon will be in Penticton while Chilliwack travels to Prince George.