Vees’ Comeback Sinks Vipers:

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Vees’ Comeback Sinks Vipers

Saturday, February 18, 2012 - Submitted by Don Klepp

The Vipers had a great chance to stop the Penticton Vee win streak, but four unanswered goals in the third period gave the Vees a 6-4 win at home.

Mike Reilly’s winner came at 11:26 when he went behind the Viper net and came out to jam the puck past Kirby Halcrow, who unluckily had been pushed into his net by a falling team mate.

That’s the kind of period it was for the Vipers, who had been the better team for 45 minutes. Leading 4-2, they paid a price for failing to clear the zone. Zach Urban’s hopeful wrist shot went through a forest of legs and beat Halcrow on the short side at 5:10.

Urban was involved in the tying goal as well. He hit Geoff Crisfield along the wall, dislodging Crisfield’s stick in the process. The puck came loose to Bryce Gervais, who buried his 37thof the season.

Joey Benik put the nail in the coffin with his empty netter at 19:22.

The loss was a bitter pill for the Vipers who fashioned leads of 1-0, 3-1, and 4-2. Along the way, they played spirited hockey, skating and moving the puck as well as they have all year. Although out shot 26-19, they matched the Vees’ scoring chances and pummelled them with 52 hits, a season high.

The Vipers played Russian Roulette with the Vee power play, which operates at nearly 40% at home. However, resolute penalty killers restricted the Vees to two goals in seven opportunities.

It seemed that the Vees had scored on their first try early in the first period but referee Grant Tyson ruled that Kirby Halcrow had stopped Wade Murphy’s back door attempt from crossing the line.

The Vipers did capitalize in their first power play, at 13:14 of an exciting first period. A pinpoint Darren Nowick pass found an unmarked Aaron Hadley at the edge of Michael Garteig’s crease.

That 1-0 lead held up until 4:22 of an even more exciting second period when Connor Reilly’s pass from behind the net found Logan Johnston for his first power play goal of the season.

The goals kept coming. A determined effort by Brendan Persley saw him win a puck battle to Garteig’s left and shovel the puck in front for Jedd Soleway to put the Vipers ahead. Then a burst of brilliance by John Knisley gave his team a 3-1 lead. He dispossessed Mike Reilly at the Viper line and steamed down the right wing. His rocket wrister beat Garteig high on the glove side.

The Vees bounced back with another power play marker, an absolute screamer by Wade Murphy that found the top corner at 14:42.

The Viper power play struck again at 1:27 of the third period – Adam Tambellini’s big league shot from the slot gave the Vipers a 4-2 lead and, based on the way they were playing, it looked like they would derail the Penticton express train. However, the puck did not bounce the Vipers’ way from that point on.

Jason Williamson was “proud of the team’s effort tonight. We were better than the Vees for two periods and deserved a better fate. Our guys left everything on the ice tonight. I hope we have something left for tomorrow night against Westside.”

The Warriors will come to the Wesbild Centre for a 7 pm game, a must win contest for the Vipers.

Game Notes:

Ben Gamache, who has been playing despite a painful injury, suffered another injury when he blocked a first period shot. He did not return to action.

Riley Hunt missed his second successive game with illness and defencemen Luke Juha and Max Mowat are still on the sidelines with long term injuries.

Penticton’s Cody DePourcq was crushed by Ryan Renz in the first period and missed the rest of the game. He joined Kyle Beaulieu (fractured forearm) on the injured list.