Vipers Withstand Trail Comeback:

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Vipers Withstand Trail Comeback
 
Sunday, December 16, 2012 - Submitted by Don Klepp

The Vipers surged to a four goal lead in Trail and then held on for a 4-3 win.

In the process, the Vipers stopped a four-game losing streak and snapped the Smoke Eaters’ four game winning run. However, they had some anxious moments late in the game when Trail attempted one of its patented comebacks.

The Smokies have won seven games this year when they trailed going into the third period. After going behind 4-0 on Adam Tambellini’s goal at 7:39 of the second period, they stormed into the Viper zone.  Tyler Berkholtz’s hard low slapper from the left wing found the far corner behind Austin Smith 29 seconds after the Tambellini marker.

Just before the period was over, Mitch Foyle banged in a rebound during a power play and midway through the final period Luke Sandler re-directed a Valik Chichkin point shot and the comeback was officially on.

With a minute remaining, Austin Smith’s brilliant leg save on a deflection preserved the 4-3 lead. A few seconds later, Austin Adduono missed an open net. Then, with 10 seconds remaining, Aaron Hadley set up Andrew Tegeler for an empty netter that was called back for offside, even though Tegeler maintained that he had dragged his skate on the line to stay onside.

Somehow, following the subsequent faceoff at the Trail blue line, Trail managed a three-on-one rush that resulted in another scoring chance that was flubbed by Adduono.

Adam Tambellini always seems to have a strong game in Trail. In this contest, he was set up nicely by two spirited rushes by Viper defencemen.

In the first period, Marc Hetnik went end to end and finished with a backhand that was blocked. When the puck bounced back to him, he went cross crease to Tambellini at 13:27.

Bryce Eviston led a rush in the second period that resulted in a shot that deflected off Valik Chichkin’s shin guard to Tambellini for a tap in. Somehow, Eviston was denied his first point of the season when he wasn't  credited with an assist on the play

Tambellini came close to his hat trick when Aaron Hadley set him up on a shorthanded rush late in the second.  On two other occasions he beat Stanwood with screamers that hit the crossbar.

Liam Board had opened the scoring at 4:55 of the first period when he swept a rebound over Lyndon Stanwood. He trailed the play as Andrew Tegeler raced end to end and drop passed to Aaron Hadley for a backhand try. The trio was the Vipers’ most energetic line on the evening.

Braedan Russell took advantage of a Smoke eater giveaway to score Vernon’s other goal at 5:30 of the second period. From the right faceoff circle he fired a low snap shot just inside Stanwood’s right goal post.

Deputizing for injured defencemen Brett Corkey and Geoff Crisfield, affiliated player Alex Gran played well for the Vipers. The leading scorer among defencemen in the BC major midget league, the 17-year-old Kelowna product said that he “felt quite comfortable” in his Jr. “A” debut.

Kurt Black, a call-up from the Jr. “B” Beaver Valley Nitehawks, fit in well with Mike Roberts and Logan Mick on a feisty unit.