Saints Fight To The Finish In Loss To Vipers:

This was in todays Edmonton Journal newspaper:

Saints fight to the finish in loss to Vipers

Vernon squad turns aside Spruce Grove for second year in a row

By Chris O'Leary, Special to The Journal, edmontonjournal.com

April 24, 2011

SPRUCE GROVE — Throughout their season, the Spruce Grove Saints seemed like they always had a way to win. In the Doyle Cup, the Vernon Vipers gave them a taste of their own medicine.

The Vipers downed the Saints 4-2 on Sunday night, winning Game 7 of the series and earning a spot at next week’s Royal Bank Cup junior A national championship.

With the two teams deadlocked in a 2-2 tie in the third period, a peculiar sequence decided the Saints’ and the Vipers’ respective fates.

Spruce Grove defenceman Jesse Slobodian’s shot from the point clanged off of the post, allowing Vipers forward David Robinson to corral the loose puck. He gave it up to his linemates, skated up the ice and was at the net in time to finish off a three-on-two to net what would be the game winner, at 13:53.

“I saw the puck hit the post; close call there,” Robinson said. “And I got the puck and turned it over to (Bryce) Kakoske and just buried my head. Bryce shot it on net and it’s a game of bounces and the puck managed to land on my stick. It was a greasy goal, but in a game like that where it’s so tight, that’s the kind of goal that I imagined would win it.”

Adam Thompson added an empty-net goal for Vernon with 20 seconds to play to put a wrap on a roller-coaster of a series. After three games played in Vernon, Spruce Grove returned home with a 2-1 series lead. The Vipers answered back with Game 4 and 5 wins, going up 3-2. The Saints staved off elimination Saturday night, before succumbing to the Vipers on Sunday.

“We talked about it with our players before the playoffs even started; we built this team for a seven-game series,” Vipers head coach Mark Ferner said. “Some of those kids have played seven Game 7s (in the past three years).

“The difference wasn’t a whole bunch. You look at the scorers in all of the games and you look at the shots, it was two real good teams playing and we were just fortunate to come out ahead.”

The Vipers took control of the game early, jumping out to a 2-0 first period lead. Dane Muench and Dylan Walchuk both scored on what looked like innocent shot attempts on Saints netminder Vincenzo Marozzi (24 saves). The Saints regained their composure though, as Scott Allen netted a power-play goal late in the first to give his team some momentum.

The Saints’ special teams cashed in again in the second period. Centre Josh Keizer scooped up a puck from a stumbling Vernon defenceman and went in alone on Vipers goalie Kirby Halcrow (29 saves), roofing a short-handed goal at 6:34 of the second to tie the game.

From there, the Vipers poured the pressure on. It was here that Marozzi would redeem himself, making a series of outstanding saves in the final 10 minutes of play. With 1:25 left in the second period, Marozzi was on his stomach and managed to make a kick save on a bouncing puck.

“Vinny was outstanding as usual,” Saints head coach Jason McKee said of the 21-year-old. “He made some big saves, especially in the last 10 minutes of the second. He kept us in the tie.

“He’s obviously going to be a tough guy to replace next year. He’s been the backbone of our team all year.”

McKee said he’d keep his post-game discussion with his players inside the dressing room, noting that there wasn’t much to say after his team had made it so far this year.

“Those kids gave everything they had this year to put themselves in this position and to fall short by one goal ... it’s tough.”

The Vipers will advance to the Royal Bank Cup for the third time and look for their third consecutive national crown. The games get underway in Camrose on Sunday, May 1, and run through May 8.