Vipers Rebound To Win Game 4:

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Vipers rebound to win game 4

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-04-20

The Vernon Vipers fashioned a solid defensive effort to defeat the Spruce Grove Saints 3-1 and thus tie the Doyle Cup series at two wins each.

Winning for the third time in four games over the past two years in Spruce Grove, the Vipers scored once in each period, twice on the power play.

Trevor Fitzgerald scored the winner at 9:09 of the second period on a setup by Aaron Hadley. The third member of Vernon’s fourth line, Zach McPhee, started the play by coming down the side wall and knocking the puck free for Hadley.

In Hadley’s words, “I chucked some backhand sauce at Fitzy and he fired ‘er home. Everybody doing his job, you know?”

Fitzgerald’s description was somewhat more prosaic: “Aaron made a nice play behind the net and pushed it out front. It went off a defenceman’s skate to me and I just closed my eyes and shot.”

Despite being out shot 14-5 in the first period, the Vipers scored the only goal, at 19:53. With two Saints in the penalty box, Adam Thompson buried a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle. The puck entered the net just inside Vincenzo Marozzi’s right goal post.

Vernon added a second power play marker at 9:12 of the third period when Mike Zalewski slipped the disk between Marozzi’s left skate and the goaltender’s left post. His play followed a salvo of shots by Malcolm Lyles and Steve Weinstein. Marozzi must have felt like he was in s hooting gallery.

The Vipers’ special teams’ proficiency reversed game three’s scenario when the Saints rode three power play goals and strong penalty killing to victory in Vernon on Sunday.

In Wednesday’s game, the Saints had the first two power plays, but were able to penetrate the Viper defence only once. On that occasion, Kirby Halcrow made a sparkling glove save on a one-timed shot.

In the first period, the Saints fired a number of shots from the top of the faceoff circle, apparently trying to force Halcrow into coughing up rebounds. However, the big goalie smartly directed shots to the corner or smothered them.

The Vipers allowed the home team just eight shots and five scoring chances in the final 40 minutes. In the face of the tight Viper checking, the Saints seemed out of synch in the third period.

Halcrow lost his shutout with 31 seconds remaining in the game. Brett Switzer notched his second power play marker of the series when his 12-footer sneaked in between Halcrow’s chest and his left arm.

Earlier, Halcrow had robbed Dylan Richard when he dived and used his goal stick to parry Richard’s shot at a half open net.

Surprisingly, the Saints were not nearly as physical as they had been during their two wins in Vernon. They threw only 18 hits while the Vipers registered 26.

The close checking game more closely resembled a chess match than an intense playoff game. Perhaps the playoff grind is beginning to take its toll on both teams. The Vipers were playing their 80th game while the Saints competed in their 77th contest.

Game Notes:

• The Saints lost their first 2011 home playoff game and just their third in regulation all year.

• Kyle Murphy showed no effects of the injury that knocked him out of game three, but Patrick McGillis did not dress because of an injury suffered late in game three.

• The Saints iced the same lineup as in game three.