Vipers Win Doyle Cup:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Vipers win doyle cup

by Don Klepp | Added 2011-04-24

Captain David Robinson gave his team a third straight berth in the Royal Bank Cup Jr. “A” championships when he scored the winner at 13:53 of the third period in his team’s 4-2 win over the Spruce Grove Saints.

The goal settled a tense contest that had seen the Vipers jump to a 2-0 first period lead only to see the Saints battle back to tie the game.

Dane Muench stunned a packed Grant Fuhr Arena with a goal just 38 seconds into the match. After Dylan Walchuk won an offensive zone faceoff, Brett Corkey’s point shot hit someone and landed in front of Muench in the slot. His shot appeared to deflect off a defender and over Vincenzo Marozzi’s glove.

Dylan Walchuk doubled the lead at 14:05. According to Phil Patenaude, who joined the Viper radio team in the press box, “Bas dished some crisp sauce to Wally for a forehand-backhand five-cheese tuck.”

Here’s a translation of Patenaude’s analysis: “Marcus Basara saucered a pass over a defender’s stick and Walchuk collected the puck on his forehand before tucking a backhand between the goalie’s pads.”

The Saints got back in the game with a power play goal at 15:29. The Saints set up shop in the Viper end with some crisp passing. With all four Viper defenders collapsing toward the net, Scott Allen had room to fire a low shot that found the corner to Kirby Halcrow’s left.

The Saints followed that goal with some good pressure, but were unable to beat Halcrow, who made an especially fine save on a deflected Dustin Fostvelt shot late in the period.

The Vipers’ lone power play of the night resulted in a Josh Keizer short handed goal at 6:37 of the second period. Keizer blocked an Adam Thompson point shot and raced down the ice. His low wrist shot essentially overpowered Halcrow and the game was tied.

For the next four or five minutes the Saints were in full cry, attacking relentlessly. However, Halcrow’s goaltending and desperate Viper defending prevented further damage. A courageous David Robinson shot block characterized the Viper goal line stand.

Gradually, the Vipers regained composure and, inevitably, they began attacking the Saints with the degree of ferocity shown earlier by the Saints. Now Marozzi had to be brilliant in net, and he was.

The third period featured non-stop excitement as the teams exchanged scoring chances. The deciding goal came off a line rush that started in the Viper end.

Kyle Murphy made a nifty move as he crossed the Saint blue line and found Bryce Kakoske along the right boards. Trusting that David Robinson would be busting to the net from the left wing, Kakoske zipped a pass to the far side that Robinson directed past Marozzi at high speed just before going past the net.

After that goal at 13:53, the Vipers battened down the hatches. Even though the Saints fired a barrage of shots when Marozzi was pulled for an attacker, they were unable to mount a serious threat, except for deflection with four seconds remaining, a tip that Halcrow saved acrobatically.

In the interim, Adam Thompson had fired a 180-footer that found the empty Saint net at 19:40.

So, the Vipers defeated the Saints in game seven of the Doyle Cup for the second straight year. Unlike last year, when the Vipers salted away the victory with four first-period goals, this contest was a pulsating affair that had the 1293 fans on the edge of their seats for the full 60 minutes.

Viper Coach Mark Ferner summed up the series with praise for the Saints: “They wanted it as much as we did, and they worked their butts off. We just made some key plays at key times and I’m very proud of how our kids performed.”

He added, “We’ll savour this for a day on the bus ride home and then get ready for the RBC. We have unfinished business.”