Vipers Lose In Double OT:

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Vipers Lose in Double OT
 
Saturday, September 8, 2012

In a game where Vernon and Penticton’s gunslingers went head to head, a secondary player stole the show.

Michael Rebry scored at 2:56 of the second overtime period to give the Vees a 3-2 win over the Vipers.

At the game’s opening faceoff, the Vees pitted their number one line of Sam Mellor, Wade Murphy, and Ryan Gropp against the Viper top unit of Adam Tambellini, Aaron Hadley, and Colton Sparrow.  The matchup was a standoff until late in the second period when Mellor pounced on a shot off the backboards. The former Trail sniper batted the puck out of the air and past Austin Smith, who had no chance on the play.

For 39 minutes, 38 seconds Smith had kept the Vees at bay, especially during a series of Vee power plays in the second period. Largely because of the power plays, the Vees outshot the Vipers 14-7 in the middle frame after the Vipers had won the first period.

Craig Martin gave the Vipers a 1-0 lead at 13:35 of the opening period. He converted Jedd Soleway’s precise centering pass at the goal mouth after beating Sam Mellor to the Vee net. Martin, who sparkled in his Viper debut, had two other glorious chances in the opening 40 minutes but was stymied by goalie Chad Katunar each time.

Katunar also robbed Mike Roberts a minute after the Martin goal. And the big netminder twice left Mitch McAllister shaking his head, once on a second period breakaway and once on a bang-bang play at the Vee crease in the third period. 

Mellor put the Vees ahead early in the third period when his hard snap shot from the right wing went off Austin Smith’s left arm. From that point on, the goalies took over as Smith and Katunar took turns saving their teams during penalty kills.

Aaron Hadley finally did beat Katunar with three minutes remaining but his 15-footer skimmed off the crossbar. Hadley did, however, contribute to the Vipers’ tying goal at 18:57.

With Austin Smith off for an extra attacker, Hadley occupied Adam Tambellini at the edge of the crease, which allowed Adam Tambellini to reach in to poke the puck past Katunar.

In the overtime sessions, the Vipers outchanced the Vees 5-2, but Michael Rebry’s perfect slap shot beat Smith low on the stick side to give the Vees their second late win of the weekend.

The teams finished with 32 shots apiece in the close, fast-paced contest.

Tomorrow at 10.30 am, the Vipers take on the Powell River Kings.