Birthday Boy Caps Viper Comeback:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Birthday Boy Caps Viper Comeback
 
Saturday, February 2, 2013 - Submitted by Don Klepp

On his 18thbirthday, Dexter Dancs completed a furious late third period comeback with a power play goal to give the Vipers a 4-3 win over the Coquitlam Express.

Leading 3-1 with less than five minutes ago, the Express seemed to have the game well in hand, with goalie Cole Huggins in fine form and their D-men preventing Viper second-chance shots.

But then Colton Sparrow alertly jumped on a loose puck behind the Express net and he tucked a wraparound past Huggins at 15:19.  Energized by the score, the Vipers mounted a relentless forecheck that paid off with a Marc Hetnik goal at 16:36.

Dexter Dancs, Mason Blacklock, and Andrew Tegeler won puck battles along the boards and behind the Express net. Meanwhile, Marc Hetnik came off the blue line to park alone in the low slot. Tegeler heard Hetnik's insistent stick slapping and fed the Viper defence man.

Still unmarked, Hetnik snapped the puck just under the cross bar and the game was tied.

Although the Vipers kept pressing, the Express settled down defensively after Coach Jon Calvano called a timeout.  However, at 18:11 Malcolm McKinney took a boarding penalty and the Vipers took advantage.

Brett Corkey, who was an offensive threat all night for the Vipers, slapped a low shot from the point. Andrew Tegeler got his stick on it and it came to Dancs, who beat a defender to the rebound for his sixth goal of the season at 18:09.

The Viper comeback spoiled fine offensive games for a couple of players who joined Coquitlam at the trading deadline, Adam Rossignol and Ben Israel. Rossignol, who has played 174 games in the WHL, was an offensive threat for his new team. He set up Zachary Pryzbek's 3-1 goal at the goal mouth in the third period and drew an assist on the first of Israel's two power play goals.

Both of Israel's goals were of the highest quality. In the first period, the right handed shooter came off the left point for a perfect back door pass by Rossignol.  Then he rocketed a slap shot from the left point that found the top of the net and gave the Express a 2-1 lead in the second period.

Adam Rockwood, who led the BC Major Midget league in scoring last year, drew assists on both of Israel's goals.

Earlier in the second, Jason Bird had one-timed a cross-ice pass from Brett Corkey through Huggins, who was sliding across to react to the change in angles. It was the Vipers' first power play goal in four games. Playing in his first game in 147 days after he was injured in the first Express game of the season and against the team that had released him, Bird was a steadying influence on the Viper blue line. 

Despite the seven combined goals, both goalies played well, each making several brilliant saves. Danny Todosychuk was at his best in the first period, as the Express out shot their hosts 15-8 and created 9 scoring chances. Among his stops was a blocker save on Garrett Forster's breakaway.

Cole Huggins looked nearly unbeatable in the second and third periods as the Vipers created 15 scoring chances. Then the roof caved in as the Vipers won their first game of the season when trailing after 40 minutes.   
  
Snake Bytes:

The Vipers had a completely healthy squad. Bryce Eviston was scratched to allow Bird to enter the lineup.

As a result of a spate of ingjuries, the Express dressed just 9 forwards.

On Faith Night, the crowd numbered 1743.

Dexter Dancs's parents came from Vancouver to see their son's birthday heroics.

Andrew Tegeler had three assists and nearly notched a fourth when Mason Blacklock rang a one-timer off the post early in the third period.

Express defenceman Ben Israel has scored 5 times in 8 games since going to Coquitlam at the trading deadline.