Saturday, January 12, 2008 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 4-3 Manchester Phoenix
Sunday, January 13, 2008 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 7-3 Basingstoke Bison

VIPERS moved themselves up to fifth in the Elite League with two home wins in a weekend which saw them reduced to three defencemen as Pavel Gomeniuk became the latest to join the injury list.

But it was a weekend in which the defencemen stood out for the Tyneside outfit, most notably with Ben Storey grabbing a hat-trick in Sunday night's 7-3 win over Basingstoke Bison.

Through illness and injury, Basingstoke brought only one goalie, back-up Dan Green, and ten skaters to the Metro Radio Arena. However, having netted 10 against Edinburgh the previous night, they were not to be taken lightly.

Vipers took the lead as early as 2.23, though, through Colin Shields, and they were not to relinquish the lead. Bison's marking of the Scot was non-existent when Derek Campbell found him in front of net and Shields finished comfortably.

The Vipers'second came on 11.42 as Storey sent a slapshot from the point across Green and into the back of the net, Bison pulled one back on the powerplay 41 seconds into the middle period, through Greg Chambers, but it was only 13 seconds later that Storey netted his second with another slapshot which went in off the bar.

Todd Jackson made it 4-1 on 24.58, tucking the puck away after Green had saved from Shields and Derek Campbell, but failed to hold onto the puck on either occasion.

A fifth Vipers goal came on another powerplay less than a minute later through another of the defensive trio, Mark Gouett, who ghosted in unmarked at the back post to get on the end of an incisive diagonal pass from David Longstaff.

Storey completed his hat-trick and made it 6-1 with a third slapshot on the powerplay at 48.35, with the added effect of the puck hitting and injuring Mikko Purontakanen on its way past Green and leaving the visitors with only nine skaters remaining.

Richie Lawson replaced Ryan MacDonald between the home side's pipes, following the sixth Vipers goal, and the Bison grabbed a goal with one of their first efforts on the young stopper, Danny Stewart netting with a slapshot on 50.40.

Bison looked to have a third when Chambers' shot crossed the line, but referee Andy Carson refused to give the goal and dismissed Chambers for his protests, reducing the Basingstoke skating options further, with nine minutes remaining.

When the visitors took a bench minor penalty, the Vipers once again made the most of the extra man and Shields netted his second of the night, shooting low through Green's five-hole at 55.03.

Bison's Derek Campbell made it 7-3 in the 58th minute, but it was too little too late and the Vipers comfortably wrapped up a four point weekend.

Vipers had started off their home double header by going a goal down to the Manchester Phoenix in the first 23 seconds of Saturday night's game. And with only 40 seconds left on the clock, Andre Payette and Brett Clouthier had gone toe-to-toe in a dull fight which failed to electrify in the way their most recent previous encounter did.

However, by the end of the match, the Vipers had come out as 4-3 victors of a highly entertaining game.

It was Joe Tallari who put the visitors ahead with a slapshot from the left and in the fifth minute the same player put Jez Lundin into the goal and started a scuffle which saw both players binned for roughing - not the last time either would see the inside of the sin bin that evening.

After Clouthier hit the post, Vipers pulled level after Mark Gouett sent a wrist shot wide, but the power brought the puck back around the other side of Scott Fankhauser's goal and Shaun Johnson tucked it away for 1-1 at 7.49.

Vipers took the lead at 11.58, with some superb work from Derek Campbell to set up captain David Longstaff to finish.

Lundin showed a side many Viper fans will not have seen before when he dropped the gloves with Luke Stauffacher on 14.06, the fiery youngster showing how to demolish an opponent.

Vipers extended their lead through Derek Campbell on 22.19, having started the move when he played the puck forward to Lundin in the neutral zone. Lundin took the puck forward into the final third and then laid it back for Campbell to fire into the top corner, Clouthier pulled a goal back at 23.37 and the match stayed a one goal game right through until the 46th minute when Sergiy Rublivsky worked well down the right before sending Ben Campbell free and the youngster made no mistake with his effort to make it 4-2.

Stauffacher grabbed a short-handed goal, squeezing the puck through Ryan MacDonald's legs on 47.37, but despite pulling the goalie, the visitors were unable to get themselves level before the buzzer signalled a Vipers win.

4:28pm Monday 14th January 2008

Print   Email this