Double keeps Vipers on coat tails of top four

11:41am Tuesday 29th January 2008

Saturday, January 26, 2008: Elite League: Basingstoke Bison 1-4 Mobilx Newcastle Vipers
Sunday, January 27, 2008: Elite League: Coventry Blaze 3-4 Newcastle Vipers

A DOUBLE-headed road trip with only three defencemen saw the Vipers take four points and keep themselves on the coat tails of the Elite League's top four.

Neither Burt Henderson nor Cory Morgan were able to get clearance in time to join the side for Saturday night's win in Basingstoke, but Jeff Hutchins made his competitive return and put in an excellent performance to net the opening goal and grab assists on two others.

In a tight match, the Vipers were forced to come from behind to take control of proceedings after Greg Wood put through Ryan MacDonald's legs after the Newcastle defence failed to clear.

But it took only 24 seconds for parity to be restored as Ben Storey set up Hutchins for the equaliser.

Ben Campbell was denied by the goalie in the 15th minute when he was one-on-one.

But with the Vipers on a five-on-three powerplay, they eventually took the lead on 32.04 through captain David Longstaff, assisted by both the scorer and provider of the first goal.

Just over three minutes later, it was 3-1 to the Vipers, Storey getting his third assist of the night as Curtis Cruikshank was unable to hold onto the defenceman's shot, which was followed up by Shaun Johnson.

The final goal came on the empty net as Cruikshank was pulled by the Bison in their attempts to claw the game back, but Colin Shields raced in to put the puck away with 70 seconds left.

League leading Coventry fell to their second defeat of the weekend when the Vipers moved up to the Midlands on Sunday night.

The Blaze pulled the game back to 3-3 at 49.22 but then saw the visiting Vipers hit the game winning goal 30 seconds later.

It was the visitors who took the honours in an even first period to lead 2-1, opening with a powerplay goal from Todd Jackson at 7.33 and then doubling their lead at 10.05 with a Dean Holland strike.

The Blaze pulled one back at 14.35 as Barrie Moore netted on the powerplay. Adam Calder got the only goal of the second period as he netted with a shorthanded goal at 25.13 and with the game tied up at two apiece it was all to play for in the third period.

Inside the first minute of the third period Longstaff restored the advantage for the Vipers with his second of the weekend, but again the home side came back at them and made it 3-3 as Adam Calder netted his second of the game and 38th of the season at 49.22. But 30 seconds later it was game set and match to the Vipers as Johnson hit home the game winner at 49.52.

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