Powell River, BC: Ben Helgeson scored two goals and Logan Cash tallied the game winner on a 3rd period penalty shot as the Vernon Vipers took down the Powell River Kings 5-3.
The Vipers looked strong in the first half of the first period. They got the lead in the first minute of the game as Cam MacDonald jumped on a rebound in front of the net to make it 1-0 with his 4th of the season. The Kings poured on the pressure in the second half of the period and evened if up on a Levi Glasman wrist shot. The Kings led in shots 13-8, but the game was tied at 1.
In the second, the Vipers did a nice job of controlling pucks and keeping the Kings to just 5 shots. Three seconds after a Vipers powerplay expired, Ben Helgeson potted home a rebound at the side of the net to make it 2-1. The Vipers nearly increased their lead, but a Jackson Caller slap shot rolled wide after a save from Derek Krall. The Kings tied the game at 2 in the final minute as Dawson McKay tipped a point shot past Herbst.
In the third, both teams had good jump. The Kings took their first lead of the game as PJ Garrett’s slap shot made it through a maze of bodies to make it 3-2. That lead was short lived as Colby Feist won a race to a loose puck in the corner, slung a puck in front and Ben Helgeson poked it under Krall to make it 3-3. Less than two minutes later, Logan Cash was hauled down on a partial breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. He would deke out Krall and roof it for his first of the year to make it 4-3. The Vipers would get a huge insurance goal as Connor Sleeth picked the pocket of the a Kings defender, walked out from behind the goal and sniped one to the glove side of Krall to make it 5-3. The Vipers then tightened up defensively as the Kings pushed to cut the deficit. Some big shot blocks and big saves were a key part of the final few minutes as the horn sounded to end the game.
The Vipers will head to Alberni Valley Saturday for a date with the Bulldogs.
