Vipers 5 Canucks 4

Dawson Creek -- A third period comeback fell short on Saturday night and the Sexsmith Vipers hung on for a 5-4 win handing the Dawson Creek Jr Canucks their third straight loss.

Sexsmith got on the board very early on their first shot of the game. Kelby Gaton blasted a shot past Tyson York just 20 seconds in and the Vipers had the lead. Dawson Creek would answer on the power play just over 4 minutes later. Carl Dahlen snapped a shot low past the Vipers' Spencer Jebb to tie the game at 1. A lapse in the Canucks' defense gave the Vipers the lead at the 13:45 mark. Nolan Trudeau was sent in all alone and fired a rolling puck past York. Ryan Walker would add his 5th of the season before time expired and we were tied at 2 after the first.

Special teams was the story in the second as the Vipers took the lead on a 5 on 3 advantage. That was followed 31 seconds later by a 5 on 4 power play marker and the Vipers held a 2 goal lead after the second period.

For a while I had marked the second intermission as the broadcasts Safeway turning point. The Canucks came out very hard and cut the lead after Ryan Walker's second of the game just 5:42 into the third. Unfortunately for the Canucks the Vipers had an answer. It came on the power play and a long shot deflected past York off of one of the Canucks' sticks and the 2 goal lead was restored.

Dawson Creek continued to control the play in the third. Carl Dahlen's second of the game on the power play was the third goal of the period in a 2:06 span and the lead was once again only a goal.

The Safeway turning point came in the final five minutes. The Canucks were on a power play and looking to tie but a huge penalty kill from the Vipers paved the way for the victory.

The Canucks were 2 for 9 on the power play and the penalty kill was a disappointing 1 for 4.

Brass Scissors three stars: 1) Jebb 2) Kelby Gaton 3) Walker