EXPRESS MIXLR BROADCAST

Sunday, November 18, 2012

EXPRESS & VIPERS ENTER TWILIGHT ZONE

The script that played out was worthy of an appearance on the old time popular sci-fi show. Still the ending wasn't a happy one for the Express falling 7-5 to the Vernon Vipers.

Entering the game it had two teams going head to head that struggled to score goals. The Vipers more so than the Express after they were shutout in back to back games Friday and Saturday 3-0 in Powell River and 2-0 in Alberni Valley.

It only took 23 seconds into the game for the Vipers to score their first goal of the road trip. Adam Tambellini took a drop pass from Aaron Hadley and he wired a great shot over the glove of Cole Huggins.

John Siemer and Phil Zielonka continued their hot play to quickly help put the Express into their only lead of the game. Alexander Kerfoot was placed in the middle of that line and worked the puck to the corner to Zielonka who zipped a pass across the crease to Siemer who snapped the it into the net to tie the game at one. Siemer got back on the scoresheet after having his 7 game point streak snapped Saturday night in Chilliwack.

Zielonka snapped home a shot from the slot 3 minutes later on the powerplay to give the Express their only lead of the game.

Vernon replied with a powerplay goal of their own to tie the game at two. Jedd Soleway and Pierce Eviston teamed up to work the puck down low in the Express zone then a pass across the crease found Aaron Hadley to tapped it past Cole Huggins.

That goal by Hadley was the start of a big game for the Vernon powerplay. The Vipers completely took over in the second period. Adam Tambellini scored his second of the game on the Vipers second powerplay of the afternoon banging home a big rebound of a Brett Corkey point shot and slammed the puck into a wide open net.

Then with Zach Pryzbek in the penalty box for a blow to the head penalty, the Vipers scored their third powerplay goal of the game. Tambellini flipped the puck towards the net and Pierce Eviston was able to put it past Huggins. That goal came moments after Tambellini thought he scored when he wired a shot high past Huggins. But i'm not sure if the puck went in or hit the crossbar. That goal meant it would be the second straight short outing for Cole Huggins who was relieved in favour of Daniel Urbani after allowing 4 goals on 22 shots.

The Vipers scored their 4th powerplay goal of the game on a 5 on 3 advantage as Eviston scored his second of the period snapping a shot past Urbani from the left circle.

Vernon's second period domination saw them at one point have a 21-0 advantage in shots in the middle frame.

This is where this game heads to the twilight zone. Despite the one sided domination in this game by Vernon, the Express found a way to get themselves back in it. Mitchell Fyffe re-directed a Phil Zielonka pass through the legs of Austin Smith to make it a 5-3 game. Then Brandon Morley scored his first BCHL goal of the season taking a pass from the end boards by Will Cook with just over a minute remaining in the second period and snapping a shot past Smith.

The final shots of the second period were 21-2 in favour of the Vipers. And through 40 minutes the Vipers were outshooting the Express 37-8 but the Express only trailed 5-4 thanks to scoring on 50% of their shots. It certainly had everyone in the building scratching their head wondering what they were watching.

The craziness carried into the third period. The Express battled back to tie the game at 5 in the opening minute of the period. John Siemer carried the puck into the Vernon zone and threw it at the net and Alexander Kerfoot found a loose puck and was able to poke it past Smith to tie the game at 5 on just the 10th shot of the game for the Express.

Tambellini capped off his hat-trick just two minutes later. Following a won faceoff in the Express zone Brett Corkey's point shot went wide of the net but the rebound came to Tambellini who tapped it home.

The Express mustered 11 shots in the third period. Their highest period shot total in the game for the Express. But they couldn't put another puck past Smith. Pierce Eviston finished off his hat-trick as he battled Phil Zielonka hard to protect the puck while skating the puck down the ice and found the open net to round out the scoring.

Adam Tambellini, Eviston, Jedd Soleway, Aaron Hadley and Brett Corkey shouldered the offensive load for the Vipers. Tambellini led the way with a 6 point effort with 3 goals and 3 assists. Eviston also had an assist to go with his 3 goals. Hadley had a goal and two assists for Vernon, Jedd Soleway had 3 assists and Corkey had a pair of helpers.

Phil Zielonka did his part for the Express with his most explosive outing in Coquitlam colors with 4 points. 1 goal and 3 assists. John Siemer and Alexander Kerfoot each had 1 goal and 1 assist for the Express.

Vernon finished 4 for 7 on the powerplay while the Express went 1 for 3. The shots saw the Vipers outshoot the Express 44-19.

Next weekend the Express have a home and home with the West Kelowna Warriors starting Friday in Coquitlam.

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