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Vipers blog: Season ends in dramatic style - Posted 02/04/2007
VIPERS headed to the Skydome with a goal advantage and, despite putting three more past Trevor Koenig in the first 3 minutes of the Play-off quarter-final second leg, still went out of the competition thanks to an overtime winner by Ashley Tait.
Vipers got off to a dream start when Cory Morgan shot them ahead after only 14 seconds and then at 6.18 skipper Jonathan Weaver doubled their lead.
Blaze were reeling and it got even better for the visitors when on the powerplay, Andre Payette made it 3-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate at 13.19 before Blaze finally got on the board when Sylvain Cloutier scored at 17.51.
Blaze were now a hungry side and at 28.26 Dan Carlson pulled them to within a goal on the night and then at 30.26 they were level thanks to Reid Simonton - but still Vipers held the valuable aggregate lead, which they held to the second break.
Tense stuff throughout the third period with Vipers' backs to the wall. Blaze however tied it up on aggregate at 49.31 when Danny Stewart found the net. That's the way stayed until the end of 60 minutes with Vipers missing out on a couple of late powerplay opportunities to kill the tie.
And how Vipers were made to pay as 50 seconds into the extra period the roof was off the Skydome as Blaze skipper Tait scored the winner.

Vipers blog: Slim lead for Vipers as O'Connor announces departure - Posted 01/04/2007
THE game of the season saw the Vipers take a 1-0 lead into Sunday’s second leg of the Play-offs quarter final as captain Jonathan Weaver grabbed a goal in the third minute against the Elite League champions Coventry Blaze.
An electric atmosphere at the Metro Radio Arena greeted the players as they took to the ice, and held throughout a match which also saw the hit of the season and a debut shut-out for new Vipers goalie Ladislav Kudrna.
Kudrna made an early save from Danny Stewart in the opening play, before Weaver sent a slaphot home from the far edge of the face-off circle on 2.24, assisted by David Longstaff.
Vipers grinded and hit everything that moved and Jeremy Cornish almost capitalised when former Tyneside stopper Trevor Koenig went walkabout on 3.34.
The atmosphere heated up further at 7.50 when Stewart, who was to be at the centre of things for much of the night, shared a roughing minor with Andre Payette, while man of the match Jason Robinson took two minutes for cross checking and Silvain Clouthier tracked Shaun Johnson around the ice, looking for trouble.
Clouthier’s urge for a dance was eased somewhat by Paul Ferone’s appearance on the ice and, from then on, the hits got bigger.
A worrying moment followed when Pavol Mihalik, making his return from injury, limped off, but he was soon to be back on the ice.
The second period opened with an amazing wrist shot from Robinson, which hit Koenig’s post, and shortly after, it was the big defenceman who was the centre of attention again. As Stewart crossed the blue line, Robinson’s check nearly took Stewart’s head off, knocking his helmet clean from his head.
Having only just recovered and returned to the ice, Stewart was downed again as Ferone stepped up to finish a hard check. This time, the Blaze forward really did lose his head and earned himself a 10 minute misconduct for abuse of the official, referee Moray Hanson.
Koenig made a double save from Cornish and Longstaff, as the Vipers looked to stretch their lead, but it was still 1-0 as the second period began.
After a worrying puck to the leg saw Robinson hobble off, the highlight of the third period was a Longstaff wrap around which almost caught Koenig out, but the goalie managed to make a great save, stretching his stick across the goal line to deflect the puck away.
Despite holding on to the lead until the end, the evening ended on something of a sad note as Vipers chairman Paddy O’Connor addressed the crowd at the final home match of the season.
After explaining that recent weeks, juggling business, family and Vipers commitments, he told the crowd: “This will be my last season with the club.
“I’m finding it very hard fitting in my family life and businesses, as well as Vipers work.
“It’s been a fantastic time, I can not thank everybody enough. The fans have been tremendous for this club. Everybody involved in this club, it’s been fantastic, it really has.”
O’Connor gave special mention to his “two close friends” and fellow director, Paul Ferone and Rob Wilson, who continue to run the club.
He will also resign as a director of the Elite League.

Vipers blog: Vipers Finish League Campaign On A High - Posted 26/03/2007
VIPERS pulled off their second 6-4 home win of the weekend in a hard-fought battle with the Belfast Giants on Sunday night, setting themselves up for the play-offs.
Giants were pipped to the EIHL title by Coventry Blaze and, having beaten Belfast, this season’s underperforming Vipers will now believe themselves capable of progressing when they meet the Midlanders in next weekend’s quarter-finals.
Mark Dutiamue put the visitors a goal ahead only 28 seconds in when he was left all alone, Mark Lee exposed between the pipes.
The partnership of Rod Hinks, Iain Fraser and Paul Ferone combined to show why many are looking to their line to be play-off saviours when they pulled the Vipers level at 7.24. Fraser’s pass was threaded through to Hinks for a wrist shot past the Belfast goalie.
But Ed Courteney put the visitors back into the lead at 11.50, shooting over the shoulder of Lee.
Jonathan Weaver was denied, and then a great double save stopped Ferone and Hinks again as the first period drew to a close.
But it was Belfast again when the next goal came, Jeff Hutchins with an easy wrist shot past Lee on 22.24, assisted by Courteney.
A chip and skate move by Rob Wilson and Ben Campbell almost brought the Vipers youngster a goal, but it was not to be for the home side, until the visitors took a bench penalty at 38.04 for having too many men on the ice.
Only 22 seconds later, Fraser popped up at the point to fire the Vipers’ second of the night.
Belfast still held a one goal lead at the start of the final period, but with Wilson in the bin for holding, Cory Morgan dispossessed a Giants defenceman and took the puck behind the goal line, then boldly fired in off the netminder to level the scores.
Once again, Belfast pulled ahead after Mark Lee denied George Awada, only to be beaten by Todd Kelman.
And once more the Vipers hit back. Wilson finished a good passing move from left to right to sweep home at 47.36.
Now in control and on the ascendancy, the Vipers took the lead for the first time in the game at 49.22, captain Weaver firing home from the slot following a great pass from Morgan.
Re-affirming his side’s new-found superiority, Jeremy Cornish took a close fight with Jean Morin before Hinks finished what he started – once more assisted by Ferone and Fraser, who took his ninth point in six games – as the Vipers made it 6-4 on the delayed whistle.

Vipers points: Hinks 2+2; Fraser 1+2; Morgan, Weaver 1+1; Wilson 1+0; Ferone 0+2; Campbell, Longstaff 0+1.