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By Jeromy Corrigan

Vipers win seesaw battle in Game 3 against Kings

Feb 23, 2019 | 10:42 PM

The Sundown Oilfield Services Sexsmith Vipers are one win away from knocking off the JDA County Kings.

This after a wild 7-5 win in Game 3 at the Crosslink County Sportsplex.

Wyatt Lawrence got the scoring started 7:43 into the 1st period for the Kings, but Sexsmith would even it up just 41 seconds later thanks to Quinten Shofner.

The lone power play goal of the game came late in the opening frame when Blain Moskalyk buried a Payton Lappenbus pass to lift the Vipers to a 2-1 lead.

Halfway through the 2nd period the Kings would even the game at 2 thanks to Captain Austin Hrehoruk who received a pass from Corbin Doram and made no mistake.

Once again though it would be the Vipers responding less than 2 minutes later.

Larry Yellowknee would receive a pass on the right wing and rifle a heavy wrist shot to the glove hand side of Wyatt Fournier which handcuffed the netminder and made it 3-2 Sexsmith.

They would enter the 3rd period with the one goal advantage.

2:31 into the final frame the Kings would tie the contest at 3 as a Louka Richard shot would trickle along the ice and over the goal line to even the game.

Sexsmith would answer at the 6:48 mark as Blain Moskalyk pot his 2nd of the game.

The back and forth play would continue and three and a half minutes later Jacob Begin would tie the game at 4 on a delayed penalty.

With 6:49 remaining in the 3rd, Sexsmith would make it 5-4 with the goal credited to Kaleb Kelly.

The Kings would press late in the stanza, but it would be the Vipers icing the game with an empty net goal.

The Vipers would get a bit of a scare following their 6-4 empty net goal as just 18 seconds later Justin Rudyk would get the County Kings back to within 1, but that was as close as they would come as the Vipers netted one more into a yawning cage to give the road team a 7-5 win.

With the win, the Vipers now lead the best of five series 2-1 and will have a chance to eliminate the Kings Monday night when they host Game 4.

In the other NWJHL 1st round series Saturday night, the Fairview Flyers edged the North Peace Navigators 5-4.

Fairview leads the best of five 2-1 and will host Game 4 Wednesday.

Both Game 4’s have 8:00 p.m. puck drops.

by Jeromy Corrigan