Sports

The Vernon Vipers had to lose sometime.

The Vipers 21 game winning streak came to an end Friday, falling 2-1 to the visiting Westside Warriors in double overtime.

Kyle Singleton scored on a breakaway at 1:42 of the second overtime period as the Warriors extended their unbeaten streak to seven games.

The first period featured the goaltending of Westside’s Kevin Jebson, while Vernon’s Graeme Gordon got his chance to shine in the second period.

Jebson’s first period heroics kept his team in the game. Among his stops, he made two stellar saves on Braden Pimm, one on a short-handed net drive and one on a bang-bang play following Jonathan Milhouse’s feed from behind the net.

Although the Vipers out shot the Warriors 14-6 in the opening frame, Gordon had to be very sharp on efforts by Brendan Ellis and Trevor Bailey.

Gordon had to deal with a number of strange bounces and scrambles in the second period as the Warriors out shot the Vipers 14 to 12.

The period featured five power plays, three by the Vipers, but the penalty killing was strong and the goalies were very good. Dylan Walchuk did beat Jebson cleanly on a power play move, but hit the post.

Kellen and Connor Jones came close to opening the scoring while short handed, but the opening goal finally came on a Viper power play at 17:49.

The Jones twins combined on the play, with Connor the trigger man. Curtis Gedig also drew an assist on the play, in his first game in a Viper uniform.

The rhythm of play in the second period was spasmodic, with bursts of intense activity followed by cautious play. That rhythm changed in the third period, as the Warriors spent most of the first seven minutes on the penalty kill.

The main Warrior culprit was goaltender Jebson who was assessed four minutes for high sticking Cole Ikkala.

During those seven minutes, the Warriors got a huge boost from a determined and successful defensive effort. Although Mike Collins hit the post, the Vipers were basically unable to break through the Warrior defensive box.

Clearly, the Warriors were energized by the defensive stand, and their fourth line scored at 9:45. Dru Morrison and Max French won battles deep in the Viper end, and Colton Sissons scored on a 10-foot snap shot.

The remainder of the period was a tense affair, with few clear-cut scoring chances.

The first overtime period continued that theme, as the play presented just one gilt-edged scoring chance. Newcomer Curtis Gedig ripped a shot that Jebson managed to deflect with his catching glove.

The three-on-three second overtime session started with plenty of firepower. The Vipers sent out the Jones twins and Dan Nycholat, while the Warriors presented Cam Reid, Trevor Bailey, and Brendan Ellis, their top three scorers.

That opening burst featured four successive two-on-one rushes, two for each team. The exciting play kept 2,222 fans on the edge of their seats.

Singleton’s winner came at 1:42 when he stripped Curtis Gedig at the Warrior line and raced down the ice to beat Graeme Gordon. He was named the game’s first star for his effort, and Kevin Jebson earned the second star.

The Warriors return home Saturday to host the Williams Lake Timberwolves at 7 p.m. at Royal LePage Place.

The Vipers are idle until hosting Penticton next Friday night.