Red Deer Vipers have just managed to slip out of the hands of a superb Stettler Lightning last Friday night, Jan. 28 when they scored in the last 90 seconds of the game to tie it 5-5, in a week when the local boys found increased confidence in their game play.
In their first game of the week, the Lightning thrashed Rimbey Rock 8-1 on Wednesday, Jan. 26, scoring two goals in the first two periods each and four more in the third.
Orie Spearing scored twice, with Ryan Staal, Cody Smitten, Mitch Finkbiner, Jake Schwarzenberger, Brett Oulette and Steve Blacklock adding one each to the tally.
After Wednesday’s game, Heritage Junior B Hockey League has announced that Rimbey Rock had withdrawn from the league for the rest of the season.
Many players of the team are reported to have fled the Rimbey team that has not won a single game since the beginning of the season.
On Friday, hosting the Vipers from Red Deer, the Lightning appeared in tip-top shape as the puck dropped at the rec centre.
From the beginning to the end, Lightning players demonstrated that they were determined to win the game.
The tit-for-tat scoring with goals coming within less than a minute of each other made the game particularly pleasant to watch.
The Vipers opened the scoring in the fifth minute of the first period with the response coming in only 22 seconds from Myles Rindal. In 19th minute, Tyson Glazier scored for the local boys and the response came again in only 14 seconds: 2-2.
The Vipers scored twice in the second period with no answer from the Lightning.
But when the third period began, the Lightning swiftly got down to business scored three times in the first seven minutes through Jake Schwarzenberger, Myles Rindal and Brett Oulette and held the 5-4 lead until the 19 minute, when the Vipers struck once again.
Despite the tie, head coach Doug Smith was satisfied with the performance of his team.
“We had a great third period but fell asleep just at the wrong moment,” Smith said.
“On our part we played a solid game except for three minutes in the second period, but uncustomary individual mistakes also played their part.”
Smith said he expected the efficient execution of game plays would continue on Tuesday night, when they were to host Blackfalds Wranglers as the Independent went to press.