Vipers too slippery for Whitley Bay as rookie goalie Bernie has game to
remember (11th October - the alternative report) In the week leading up to the big Vipers v Bay game it emerged that the home team had no starting netminder.
From a cast of thousands a shakey little hand was raised in a volunteery gesture - a hand that, in a week's time,
would fill the fastest glove in the Fabulous NIC. The time between these 2 dates was filled with the hard work and dedication of both on and off ice training
for our young heroine Bernie, and thanks must go out to all the behind the scenes time and effort of coaching staff
and equipment lenders alike - Jacob Steeples, the rec hockey goalie, Marty B, Ron H etc. Game night. Period 1 started badly for the Vipes with a breakaway being converted with a deke move on the young
rookie goalie. Ever calm though, the goalie drew a line under the incident and the Vipes stuck to the game plan. Some
composure on the puck drew a penalty from the Bay and from the resulting power-play Lucy Ebinger fired home to tie the
scores at 1. A spell of maintained Viper pressure and some solid forechecking from Michelle Peat forced the Bay to
turn over the puck, allowing Anna Cooper to snipe home the go ahead goal, 2-1. After the game Miss Cooper was quoted
as saying "my first goal, well, I didnt see the point in wasting my effort standing up for that one, sitting down is
much easier". The 1st period ended with a huge centre ice hit that had the autograph hunters looking for Scott Stevens. Once the
ice had been cleared of debris and bodies the 2nd could begin, allbeit slightly delayed meaning the period would be
played rolling clock. The shouting heard coming from the Bay dressing room at the break must have worked as the only
goal of the 2nd saw the scores tied up at 2. It was now time for the Vipes' coaching staff to earn their right to wear a suit on the bench, and earn that right
they did. A well rehearsed training session move straight from the face-off put the Vipes back in command at 3-2. The
rest of the 3rd period saw the Vipes maintain pressure and control. Despite conceeding 2 goals the D and rookie goalie
were tight and very calm under pressure, managing to feed the forwards and catch the heavily forechecking Bay short at
the back, eventually leading to 3 more goals for a final score of 6-4. Vipers' man of the match award went to the winning goalie, Bernadette Bailey, notching up 15 saves off 19 shots. At the post match press conference the Vipers would neither confirm nor deny rumours that they were currently
in talks with an up and coming young canadian goalie, saying only "Bernie really stepped up for the team tonight,
she is a credit to us all". Coach Jason Scott added "I was happy with the performance tonight, and the way the team
dealt with going a goal behind. We have areas to work on in training for sure, but there were a lot of
positives to take away tonight. The girls are having a day off tomorrow, but then its 3 ice sessions a day until
our next game". It maybe cold outside, but theres always a warm welcome at the Fabulous NIC! See you at our next game :)