Belfast Giants 1, Moblix Newcastle Vipers 2

Sep 1 2007 by Peter Adams, The Journal

DEFENSIVELY orientated Mark Gouett was the match-winner as the Vipers returned to winning ways and went top of the Elite League table.

The 29-year-old Canadian successfully shot home with six minutes of the match remaining to give the Vipers a victory driven by the team’s rearguard, as blueliner Pavel Gomenyuk had opened the scoring late in the second period. Playing his first game for the Vipers, winger Todd Jackson opened his points-scoring account with an assist on the winning goal which was Gouett’s second in five games.

At the end of the first period, Vipers coach Rob Wilson would have returned to the dressing room with mixed feelings.

He would have been pleased if his defence had held firm after last Sunday’s mauling by the Manchester Phoenix, which could have been much worse than the 5-2 scoreline had it not been for netminder Ryan MacDonald.

But on the other hand, Wilson would have been unhappy that his powerplay units couldn’t find a way to breach a defence that has been leaking goals recently when given three successive opportunities to break the deadlock in the first period.

Early in the second period, the Vipers were presented with a golden opportunity to go ahead when two Giants shared the home penalty box for one minute and 19 seconds.

Again though the Vipers powerplay was ineffective against the bottom of the table team that had conceded 19 goals in its last three matches.

It was fortunate that the under-performing former champions were also having trouble when they had man advantages and the Vipers had just killed a fourth powerplay when Gomenyuk struck unassisted with 48 seconds left in the period. It was the 29-year-old Ukrainian’s second of the season.

The Giants got back on level terms nine minutes into the final period and shortly after a fifth powerplay failure. The puck was sent beyond MacDonald’s reach by the Giants’ top goal-scorer Scott Cameron, who netted his fourth of the season.

Jackson also earned his first penalty when he was judged to have tripped up an opponent with just over a minute of the match left. For the sixth time the Vipers penalty killing unit did their job to ensure the team’s second away win of an encouraging start to the season.

To cap a memorable evening, Gouett also picked up the Vipers man of the match award.

TOP SCORERS

Giants: Cameron 1+0, Kelman 0+1.

Vipers: Gomenyuk and Gouett 1+0, D Campbell and Jackson 0+1.