Edinburgh Capitals 2, Newcastle Vipers 2

Jan 5 2009 The Journal

(Vipers win 7-6 on aggregate)

WITH his last swish of his stick for the Vipers’ Todd Griffith ensured the team went through to the semi-finals of the British Knockout Cup.

In a penalty-shot decider Griffith coolly won his head to head encounter with Caps’ netminder Pasi Raitenen to put the Vipers two goals ahead.

Jeff Hutchins had successfully begun the shoot-out for the Vipers for whom net minder Andrew Verner then saved Martin Cingel’s attempt to equalise.

Verner then made another terrific save to deny Sean Perkins after Griffith’s score. Leading 5-4 after Saturday night’s first leg, the Vipers were very close to going through to the final four in regulation time.

However, Mark Hurtubise sped down the left flank and delivered the puck into the crease where player coach Doug Christiansen managed to reach out and strike it home. There was just one minute and six seconds left to play.

The Vipers’ player-coach Rob Wilson had given his team a seventh-minute lead. The unmarked veteran arrived at the far post to apply an exemplary finish after being found by Hutchins’ cross-ice pass from the left.

After wasting one minute and 15 seconds of five-on-three powerplay, the Vipers were punished when Hurtubise shot across Verner from the right wing to level the game on the night and make it 5-6 on aggregate on 25 minutes.

With Griffith unexpectedly deciding to leave the club the Vipers possibly face losing another potent forward for a while following a bust up after the teams had shaken hands last night.

Derek Campbell, the club's second-highest point’s scorer, could face a ban after fighting Caps’ defenceman Jo Dustin. At Whitley Bay the previous evening the Vipers looked to be comfortably in control when defenceman Likit Andersson was successful to make it 5-2 at 48 minutes. But the Vipers quickly conceded and then with four minutes remaining in the game, the Caps’ player-coach Doug Christiansen cut the goal deficit to one by beating Verner by his right hand post.

Christiansen had put the visitors ahead though Rob Rankin restored parity.

Wilson put the Vipers ahead on 24 minutes and less than four minutes later, Longstaff scrambled home the third.

Referee Andy Carson awarded the Caps a powerplay goal on 38 minutes, but television replays show conclusively that Tyler Christie’s shot didn’t cross the line.

But the Vipers responded with a short-handed strike by Ben Campbell.

CAPITALS: Hurtubise 1+1, Christiansen 1+0, Horne and Perkins 0+1

VIPERS: Wilson and Griffith 1+0, Hutchins 0+1.

VIPERS: Longstaff and Rankin 1+1, Andersson, B. Campbell and Wilson 1+0, D. Campbell, Gouett and Griffith 0+2, Lundin 0+1.

CAPITALS: Christiansen 2+0, Christie 1+1, Garside 1+0, Cingel and Horne 0+2, Dustin, Hurtubise and Rajack 0+1.