Desperate measures adopted by Vipers

Mar 27 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

THE desperate times the Vipers find themselves in are prompting desperate measures, with defenceman Likit Andersson set to play as a first-line forward in this weekend’s play-off quarter-final against Coventry Blaze.

The two-leg tie will either prolong the Vipers’ season into finals weekend, or bring it to an anti-climactic conclusion. So they could have done without an injury crisis, which according to player-coach Rob Wilson makes this season’s task “harder than ever” for his side.

Plenty of players are doubts but forward Rob Rankin is a confirmed absentee with a broken foot.

“Ranks gave a lot of defensive responsibility to that first line and really allowed Eddie (Courtenay) and Hutchy (Jeff Hutchins) to be more offensive and take a few more chances,” Wilson reflected. “He’s probably our best penalty-killer and he works for 60 minutes.

“He’s a massive loss, I won’t hide it. I’m sure Coventry’s over the moon.

“Right now I’m looking at Likit going up front. He’s got good speed, he’s a defenceman so he can be defensively sound, he’s responsible. But he can also do some offensive stuff and he’s a left-handed shot who skates real well.

“I’m also looking at Mac (defenceman Chris McAllister) and a few different things. But we’ll be ready.”

Former Belfast Giants coach Courtenay also paid tribute to Rankin.

“I kind of have that coach’s mentality where I’m always giving my sense of how I would build a team and who I would have,” he revealed. “Rob would definitely be a player every coach in the league would love to have. His work ethic is by far the best in the league.”

The Vipers won the 2006 play-offs and have a good pedigree since, but will be hard pushed to repeat the feat three years on.

“We seem to have the mentality that it’s a whole new season,” Wilson said. “We always breed intensity for the play-offs.

“I’m not gonna pretend it’s going to be easy because I don’t think it’s ever been harder than it is right now but with Andrew (Verner) in net it gives you a chance to win.

“But we’ll be ready. They’ve probably had meetings to death but I want to make sure everyone knows exactly what they’re doing.”

Lionel Ritchie has given the Vipers home advantage for the second leg by booking the Arena for Saturday.

The approach will be one of damage limitation in Coventry.

“At least you know what you have to do when you come home but you travel twice,” said Wilson. “We travel down, then back, whereas they’re just travelling up. Believe it or not that does have a little affect.

“I really couldn’t care less where we play, who we play and what date is what. If it bothers them, great.

“We’ve got to be within a goal, two maximum and they’ll be a little jittery. They want to come here with a four or five-goal lead.”