Game 1 IJHL Finals did not disappoint.  The Kensington Moase Plumbing and Heating Vipers defeated the Sherwood A & S Scrap Metal metros 5-3 in a physical affair.

The Vipers came out hitting and created an early chance they did not make any mistake on.  22 seconds into the game William Smith opened the scoring in the series.   The Vipers kept coming hard but Matt Jelley was up for the challenge in the Metros net keeping several key scoring chances out of the net. The score at the end of the first period was 1-0 Vipers.  The Vipers came out fast and furious in the second and the Metros did not seem to be able to answer the Vipers waves of attacks and the Vipers’ Reese Wyand added to their lead just 2:56 into the second period.  The Vipers would carry most of the play until about 2/3 of the way through the period when the Metros seemed to come to life.  The Metros would spoil Jonah Arbing’s attempt at a shutout with 4:16 left in the period on a goal by Jaden Murphy.

The score after the second period was Vipers 2, Metros 1, while the Vipers held the upper hand, outshooting the Metros 29 -12 after two.

The third period was a much more balanced attack, as both teams exchanged many good scoring chances.  Vipers’ scoring machine Carson MacKay would give the Vipers their 2 goal lead back at the 13:29 mark of the 3^rd.  The Metros’ Creegan Thompkins would score at 7:41 and Ben Watts at 7:22 to tie the game at 3, and the Metros looked like they were starting to roll.  With 3:28 left in the final frame, Carson MacKay would add another goal to lift the Vipers to a 4 – 3 lead late in the 3^rd.  The Metros took Jelley out of the net for an extra attacker with about 2 minutes left, however the Vipers would seal the victory at 1:02 left in the 3^rd on a goal by Ryan Richards making the final score 5-3, and the Vipers are up 1 - 0 in the series.  There were 81 minutes in penalties called, 42 to the Metros and 39 to the Vipers.  Shot on goal were 46-24 in favor of the Vipers. 

Game 2 goes Sunday, March 26th, at 4:30 at Cody Banks Arena.

Points per team:

Vipers:

Reese Wyand 1 G, 2 A

Carson MacKay 2 G

Ethan Beaulieu – 3 A

Ryan Richards – 1 G, 1 A

William Smith – 1 G

Nick Reeves – 1 A

Metros:

Jaden Murphy - 1 G

Creegan Thompkins – 1 G, 1 A

Ben Watts – 1 G

Kayden MacLeod – 1 A

Matt McQuaid - 1 A