Vipers capitulate in Challenge Cup Semi Final

NEWCASTLE, UK – Newcastle Vipers will not make it to the Challenge Cup Final in the 2010/11 campaign after the Nottingham Panthers hammered Danny Stewarts side 15-0 in the 2^nd leg of the semi final. Newcastle came into the game with a slender 1 goal lead after a 4-3 victory over the free spending Panthers in the north east during the week.
 

Vipers got off to the worst possible start at the National Ice Centre when a shot from Nottingham’s player/coach Corey Neilson completely changed direction when it hit a Newcastle players stick to leave Charlie Effinger stranded as the puck flew into the net. Danny Stewart’s side remained level (on aggregate) with the Panthers until the home side fired home 3 goals without reply in a 2 and a half minute spell towards the end of the 1^st period.
 
The 2^nd session continued in the same manner as Nottingham were 8-0 ahead at 26.33. Import goaltender Charlie Effinger was withdrawn at this point having only saved 7 of the 15 the shots that came his way. The inexperienced Whitley Bay youngster Liam McAllister took Effinger’s place in net as Vipers looked to halt the free scoring Panthers.
 
McAllister pulled out a number of smart saves to in the remaining 13 minutes of the 2^nd period as the youngster only conceded 1 further goal in the middle stanza. Vipers altered the make of their defensive and forward lines as the clubs normal blue line pairings and offensive trios were clearly unable to handle the power and pace of a star studded Panthers line up.
 
Young d man   Dan Harris who was making his Vipers debut showed a great deal of tenacity in the shifts that came his way late in the game. The Whitley Bay defenceman will no doubt be hoping that he can take to ice for theVipers on a number of occasions between now and the end of the current campaign as Newcastle look pick up some positive results with their short benched roster.
 
Nottingham were able to net a further 6 unanswered goals in the third period which meant that the home side remarkably chalked up a 15-0 victory in a semi final match up. Panthers Man of the Match went to Corey Neilson while Liam McAllister was chosen as the Vipers top performer after the youngster stopped 25 of the 32 shots that he faced.
 
Contact the author – chris.mackenzie@prohockeynews.com
 
Images courtesy of Paul Lynch Photography