This past weekend the Bantam Vipers played the Langton Leafs and were defeated in the first round of OMHA playoffs.
Game one was Friday night in Arthur with the boys looking a bit sluggish, may be because the boys hadn’t had a game since Jan. 12. The Vipers held the Leafs to just one goal in the first and scoreless in the second. In the third the Vipers defensive play broke down resulting in two breakaway goals for the Leafs which sealed their first win by a score of 3-0. The Vipers were outshot 33-8.
Game two was Saturday at 4:30 in Langton; it was a nice day for a drive – good thing we only had to make the drive once. The fans were not sure what to expect from the Vipers after a two hour drive, but the boys pulled together and showed the fans and the Leafs that they do have some drive in them. The Leafs were once again first on the board.
Heading into the third down 3-0 the boys worked the puck, threw a few ‘big’ hits and worked some magic. Alex Shaw was hustling in this match, having a few chances, and making one of those chances pay off on a nice top shelf goal, unassisted. Nice work Alex! The Leafs came back with one more gaining back the three goal lead. A few minutes later Auzzie Johnstone works the puck down low, takes a shot, the puck is stopped but wait Brandon Wilson picks up the rebound and fires the puck passed the Leafs goalie closing the gap to two. The Vipers pull Hatch from the net, in the dying minutes of the game, in hopes of popping in one or possibly two. The Leafs manage to gain control of the puck down in the Vipers zone and defenceman Andy McIntosh steps in for Hatch and does an amazing job stopping the puck a couple times. Better watch out Matt maybe Andy wants to try out net next game! Vipers clear the puck out of their zone  and work the puck down into the Leafs end, but once again the Leafs gain control of the puck, they move the puck up just over centre ice and fire the puck, which slides into the Vipers net with just second’s left in the game. The final buzzer goes ending in a 5-2 loss for the Vipers.
Game three is back in Arthur Sunday afternoon. The boys were all fired up and ready to go. The Vipers were once again throwing the checks, giving the Leafs a run for their money. The Leafs were able to get that first goal in the first, once again. But that would be all the scoring the Leafs would have until the third when they got a breakaway and snuck one by Hatch. The Vipers had some scoring chances but just were not able to capitalize on them resulting in the Leafs taking the third game 2-0.
The Vipers made the Leafs think twice, that Arthur was no easy sweep, making all three games a close match.
The Vipers set their sights on Tri-County playoffs. If the Vipers play the way they did in the last two games against Langton, they just may pull out a Tri-County championship. The next game, still to be confirmed, for the Vipers is Sunday, Feb. 7 at 3:30pm against Ancaster.