The only holiday action the Arthur Novice Vipers saw this season was a jingle bell battle against a top contender – Drayton, in a game that took place on Thursday December 22 at home in Arthur. The Vipers wasted no time dropping a present under Drayton’s tree with a goal by Jacob Saunders early in the first. Aiden McDougall decided to keep the gift giving alive by presenting Drayton with a puck to the back of their net near the end of the first period.
Heading into the second, it was easy to see that Drayton was also in the holiday spirit when they handed Arthur their first gift of rubber between the pipes just a few seconds in. The remainder of the second was a battle of defence with neither team in the mood to dangle the mistletoe and spread the holiday cheer.
Dashing through the snow, into the third we go. McDougall is really in the gift giving spirit, as he tosses his second present in the top shelf of the Drayton net unassisted. Feeling the need to reciprocate once again, Drayton handed the gift of rubber back to the Viper net, making the score 3-2 Arthur. With less than five minutes remaining in the game, Jabe Verbeek couldn’t wait to hand over Arthur’s final gift to Drayton wrapped in fancy paper and sealed with a bow. The festivities were not over yet, however, as Drayton had one more puck left to stuff in the Viper net. After all the good cheer and holiday giving was over, Arthur came out with the win by a score of 4-3. And so the Vipers exclaimed as Drayton drove out of sight, “Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night”!
....Please read more in this week's Arthur Enterprise News