ROB Wilson’s skilful Vipers team showed they could win ugly as their unbeaten start to the season continued. A first-period wrist shot from defenceman Pavel Gomenyuk fired in from the blue line and a late close-ranger from Jeff Hutchins secured the Vipers’ third-successive win. Net minder Ryan MacDonald earned his first shut out by saving all 24 attempts on his goal. The Caps’ net minder Jean Francois Perras showed off his shot-stopping ability with fine glove saves to deny rising shots released by Andre Payette and Shaun Johnson. The youngster, playing his first professional game, then kept the Caps on level terms during a Vipers four-on-three power play, initially saving low from David Longstaff, then producing a double stop to thwart Peter Storey and a Hutchins rebound. But his hot hands couldn’t prevent Gomenyuk’s shot hitting the back of the net on 18 minutes. The Vipers ran into penalty trouble either side of the first break and rode their luck during the second power play when Kyle Horne’s shot hit MacDonald’s right-hand post on 22 minutes. At the other end, speedster Ben Campbell had the opportunity to score a short-handed marker when he broke away to go one-on-one with Perras, but the net minder came out on top. On 33 minutes referee Moray Hanson awarded a penalty shot against the home side after a rush on goal was cynically stopped. MacDonald left his crease and advanced towards Collin Hemingway. The forward shot low, but it hit MacDonald’s left-hand post. Perras was again in the thick of it as the Vipers went in search of a second goal straight from the start of the final period and he made three good saves. Play stopped at 47 minutes when Hutchins and the giants Doug Christiansen clashed, both receiving penalties for fighting. Hutchins doubled the Vipers advantage in the final second when he fired into an empty net. | 
