BRANTFORD – After a while it wasn’t even fun dissecting the Norwood Vipers, 16-1, in the Brantford Blast’s first game of the new year this Saturday night at the Brantford Civic Centre.
Although the Blast are in fourth place in the five team league, they have played two games less than the third place Dundas Real McCoys, four games less than the second place Stoney Creek Generals, and two games less than the first place Whitby Dunlops in the ACH standings.
Perhaps it was too much turkey and New Year’s Eve parties, or maybe just a weak sister team, but the Vipers were out classed, out hustled, outshot (massively, 61-13) and outscored 16-1.
Brantford had the game in their pocket after the first period at 4-0, but they added seven more in the second and five in the third.
It is hard to fault Brantford’s goalie Brett Leggat for allowing the Vipers onto the score sheet at all, having very little going on at his end of the rink all night. Still, in the third period, Mark Prentice got one by him for their sole goal of the game.
Several Blast players added stats to their totals, including Joel Prpic (3G,5A), Jeff Caister (1G,5A), Derek Medeiros (1G,4A), Kevin Christmas (5A), Dustin Alcock (3G,1A), Chris Rebernic (2G,2A), Cam Sault (1G,2A)) and more.
The relentless Blast attack burned through both Vipers goalies, who faced more rubber than most goalies see in two games.
The Blast are poised to make a second half run to first place in the second half of the regular season and will try to keep the scoring machine operating when they begin a home-and-home series against the Stoney Creek Generals Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Centre in Brantford, followed by a trip to Norwich Sunday for a 6:30 p.m. start.