Vipers Getting Close to Icing ‘Dogs

After waiting 42 years to have a championship hockey team, the city of Detroit is now one victory away from having two within a week.

Thanks to a 3-1 victory over the Long Beach Ice Dogs on Wednesday night, the Detroit Vipers took a commanding 3-1 lead in their International Hockey League Turner Cup series and moved a step closer to matching the Detroit Red Wings, who won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1955 last Saturday.

Before 8,184 at the Long Beach Arena, Detroit goaltender Rich Parent and the Vipers’ special teams proved to be the difference as the Ice Dogs lost their second consecutive game at home. It was the first time since October that the Ice Dogs had lost two in a row at home. They had won 17 consecutive home games and 36 of 37 since Nov. 17 at home before losing to the Vipers, 5-1, on Monday night.

On Wednesday, Parent made 29 saves and was especially tough on the Ice Dogs’ power play. Long Beach, which led the IHL with 106 power play goals during the regular season, did not score in eight power play opportunities. Over the last two games, the Ice Dogs’ power play is zero for 18.

“I wish I knew what the problem was . . . we’re just not executing,” Long Beach captain Dab Lambert said. “Whenever we try to get the puck in, there is somebody in the way to knock it down. We might be pressing a little and trying to do too much.”

Sergei Samsonov, an 18-year old forward from Russia who scored four goals in a Game 1 win at Detroit, gave the Vipers an early lead when he scored a power-play goal--his eighth overall in the playoffs--9:01 into the first period.

“That was a key power-play goal for us because Sergei scored it,” Detroit center Peter Ciavaglia said about Samsonov, who is a projected to be drafted within the first two rounds in the upcoming NHL draft. “That’s because he can get us off to a good start with the way he can dominate a game. When he scores early, we usually follow with more goals.”

Detroit took a 2-0 lead seconds after another scoreless play by Long Beach opportunity when Stan Drulia beat Ice Dog goalie Tom Draper from inside the right circle at 15:55.

Game 5 will be played Friday at Long Beach with the final two games in Detroit, if necessary.