Vikings survive battle with Wolfpack
Even without two starters (not playing due to illness and injury), the Vikings stepped up to defeat the Division 1, University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Wolfpack, 16-13. The Wolfpack scored first just seconds after faceoff, but then the Vikings reeled off six straight goals extending into the second quarter with a lead of 6-1. After trading goals, the Pack scored on a fast break and quickly followed that goal with a fast break off the next faceoff, and suddenly, what many thought might become a rout, turned into a game with the Vikings hanging on 7-4. Near the end of the half, the Vikings scored another goal making it 8-4 at halftime, but there was a sense that this game was far from over.
Seemingly reeling from the loss of a third starter due to an injury, late in the second quarter, the Vikings came out flat at the beginning of the third, and the Pack was on fire, scoring four consecutive goals to tie the game at 8-8 with 5:24 left in the quarter. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Andrew Bagwell scored to take a 9-8 lead but the relentless Wolfpack came back with two consecutive goals to take a 10-9 lead. With 56.6 seconds left in the third quarter, Max Kong tied it and the third quarter ended with DVC 10, UNR 10.
The fourth quarter started like the third quarter ended with the teams trading blows; UNR taking an 11-10 lead, DVC tying it, DVC taking a 12-11 lead, UNR tying it at 12 with 6:10 left in the game. With 4:36 left in the game Max Kong scored giving DVC what would be the lead for good. Bagwell followed with a goal between the goalie's legs with 2:33 making it 14-12, but nobody thought this game was over until Bryce Eade scored the game crusher with 56.3 seconds left giving the Vikings a 15-12 lead. The Vikings won the subsequent faceoff and while the Vikings were planning on running the clock out with Kong, a clear opportunity for a shot presented itself and Kong delivered the death nail scoring the 16th and final goal for the Vikings with 37.3 seconds left. UNR, with a never-say-die attitude did not throw in the towel, however, as they scored as time ran out to make the final score 16-13.
This was the 119th win for the Vikings against 60 losses since its inception in 2008. The Vikings hope to achieve the '67% win rate" against the Cardinal of Stanford in Palo Alto on Thursday, October 28th with faceoff beginning at 7:00 p.m.