by Peter Adams
The newly formed Vipers gave the long suffering Newcastle fans something to smile about by capturing the Findus Cup at their attempt.
The fledging club had looked on course for at least at mid-table finish in the British National League but ended in the last playoff position after being adversely affected by personnel changes, injuries and the inability of the team to train together frequently.
The squad put together by Alex Dampier and Clyde Tuyl looked better equipped to attack than defend, and a lot depended on the team’s import players because the Vipers’ ethos was. commendably, to bring on young British talent.
They certainly succeeded in that aim as Ian Defty, Simon Leach, Richie Thornton and Stephen Wallace were all included in the GB squads during the season.
Vipers profited from the demise of the Manchester Storm by snapping up two of Superleague players in early November: David Longstaff returned to his native North East quickly followed by his close friend, the experienced blueliner Rob Wilson. They were joined by veterans Neil Abel and Les Millie who guested for the team as they prepared for the Findus Cup finals on their home ice at the Telewest Arena.
The cup victory was a special night for Vipers and their fans, the majority of whom had endured much over the years, watching the Cobras, Riverkings and Jesters. “It was pay back time for the fans” said their delighted captain, Rob Trumbley.
The team started breaking up soon afterwards though. Impressive defenceman Martin Lapointe decided to return to the East Coast League in mid-December with Scott Campbell coming in as his replacement. Longstaff quit amicably in January when the Great Britain captain joined Swiss side, Sierre, after signing off with a four goal blast in Hull. Forward Paul Ferone came north from the troubled Hull Thunder and later additions were Brits Anthony Johnson and Martin King, whose combative cameo roles earned them cult followings.
Cup winning goalie hero, Pasi Raitanen, was sidelined by a knee injury but his replacement, Danny Lorenz, was as disappointing as he had been in Guildford. In January, Trumbley’s horrific hand injury deprived the team of their inspirational captain. Without him the Vipers lost their venom.
Leading Players
Mikko Koivunoro
The creative Finn was a smooth playmaker and he racked up the assists, reminding fans of his days as a Riverking. Top scorer in all Vipers competitions.
Pasi Raitanen
The netminder was Vipers’ cup hero with a shutout in the final. Joined from the Peterborough Pirates and was a rock at the back until an old knee injury flared up again.
Rob Wilson
The Great Britain international defenceman seemed to be constantly on the ice and was a model of consistency and proffesionalism.
Player Awards
- Forward of the Year - Mikko Koivunoro
- Defenceman of the Year - Ian Defty
- Top Points Scorer - Mikko Koivunoro
- Players’ Player - Ian Defty
- Rookie of the Year - Stephen Wallace
- Most Sociable Player - Rob Wilson
- Unsung Hero - Tim Blake
- Correspondents Cup - Joel Irwin
League Position/Honours
| League | Pos | GP | W | L | D | OL | GF | Ga | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNL | 8th | 36 | 12 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 115 | 155 | 26 |
Findus Cup Winners
BNL Playoffs 4th in Qtr Final Group
Top points scorers
| Scorer | GP | G | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikko Koivunoro | 50 | 31 | 46 | 77 |
| Joel Irwin | 48 | 25 | 31 | 56 |
| Mike Lankshear | 52 | 15 | 25 | 40 |
Top penalty takers
| Penalty taker | PIM’s |
|---|---|
| Rob Trumbley | 176 |
| Mike Lankshear | 99 |
| Scott Campbell | 82 |
Netminders
| Netminder | GPI | Mins | SOG | GA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasi Raitanen | 27 | 1645 | 876 | 90 | 89.7 |
| Danny Lorenz | 22 | 1260 | 708 | 84 | 88.1 |
| Stephen Wall | 6 | 240 | 129 | 23 | 82.2 |
| Curtis Cruikshank | 13 | 792 | 455 | 42 | 90.8 |
| Doug Teskey | 67 | 3937 | 2332 | 220 | 90.6 |
