Vipers 2, Thunder 1

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1998 | 10:37 a.m.

Sports Report Service

AUBURN HILLS, Mich.--Darren Banks scored 3:08 into the third period to give the Detroit Vipers (14-6-4) their fourth win in a row, 2-1 over the Las Vegas Thunder (6-14-3) Wednesday night. A Palace crowd of 7,120 saw the Vipers win their fourth straight and take over a share of first place in the Northeast Division.

Mike Prokopec gave the Vipers a 1-0 lead 12:47 into the game, with his tenth goal of the year.

Randy Burridge equalized for the Thunder, who are four games into a 10-game road trip, at 16:51 of the second.

Goalie Geoff Sarjeant stopped 27 of 28 Las Vegas shots to win his first start since being traded to Detroit from Cincinnati for Jani Hurme. The Vipers fired 35 shots at Thunder 'keeper Scott Langkow, who finished with 33 saves.

Other IHL games

Orlando Solar Bears 5, Cincinnati Cyclones 2

ORLANDO--The Orlando Solar Bears (14-10-0) reeled off three unanswered goals in the first period on their way to a 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones Wednesday night. A crowd of 3,186 was on hand for the Northeast Division showdown at Orlando Arena.

The loss left the Cyclones (15-10-2) tied with Detroit for the division lead.

Grigori Panteleyev sparked Orlando with a hat trick -- two goals in the first period and one in the second. Defenseman Sean McCann added a goal and an assist, and Kirby Law netted his eighth of the year. Pierre Sevigny recorded three assists, including on Panteleyev's game-winner 13:37 into the game.

The Orlando defense held the Cyclones to only 20 shots, and killed five penalties. Cincinnati trailed 5-0 when Rastislav Pavlikovsky scored at 13:33 of the second period. Defenseman Geoff Smith, just assigned to the Cyclones from the New York Rangers, scored his first IHL goal of the year 1:40 into the third.

Solar Bears goalie David Littman made 18 saves, 10 of them in the first period. Cincinnati's Frederic Cassivi stopped 19 of 24.

Chicago Wolves 6, Manitoba Moose 2

WINNIPEG--Dan Plante and Steve Maltais each scored twice to lead the Chicago Wolves past the Manitoba Moose 6-2 Wednesday at Winnipeg Arena. The win pulls the Wolves (15-6-4) within a point of Manitoba (16-5-3) at the top of the Central Division.

Moose goalie Richard Shulmistra lasted only 9:14 after the opening faceoff, allowing one goal by Jeremy Mylemok and two by Plante before being replaced by Christian Bronsard.

Manitoba cut the Wolves' lead to a goal within a 2:22 span, starting with Corey Cyrenne's goal at 19:14 of the first period. Chris Bowen kept the rally going by scoring 2:08 into the second period, and Bronsard stopped Chris Marinucci's penalty shot 1:20 later.

Maltais shifted the momentum back to Chicago with a goal at 14:14. Todd White and Maltais padded the win with goals in the final 20 minutes.

Pat Jablonski posted the win in goal, with 31 saves on 33 Manitoba shots. Losing goalie Shulmistra faced seven shots and made four saves, while Bronsard went 22-for-25.

Long Beach Ice Dogs 4, Kansas City Blades 2

KANSAS CITY--John Byce scored twice to help the Long Beach Ice Dogs defeat the Kansas City Blades 4-2 Wednesday before 3,499 at Kemper Arena.

Sean Tallaire had the winning goal, on a power play at 12:28 of the second period, and an assist for the Ice Dogs (20-8-4). Jaroslav Modry rounded out the Long Beach scoring.

The Blades, who have lost their last three, were scoreless when the Ice Dogs lost goalie Manny Legace to an injury at 15:51 of the second period. Substitute Ryan Bach kept the shutout going for just over 20 minutes, before allowing a goal by Steven Low. David Ling, who assisted on Low's goal, scored in the final minute of the game.

Legace made 10 saves and was credited with the win. Bach stopped 13 of 15, while Kansas City's Patrick Lalime turned away 29 of 33.