AL AIN // The champions of the inaugural Emirates Ice Hockey League will be decided in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday after the Al Ain Vipers levelled the best-of-three finals with a 4-3 win over the Dubai Mighty Camels at the Al Ain Ice Rink on Monday. Adam Meyer scored the winner with just over a minute left for the only goal of the final period of play and ensured the Vipers lived to fight another day. The Camels won the first game 5-3 at the Al Nasr Leisureland in Dubai last week. The Camels started as the favourites and the captain Ron Murphy gave them the perfect platform by drawing first blood, just 35 seconds into the game. The Camels barely gave time for the Vipers to settle in as the diminutive Canadian found the target with a stinging shot to beat the goalkeeper Michael Jabri-Pickett. Kevin Emore cancelled the lead nine minutes later through a power goal, beating Rob Gray in the third attempt.
The Camels goaltender made an excellent save off a close range shot from John Oddy and twice denied Emore in the first period of play. The Vipers started the brightly in the second period and went ahead twice through the Swede Andres Lindquist and Oddy, but each time the Camels hit back to level the scores with Jeremy Amin with a bullet and Kyle Hyland off a rebound. Jabri-Pickett managed to stave off the Camels as they looked to get into the lead. Instead the Vipers regained the lead midway but Ryan Wolfe's long range effort was disallowed as off-side. Vipers were not to be denied again though when Meyer struck the winner. apassela@thenational.ae
