Ice Dogs Lose Series Opener, 5-3

Sergei Samsonov scored four goals to lead the Detroit Vipers to a 5-3 victory over the Long Beach Ice Dogs in the first game of the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup finals.

Before 13,053 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, goaltender Jeff Reese made 22 saves and Samsonov helped the Vipers break open a tight game by scoring two goals in the second and third periods as Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the best of seven series.

Samsonov, 18, is projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming NHL draft and was the IHL rookie of the year. His four goals is one shy of the IHL playoff record set by Atlanta’s Steve Larouche in 1994.

Valeri Karpov, John Byce and Jozef Cierny scored goals for the Ice Dogs.