Was at tonights BCHL game as Vernon defeated Quesnel 3-2 in Overtime before 1,899 fans at the Wesbild Centre.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Graeme Gordon
Quesnel: Luke Siemens
1st Period: Just a few minutes into the game Cory Kane with a nice chance in front was stopped by Luke Siemens. Both teams looked fairly even in the first half of the period with some good back and forth play. The Vipers took over control of the play in the second half of the 1st getting some good chances. Rob Short drove wide and then cut towards the front of the net, but Siemens just got his toe on the play to rob Short down low, Dylan Walchuk picked up the rebound hitting the post as Vernon come very close to opening the scoring. Connor Jones was stopped by Siemens who played very well keeping the Mills in the game during the 1st period. Vernon started pulling away in shots as Quesnel with just one single shot in the final seven to eight minutes of the period. Graeme Gordon wasnt tested often only having to make five saves as the Mills with very little good scoring chances. Former Vernon Vipers defenceman, Eliot Raibl made a strong defensive play to break up a Vipers scoring chance. The Vipers with a late powerplay moved the puck well, Cory Kane with two cracks at a loose puck down low was stoned by Sienmens who made two big saves but couldnt cover up the rebound, the puck come back to the point and fired right back in as Kane tipped the puck in front but again was stopped by Siemens. Vernon having the better of the play in the second have couldnt beat the Mills goaltender. It was scoreless after 20 minutes of play. Vernon outshot Quesnel 21-5.
2nd Period: Dan Nycholat and Nick Amies had troubles clearing the zone in the opening seconds as the Millionaires were really forechecking the Viper d-men, wich forced Trever Hertz to get off a quick shot from the circle as Gordon made the save. The Mills strong forecheck forced the Vipers defence into turning over the puck in the defensive zone. Both teams looked a little slow to start the 2nd period as the play was a little scrambly at times. Mike Collins with the Vipers best early scoring chance was stopped at the side of the net after Siemens come up with the big pad save. Skyler Smutek made a solid defensive play to break up a Vipers scoring chance. Kellen Jones setup his brother Connor Jones who beat Siemens down low in front putting Vernon up 1-0 at 8:02 with Steven Weinstein collecting the other assist on the play. After some four on four action Veteran Trever Hertz with a glorious chance at the side of the net, had Graeme Gordon down and out but somehow missed the empty net. The Vipers couldnt control the rebound as the puck come back out front, with a mad scramble in front of Gordon the Mills were banging away at the loose puck but couldnt slide the puck past Gordon who smothered the rebound to stop play. On the next play Captain Kevin Kraus made a nice pass up ice to Braden Pimm with some amazing undividual effort put an unreal backhand past Siemens as the Vipers jumped ahead 2-0 at 12:45. Kraus with the lone assist. With 1:35 remaining Brett Howe with a shot through a screen of players in front, couldnt beat Gordon who smothered the rebound making a tough save with lots of traffic in front. Both teams had some chances in a fairly even played period. Vernon was up 2-0 after 40 minutes of play. The Millionaires outshot the Vipers 11-10.
3rd Period: Quesnel come out hard taking it to the Vipers early. Trever Hertz with a chance in front was stopped by Gordon. The Mills defence looked very solid most of the night, especially in the 3rd period shutting down the highest scoring team in the league. The Vipers were having all kinds of trouble getting past the Mills defence. Quesnel really moved the puck well creating some chances in the Vernon zone. Vernons defence seemed to have troubles with the strong forecheck by the Mills turning over the puck several times in their own end. The Millionaires carried the better of the play in the first half of the 3rd getting some good chances. Trever Hertz was robbed in front after Gordon made a big pad save on the veteran Millionaire in close. Matt Hutchinson really stepped up the physical play laying out some big checks on Sawyer Mick, Braden Pimm and Garrett Noonan. Cole Ikkala tried splitting the Quesnel defence but couldnt get through losing control of the puck. Just before the midway mark Vernon would get its second man advantage of the night but it was Quesnel that did the damage. Taylor Holst somehow got behind the Vernon defence, going in one on one shorthanded with Steven Weinstein, Holst put an unreal move on Weinstein before making a sweet move on Gordon going high over the Vipers goaltender getting the Mills on the board at 9:57. Darick Ste-Marie with the lone assist. On the next play Dylan Walchuk was robbed down low after getting a quick shot off from in close, before Siemens made the big pad save keeping the puck out. Quesnel kept coming, just over two minutes later Matthew Herskovitz (unassisted) dumped the puck in on a line change, the puck took a good two or three bounces before hoping over Gordon and into the back of the net on a weird bounce as Quesnel tied the game 2-2 at 12:23 as the Millionaires bench erupted. The Mills now had the defending RBC Champs on the ropes and kept coming. Trever Hertz who played a heck of a hockey game went for the wrap around and almost beat Gordon who was slow getting across to rob the veteran Millionaire at the side of the net. From my angle it looked as if the puck had went past Gordons glove and over line, before Gordon had swooped the puck back across the goal line. No argument from the Mills so the game was still tied. Just two minutes later Sam Higgins went for a wrap around and again Gordon was slow getting across as Howe's shot went through the crease. The Vipers were back on their heels getting outworked and outplayed in the final few minutes. Mike Collins got the play in deep in the final minute and went for a wrap around of his own but didnt have enough strength to get off a quality shot as Siemens made the easy save. Quesnel would call a timeout in the final minute of play. With 33 seconds remaining the puck come back to Dan Nycholat who wired his screened shot that beat Siemens but hit the post, the puck would come back to Nycholat who wired another shot from the point, the shot was deflected in front and just went over Siemens just missing the far corner as the Vipers come very close to ending the hockey game twice in the dying seconds. Vernon would call a late timeout with just seconds remaining. Quesnel would clear the zone on the final play of the period as both teams headed to overtime. The Millionaires had the better of the play for most of the 3rd. Vernon outshot Quesnel 13-10.
Overtime: Off the opening draw Connor Jones with a tip in front just missed the net on a close play. Back come the Mills with Trever Hertz & Tyler French with the two on one, couldnt connect as the Vipers got lucky. Rob Short with a quick shot from the circle was easily stopped by Luke Siemens. After the first two minutes Vernon took over play and controlled the better of the play for the remainder of the extra period. The Vipers moved the puck well but again had troubles getting past the Quesnel defence who really played well against the Vipers offensive attack. Mike Collins with some great individual effort down low battled hard inbehind the Mills net, coming out with the puck and then got off a weak shot that almost fooled Siemens who made the save. After a Vipers late linechange-stop in play the Quesnel bench erupted yelling at the ref and linesmen. Not sure what they were yelling at, but Im guessing maybe the Vipers had too many men on the ice. In the dying seconds Vernon got the play in deep, moving the puck around Kevin Kraus fed Garrett Noonan who walked into the circle and then roofed his shot past Siemens giving Vernon their 9th straight win, as the Vipers bench poured onto the ice. As the Mills were heading off the ice, the coaching staff was really giving it to the ref-linesmen. Vernon outshot Quesnel 6-0.
Top Players: (Vernon)
Dylan Walchuk played well up front for the Vipers. Walchuk had some nice moves in close getting some good chances, hitting the post once in the opening period. Walchuk is very shifty and with his speed is very hard to stop.
The Vipers #1 line of Connor Jones (1 goal), Kellen Jones (1 assist) and Cory Kane played well. Kane had three solid chances on a 1st period powerplay but was robbed by Siemens.
Garrett Noonan (Overtime winner) was very strong on the backend. Noonan took a big check in the 1st period and went into the boards hard, seemed to be shaken up a bit but come back for his next shift and didnt miss a beat.
The line of Braden Pimm (1 goal), Mike Collins and Jonathan Milhouse played well. Pimm was by far the better of the three playing well at both ends of the rink. Collins started off slow but played well in the 3rd and Overtime.
Top Players: (Quesnel)
Matthew Herskovitz (1 goal) Looked very solid on the Mills blueline. Looked very confident with and without the puck, made several heads up plays during tonights game. Herskovitz's goal was just a plain dump in play, that took two or three funny bounces before surprising Graeme Gordon who had no chance on the goal.
Trever Hertz played a heck of a game tonight. Hertz could have easily had three goals getting several real good scoring chances. Was robbed a good two or three times by Gordon. As the game went on Hertz was double shifting and out their almost every second shift, saw a ton of icetime in the 3rd period. Was Quesnel's most dangerous player.
Taylor Holst (1 goal) Scored an unreal shorthanded goal midway through the 3rd period to get the Millionaires on the board. Great individual effort on the play.
Darick Ste-Marrie also played very well up front for the Mills.
Matt Hutchinson played a very physical game, laid out several big checks in tonights game. Was very physical and effective in the 3rd laying out some huge hits.
Eliot Raibl played well on the Mills blueline. The former Viper and Alberni Valley Bulldog was very strong on the backend.
Luke Siemens (47 saves) Played a heck of a game tonight. 21 saves in the opening period gave the Mills a chance to win. Siemens plays his position well, cuts down on all angles, dosnt give up many if any rebounds. Made some huge saves in the 1st period to keep the Millioanires in the game. If it wasnt for Siemens this game would have never gotten to overtime.
Game Thoughts: (Vernon)
For the second straight game the Vipers had to work very hard to pull out the win and extend the teams season high nine game winning streak. After defeating Quesnel 9-1 just over a week ago Vernon faced a much stronger Mills team who gave Vernon all they had. Vernons defence seemed to have troubles with the Millionaire forecheck, wich caused alot of turnovers in the Vipers zone. The Vipers with 50 shots tonight should have been up by a few goals after the 1st period but couldnt beat Luke Siemens who kept the Mills in tonights game. Vernon had troubles getting past the Millionaires defence who was very solid all night. A very entertaining game, maybe the kind of a game Vernon needed before heading out on a six game road trip next weekend. Your not going to win all games 9-1, maybe the team was getting a little over confident so to make them work a little harder and gut out an OT win maybe will be good for the guys. The Vipers now head out on the road for their biggest road trip of the year, playing their next six on the road.
Game Thoughts: (Quesnel)
This was one of the toughest games the Vipers have had to play all season, maybe other then wins over Penticton, Westside and Merritt. The Mills played a very good road game, getting the extra point to finish off a small two game road trip at 0-1-0-1. This was one of the more better efforts I have seen from a Quesnel team in a long time. The Mills really played the Vipers hard, with some very aggresive forecheck turning over the puck several times. I was very impressed with the defence, these kids didnt give the Vipers much time and space to create any chances. Did a great job at shutting down the leagues highest scoring team. Give this team full credit they battled hard and comeback down 2-0 to send the game into OT getting the single point. The Mills with some very good but yet close chances in the 3rd could have went home with the victory in regulation time.
Scratches:
Vernon:
Erik Soderlund
Darrin Robak
Patrick McGillis
Quesnel:
Anderson White
Justin Sotkowy
Lucas Ford
Breyden Decock
Brandon Watson
Rylan Stanyer
3 Stars:
1st Star: Garrett Noonan (Overtime winner)
2nd Star: Luke Siemens (47 saves)
3rd Star: Braden Pimm (1 goal)
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