Royal Bank Cup: Vernon 5 Oakville 3

I was at todays Royal Bank Cup as Vernon defeated Oakville 5-3

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon: Graeme Gordon
Oakville: Daniel Savelli

1st Period: Vernon come out looking very focused and hungry in the opening few minutes. Jonathan Milhouse with two great chances in the opening minute but couldnt hit the net. The Blades would get the games first powerplay of the afternoon, off the draw Kellan Lain with a chance at the side of the net fired one through the crease. Some good pressure by Oakville on the man advantage but they just couldnt seem to get any pucks towards the net as Vernon killed off the minor. The Blades would go right back on the man advantage after some pushing & shoving in front of Graeme Gordon, this giving the Blades back to back powerplays. Vernon's penalty kill looked very good this penalty kill as both Jonathan Milhouse & Kellen Jones did an excellent job kiling off the minor. The play would really open up with some fast open ice hockey going both ways. Bryce Kakoske come close to giving Vernon the lead, after Daniel Savelli come up with a big pad save in close stopping Kakoske from the slot. Just two minutes later Curtis Gedig's point shot seemed to have eyes after being tipped in front by Sahir Gill at 14:28 Gedig with the lone assist. Just under two minutes later with the Vipers on the powerplay Dan Nycholat beat Savelli at 16:15 putting Vernon up 2-0 with Sahir Gill & Jonathan Milhouse collecting the assists. Two quick goals seemed to give Vernon a boost as the Vipers picked up their game a bit and carried the edge in play in the final few minutes of the period. Vernon with a great chance to go up 3-0 after Jonathan Milhouse setup Kellen Jones on a two on one in the final minute, but Jones couldnt get the puck past the pad of Savelli who come up with the big save. The Vipers were up 2-0 after 20 minutes of play. Vernon outshot Oakville 10-4.

2nd Period: In the opening minute Steven Guzzo with a nice feed to a wide open Kyle Badham who was stopped by Graeme Gordon as the Blades come close. The Vipers would get an early man advantage and once again capitalize. Cole Ikkala at 4:34 gives the Vipers a 3-0 lead. Mike Collins and Braden Pimm collecting the assists. Just under a minute later Josh Ranalli with a nice setup to Michael Ingoldsby who beat Gordon at 5:14 cutting the lead to 3-1. Ranalli with the only helper. For the third time at the RBC Vernon would score and then allow the visitors to come right back with a quick goal of their own. This goal seemed to spark the Blades giving them some life as Oakville picked up their game and really started to come on strong. The Blades with all kinds of pressure carried the edge in play for most of the period but were unable to get any real good scoring chances. The Vipers couldnt get anything going being hemmed in their own end. Cole Ikkala would get a good chance on a parcial breakaway but was stopped by Savelli who come out to challenge making the save. Vernon's offence went to sleep as the Blades speed was really giving the Vipers troubles in their own end, but Oakville was unable to capitalize. Dustin Alcock with a great chance in front was stoned by Gordon after making a huge leg save in close. Curtis Gedig then dumped the puck in from centre, the puck took a funny bounce off the glass-boards and somehow ended up beat Daniel Savelli at 13:25 Savelli and almost everyone including us the fans were shocked the puck found the back of the net. Gedig's goal was unassisted. This goal seemed to take a bit of life out of the Blades as Vernon was now able to really slow down the play and make the final six minutes very dull. Not much happened in the final six or so minutes until Mike Collins setup Cole Ikkala on the two on one, Ikkala couldnt get off a good shot wich was easily saved by Savelli. Oakville carried most of the play and was the better team but were down 4-1 after 40 minutes of play. The Blades outshot the Vipers 10-7.

3rd Period: Oakville won the draw got the puck in deep with some good puck movement, Dan Hunt's screened point shot found a way towards the goal as Graeme Gordon made a big pad save. The Blades with all kinds of pressure in the opening few minutes were hungry. Oakville was rewarded an early PP, the puck come right out front to a wide open Steven Guzzo who wound up for the shot as the puck bounced over his stick. In the dying seconds of the man advantage, David Robinson lost the battle along the wall as the Vipers couldnt clear the blueline. Mark Bennett setup Thomas Evans who fed Ryan Murphy in front who beat Gordon at 7:47 with just four seconds left on the powerplay. Oakville now cut the lead to 4-2. Bennett & Evans with the helpers. Just a few minutes later Vernon would get a powerplay but struggle as the Blades killed off the minor. Dylan Walchuk & Patrick McGillis on a two on one, Walchuk kept and shot but was unable to beat Savelli on a good scoring chance. The Blades didnt quit turning up the pressure again as Vernon was being hemmed in their own end for most of the 3rd. The Vipers struggled to get the puck out and generate some offence. Josh Ranalli fed Steven Guzzo who setup Mark McGowan who beat Gordon at 13:05 on a nice three way passing play as Oakville was down by just one. Ranalli & Guzzo with the assists. Mark Ferner would call a timeout and try and regroup his troops. The Vipers would get another shot at the powerplay but again were unable to find the back of the net, just as the powerplay expired Cory Kane's low shot from the slot hit the bottom of the far post on a close call. Back come Oakville with some good pressure, the Vipers who started to run around in their own end looked helpless against the Blades attack. Some good pressure down low with a few shots that just missed the net, but the Blades were unable to get any real good scoring chances late. With 1:21 remaining Steven Guzzo with a quick shot from the circle handcuffed Graeme Gordon as Gordon was forced to look behind him and cover up the puck to stop the play. Oakville would call a timeout and get Savelli to the bench for the extra attacker. Again some good pressure down low by the Blades but again they were unable to get any real good chances as they had Vernon running around in their own end. Braden Pimm with a chance to clear the zone and did, before the Blades tried getting the puck back in deep, Kellen Jones setup Jonathan Milhouse in front who hit the empty net at 19:42 giving the Vipers the 5-3 lead. In the end Vernon would hang on for the 5-3 win and now advance to Saturdays semi-finals. Oakville outshot Vernon 12-5.

Top Players: (Vernon)

Curtis Gedig (1 goal & 1 assist) Gedig has really impressed me during the RBC Cup. Gedig has played very well for the Vipers and looked very strong this afternoon. Made some nice heads up plays, looked very confident with and without the puck.

Adam Thompson also played a solid game on the Vernon blueline. Thompson I thought looked very confident out there this afternoon, looked good on the specialty teams.

Dylan Walchuk played with alot of jump in his game today. Was really skating hard, & using his speed. Played a very strong game. Battled hard and competed all game.

Cole Ikkala (1 goal) Played strong up front for the Vipers. Ikkala looked very good in the games first two periods. Won some key battles, created some open ice and had some good chances.

The line of Kellen Jones (1 assist), Sahir Gill (1 goal & 1 assist) & Jonathan Milhouse (1 goal & 1 assist) played a real strong game for the Vipers. I thought Milhouse & Jones were very good and dangerous on the penalty kill. Milhouse is another player who has really impressed me alot during the RBC Cup.

Top Players: (Oakville)

Steven Guzzo (1 assist) Guzzo looked very good for the Blades this afternoon. A shifty player who seemed to always find the openings. Has some good wheels and hands.

Josh Ranalli (2 assists) Also played very good up front with Oakville. This kid has some nice hands and likes to carry the puck and create an opening. Can really see and read the ice very well.

Michael Ingoldsby (1 goal) Another strong player for the Blades. Has a quick, hard shot, looked good on specialty teams as well.

Kellan Lain listed at 6'6 210 lbs also impressed me.

Game Thoughts: (Vernon)

I dont think Mark Ferner and the Vipers will be happy with todays performance. In all three games at the RBC Cup Vernon has either blown a lead or almost given up a lead. Also in all three games we have seen the Vipers score a goal, and then on the next shift give up a goal just seconds later. This wasnt the Vipers best game and didnt play their systems very well. Vernon got off to a good start by jumping ahead 2-0 and then taking a 4-1 lead into the 3rd but like Saturdays game vs Dauphin with a 4-2 lead heading into the 3rd almost blew a three goal lead this afternoon. The Vipers quit skating and got caught hemmed in their own end, running around in circles. It was panic mood in the final few minutes of todays game, especially in the final minute. If it wasnt for Curtis Gedig's weird goal in the 3rd we may have seen overtime. The Vipers look very scary trying to hang on to a lead in the 3rd. With the win Vernon improves to 2-1 and now gets a game in Saturdays semi-finals. The Vipers have one game left in the round robin tomorrow at 2pm vs Brockville. The Braves look very good and strong, so Vernon better come with a better game tomorrow.

Game Thoughts: (Oakville)

I missed the game between Oakville & La Ronge Saturday, due to travelling but watched Oakville lose to Brockville 11-2 Sunday. This was a different team this afternoon. Oakville with their backs against the wall needed a win to stay alive, give them credit they battled hard and fought down to the final seconds. Take away Curtis Gedig's strange goal and we may have a different game. Oakville moves the puck well and has some nice passing down low. If the Blades could have got off to a better start and maybe got a quick goal or two, instead of Vernon, the Vipers would have been in trouble. This team put lots of pressure on Vernon, but was unable to generate much offence. They dont seem to get many scoring chances. With the loss the Blades drop to 0-3 and wont be playing in Saturdays semi-final.

Scratches:

Vernon:

Darrin Robak
Connor Jones (Injured)

Oakville:

Andrew Santino
Nick Scamurra

Players of the game:

Vernon: Sahir Gill (1 goal & 1 assist)
Oakville: Josh Ranalli (2 assists)