I was at tonight's BCHL game as Vernon defeated Penticton 3-2 in front of 2,044 fans at the Wesbild Centre.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Blake Voth
Penticton: Billy Faust
1st Period: After dropping their third straight game 6-0 last night to the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters the Penticton Vees come out with a little fire in their eyes. Logan Johnston with a huge hit along the side wall off the opening draw got the Vees into the game. Penticton controlled the early edge in play before Marcus Basara come back the other way with Adam Thompson, Basara found Thompson who beat backup Billy Faust at 3:07 giving Vernon the 1-0 lead. Basara with the lone helper. Just over a minute later Patrick McGillis redirected his shot in front but Faust made a huge toe save keeping the score 1-0, on the next shift Kyle Murphy was stopped by Billy Faust in close as the Vees goaltender was forced to make back to back saves as the Vipers come back with a little pressure of their own. On the next play Penticton would get the games first powerplay, moving the puck well the Vees found a streaking Brendan O'Donnell who snuck in from the slot but couldnt beat Blake Voth who made a nice save from in close. In the dying seconds on the man advantage, Troy Stretcher walked in from the point, beating Voth but hit the post as the Vees come very close to tying the hockey game. Vernon would kill off the minor after the Vees with a few good chances. Shortly after the Penticton powerplay Brett Corkey's point shot missed the goal but the puck come straight out the other side off the end boards, before Patrick McGillis banged home the loose puck at 8:48 putting Vernon up by two goals. Corkey and Max Mowat collected the assists. From here on in it was all Vipers, as Vernon dominated the play. The Vees wouldn't record another shot on Blake Voth for the remainder of the 1st getting their last shot on net on their only powerplay of the period. Vernon on the other hand looked very good in the opening period, moving the puck well, getting some good chances. Tyler Hlookoff looked to have taken a shot to the back of the knee from Bryce Kakoske in the Vees zone, Hlookoff slowly skated to the Penticton bench and went straight to the dressing room, but did come back to the bench a few minutes later. With just over six minutes remaining Billy Faust had troubles handling the puck after a long dump in shot by Vernon, as the puck got tangled up in Faust's skates. Penticton who was without seven regular's tonight, didnt look good in the opening period getting outplayed most of the 1st. Billy Faust kept the Vees in the game, making some key saves. Vernon was up 2-0 after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers outshot the Vees 16-3.
2nd Period: Just two minutes into the period Darren Nowick with a good burst of speed, found an opening but just ripped his hard shot just over the top corner. The Vipers would then get their first man advantage of the night just under three minutes into the 2nd but Vernon struggled not getting any real good opportunities as the Vees killed off the minor. For the second straight period it was all Vernon, as the Vipers controlled and dominated the edge in play. Captain David Robinson through the puck out front from behind the goal but no Viper was in front to capitalise. Dylan Walchuk then lost the puck in the neutral zone to Logan Johnston who stepped over the Viper blueline and then ripped a hard shot past Blake Voth at 5:09 getting the Vees on the scoreboard and back into the hockey game. Johnston's goal was unassisted. This was the first Vees scoring chance of the period. The Vipers come very close to re-gaining their two goal lead after Phillip Patenaude's point shot was redirected in front beating Faust but went off the crossbar. The Vipers outplayed Penticton most of the period but didnt really get alot of good quality shots or chances, making Billy Faust look good in the middle frame. A very dull kinda boring period with not alot of action made for a bit of a slow paced period. Vernon would get back to back powerplays just past the midway mark, after not scoring on the first man advantage the Vipers would capitalise on the second powerplay. Malcolm Lyles with an amazing long pass to Bryce Kakoske at the side of the goal who beat Faust at 18:13 putting the Vipers up 3-1. Lyles and Kyle Murphy with the helpers. But off the faceoff the Vipers allowed the Vees to get control of the play and allowed call-up Grant Nicholson to walk right in and beat Voth at 18:26 as Penticton was back within a goal. Nicholson's goal was unassisted. Two chances by the Vees, resulted in two goals. Penticton had no business being in tonight's game but scored on both of their chances and was hanging in there. Vernon was by far the better of the two teams, but couldnt get alot of real good quality chances or shots on net. The Vipers were up 3-2 after 40 minutes of play. Vernon outshot Penticton 17-7.
3rd Period: Off the opening faceoff the Vipers would get the play deep in the Vees zone before Bryce Kakoske setup David Robinson in front who was robbed after Billy Faust come across making a huge blocker save, keeping Penticton within a goal. The play then slowed down a little and got a little scrambly. Both teams couldnt seem to get much of anything going, as the Vipers were having troubles making that first pass coming out of their own end. Penticton would get the only powerplay of the 3rd and get three good chances. Joey Laleggia with a big shot from the point was stopped after Voth made a big pad save, Laleggia would wind up with another big shot from the point but Voth was there once again to make the save this time with traffic in front. In the dying seconds of the man advantage, Myles McCauley had a wide open net, but the Vees forward tipped his shot just wide of the open cage on a great chance to tie the hockey game, as Vernon was able to kill off the minor. In the second half of the 3rd the Vipers now just getting the play in deep, keeping the lines fresh slowly started to sit back, wich allowed the Vees to slowly take over the play. Vernon's defence was very solid for most of the 3rd, getting in the shooting lanes, keeping the Vees to the outside and not really giving up alot of good quality chances or shots. Myles McCauley did come very close for a second time tonight, after coming down the left wing and then ripping a hard shot that beat Blake Voth but found the crossbar. Penticton couldnt really generate alot of offence playing against a tight defensive Vipers team. Fred Harbinson would call a late timeout and then get Billy Faust to the bench with 1:03 remaining giving Penticton the extra attacker but the Vees couldnt get any pucks towatds the goal. The Vees would win a late draw in the Vernon zone, feeding a wide open Joey Laleggia who wired his shot wide of the goal. In the dying seconds David Robinson would clear the zone and then rag most of the remainder of the final seconds off the clock as Vernon would defeat Penticton 3-2. The Vipers outshot the Vees 10-5. Vernon would win the season series going 5-0-1-0
Top Players: (Vernon)
Malcolm Lyles (1 assist) For the third straight game Malcolm Lyles played a strong game on the Vipers blueline. Lyles didnt stand out nearly as much as the past two home games but did play well. Made a heck of a nice crisp long pass from the point to Bryce Kakoske at the side of the goal, who scored on the play wich ended up being the game winner.
David Robinson played another solid game up front for Vernon. Where would the Vipers be without their captain? The Vernon product and former Chilliwack Bruin was very solid for the Vipers, getting a few real good scoring chances. Battled and worked hard all night.
Darren Nowick I thought played a heck of game for the Vipers. Didnt get any real good scoring chances, but was skating hard, always seemed to be in and around the net or in the right spot at the right time. Made a few real nice plays down low to setup a few good chances. Was really hustling tonight.
Kyle Murphy (1 assist) I thought Kyle Murphy played very well along side David Robinson. These two forwards were both very solid all game for the Vipers. Murphy was good on the draw and played well at both ends of the rink.
Colton Sparrow I thought played with alot of energy in the opening period, banged a few bodies around, showed alot of zip before not really noticing him much in the final two periods.
Steve Weinstein played his second straight solid game on the Vernon blueline.
Top Players: (Penticton)
Logan Johnston (1 goal) Johnston played a very physical game for the Vees, score their first goal of the night to get them back in the hockey game and give them a bit of life. Had lots of jump, was banging bodies all night, played with alot of energy.
Troy Stretcher I thought played very well on the Penticton blueline. Hit the post early in the 1st while on the powerplay.
Billy Faust (40 saves) The Vees went with their backup tonight as Billy Faust made 40 saves in a losing cause giving his team a chance to win. In a game where Penticton wasnt in tonight's game at all, Faust gave the Vees a chance to hang around and make it a interesting final period. Made some big saves in the 1st to keep the Vipers from opening the flood gates.
Game Thoughts: (Vernon)
I thought the Vipers played pretty good tonight, in a game where the score didnt really tell the entire tail of the game. Vernon outplayed Penticton most of the night but allowed the Vees to kinda hang around and keep the score close. With the Vipers up 2-0 in the opening period, the Vipers should have put away the Vees then, when they had the chances. They could only muster the two goals and then couldnt really muster alot of real good scoring opportunities or get alot of real good quality shots in the final two periods. Both teams kinda put the fans to sleep in the 2nd and early in the 3rd with not alot of action going on. I thought the Vipers played very well defensively in the 3rd and come away with a huge win, wich now gives them a eight point lead over the 2nd place Penticton Vees and Salmon Arm Silverbacks who now also tied for 2nd with Penticton. Blake Voth improves to 7-0-1 in his career vs the Vees.
Game Thoughts: (Penticton)
This wasnt the same Vees team Vernon fans are use to watching and it wasnt. Penticton was without seven regular's tonight and it showed for most of the game as the Vees were outplayed most of the night. But give full credit to the Vees for not getting blown out and keeping this a one goal game, for being outplayed most of the night Penticton did have a few chances to tie the game in the 3rd. The Vees have now lost four straight and are now tied for 2nd with Salmon Arm. The Vees scored on their chances keeping this game close in the 2nd period. Up until the 3rd Penticton had alot of trouble getting pucks on net, and creating chances. The Vees with very little offence tonight.
Scratches:
Vernon:
Zach McPhee
Mike Zalewski (Concusion)
Ryan Renz
Penticton:
Derik Johnson (Suspended)
James Polk
Joey Holka
Garrett Milan
Curtis Loik
Michael Betz
Mark MacMillan
3 Stars:
1st Star: Patrick McGillis (1 goal)
2nd Star: Malcolm Lyles (1 assist)
3rd Star: Logan Johnston (1 goal)
For more on tonight's game check out the boxscore,
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=840057&link=bchl
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