For anyone who could not attend or watch tonight’s Vipers game here are my thoughts and views from tonight’s game. You may agree or disagree but we all have our own view and opinion on any game we watch. This is my opinion and my thoughts on how I saw tonight’s game. I try to be unbiased and give a fare recap on both sides. Thanks for stopping by & visiting my blog.
I was at tonight's Vipers-Smoke Eaters game as Vernon defeated Trail 6-4 in front of 2,217 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Jarrod Schamerhorn
Trail: Brett Clark
1st Period: For a third straight game the Vipers got off to a quick start, jumped on Trail early taking it to the Smoke Eaters. Vernon would get a great opporunity two minutes into the contest after Nicolas Rasovic tried setting Colton McCarthy on a two on one, but McCarthy couldnt connect on the pass. The Vipers with a ton of pressure and puck possesion in the Trail zone were skating circles in the attacking zone, really using their speed and skill Vernon moved the puck well but didnt generate alot of scoring chances. before the Smokies would get the games first powerplay early. The Smokies needed almost three minutes to record their first shot of the night would get a great opportunity after Bryan Basilico was stopped in front by Jarrod Schamerhorn. Trail with just two shots didnt have much of a PP would take a penalty with just a second to go in their powerplay. The Vipers would capitalise with their man advantage after Luke Shiplo setup Liam Finlay who gave Vernon a 1-0 lead at 5:53 Shiplo & Liam Coughlin with the assists. On the following shift Kenny Citron with his first of the season put the Vipers up 2-0 at 6:22 after a rocket low along the ice. Luke Voltin with the helper. The Vipers kept coming and in waves as Vernon poured on the pressure. Give the Smoke Eaters credit as they did a great job at shutting down the shooting lanes, forcing the Vipers into limited shots. It was all Vernon for the entire period as the Vipers dominated the play, were throwing pucks on net also missed the net on alot of shots. Trail had very little puck possesion and time in the Viper end of the rink. The Vipers would get their second PP of the night around the midway mark, moving the puck well the Vipers were once again forced into no open shooting lanes as the Smokies penalty kill was very strong. Vernon would get a great chance with the man advantage after Brandon Egli's point shot was redirected by Blaine Caton in front forcing Brett Clark to make a nice save. Trail with a good penalty kill kept the Vipers to the outside would kill off the minor. Kenny Citron with a blast from the blueline come close for his second of the night but hit crossbar come very close to putting the Vipers up 3-0. Just a few minutes later Riley Brandt on a three on two rush couldnt beat Clark who come out to challenge made a nice save from in close. Luke Voltin with a chance from the side of the net couldnt beat the Smoke Eaters goaltender as the Vipers were pressing for a third goal. Late in the period Vernon would get a late penalty that would carry into the 2nd period. It was 2-0 Vernon after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers with a very strong start took it to the Smokies jumped out to a two goal lead dominated the play, getting several good chances through out the period. For as many shots as the Vipers got on net, Vernon missed nearly just as many that didnt hit the goal. Trail with very little time and possesion played most of the first in their own end were down two goals on the road. The Vipers outshot the Smoke Eaters 21-7.
2nd Period: The Vipers started the middle frame on the powerplay that was carried over from the opening period. Off the opening draw the Vipers would get a few flurries in and around the goal couldnt capitalize as again the Smokies penalty kill would kill off the penalty. Within minutes Vernon would head back to the PP but again the Vipers man advantage wasnt clicking. Thomas Aldworth was stopped in close as again Trail would kill off the minor. Captain Riley Guenther with a quick shot from the high point beat Brett Clark but hit the post along the way. Vernon with a flurry of opportunities in the opening minutes had the Smokies again playing in their own end for most of the start of the period. Trail for a second straight period lacked offence as the Smokies needed ten minutes to get their first shot of the frame. The Smokies with a short bench had two or three players at once down in the tunnel getting looked at by the team trainer. Just over two minutes later Anthony Latina with a nice indivdual effort put Vernon up by three at 12:54 Kenny Citron with the assist. In the second half is where the game really slowed down, both teams making plenty of mistakes making for one very scrambed period. Not alot of action at either ends of the rink made for some very lackluster hockey. The Smoke Eaters would lose Head Coach-GM Nick Deschenes after he was tossed from the game with about five and a half minutes to go. The Smoke Eaters would get their second powerplay late and come close to getting on the board. Jake Lucchini with a quick shot from the top of the circle forced Vipers starting Goaltender Jarrod Schamerhorn into making a big save. On the following play Lucchini beat Schamerhorn but rang his shot off the crossbar on a close call. Vernon was able to excape and kill off the Smokies powerplay. In the final minute of play Trail would eventually get on the board after former Salmon Arm Silverback Connor Brown-Maloski ripped a high hard shot top shelf beat Schamerhorn at 19:42 cutting the Vernon lead to two goals. Max Newton picked up the helper. It was 3-1 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. The Vipers with back to back powerplays to start the period had a flurry of chances couldnt capitalize. Vernon with a strong start to the period was able to jump out to a 3-0 lead before falling asleep in the second half. Both teams actually went to sleep in the final ten minutes in a very poorly played last half of the second. The Vipers outshot the Smoke Eaters 19-5.
3rd Period: The Smokies come out hard to start the final frame, were able to get a good jump on the Vipers off the opening draw and got some early pressure deep in the Vernon zone. The Vipers were able to contain the Smokies attack and come right back the other way re-gained their three goal lead. Riley Brandt going hard to the net beat Smoke Eaters starting goaltender Brett Clark at 1:56 Colton McCarthy and Brandon Egli picked up the assists. But just over two minutes later back come the Trail Smoke Eaters. Veteran Scott Davidson left all alone in front had all day to beat Jarrod Schamerhorn cut the Viper lead to 4-2 at 4:19 Vernon product Harlan Orr & Stephen Penner collected the assists. The Vipers defence went to sleep here to start the third as the Smokies started to get their game going. Trail with good energy and a good attack were now the ones pressuring Vernon into turning over the puck, making mistakes and getting chances of their own. The Vipers looked slow and sluggish were having all kinds of trouble in their own end. TJ Dumonceaux with a great opportunity somehow couldnt find the open cage after a scramble in front of the Smoke Eaters crease and the puck stayed out. Vernon would get a few good rushes in now and again but wernt having a great final period. Max Newton would get the Smokies to within a goal at 11:12 Ross Armour and Connor Brown-Maloski with the helpers. Just fourty seconds later veteran Bryan Basilico from a sharp angle down low beat Schamerhorn on a goal the Viper goaltender would like to have back tied the game at 4-4 at 11:52 Harlan Orr with the helper. Trail with a huge 3rd period comeback had the Vipers on edge and put a silence to Kal Tire Place. A minute later the Smokies would lose Cooper Leitch who was given a two minute minor and a ten minute misconduct. Just over three minutes later Liam Finlay would get hooked going to the net had a great opportunity in front would get rewarded with a penalty shot with 5:21 remaining. With a chance to give Vernon the lead Finlay would beat Brett Clark but couldnt beat the post as the game was still tied 4-4. Just over a minute and a half later Thomas Aldworth with a great job to get back outside of the zone on an offside call would steal the loose puck come down the left wing and rip a high hard shot top shelf past Clark giving the Vipers a 5-4 lead at 16:58 Aldworth's goal would be unassisted. With 1:33 to go the Smokies would call a timeout and get Brett Clark to the bench for the extra attacker, TJ Dumonceaux looked to seal the victory with the empty netter but shot a little too high hitting the crossbar. With the faceoff just inside the neutral zone, the Smoke Eaters would send Clark back between the pipes before Thomas Aldworth with another great individual effort cut hard to the net beat Clark put Vernon up 6-4 at 19:08 Aldworth's goal was unassisted. This would seal the win for Vernon as the Vipers would run out the clock and hold onto the 6-4 victory. Trail with a great third period showed their best hockey of the night. An early goal by former Smoke Eater Riley Brandt gave Vernon a 4-1 lead and looked to may have put away the Smokies but Trail still kept coming plugged away with three straight goals to tie the game looked to atleast get an extra point force overtime, but Thomas Aldworth stepped to the plate late in the game would score two huge goals for the Vipers leading them to victory. The Smoke Eaters were by far the better of the two teams in the third, as the Vipers struggled defensively. Several turnovers and mistakes, missed coverages in front, allowed Trail to score three straight to tie the game. Vernon didnt look very good in the final twenty minutes were lucky to come away with the win. The Vipers outshot the Smoke Eaters 15-7.
Top Players: (Vernon)
Kenny Citron (1 goal & 1 assist) Had his best game of the season. The second year Viper defenceman scored his first goal of the season played very well at both ends of the rink. Citron got pucks to the net, come close for his second of the night found crossbar in the opening frame was very good.
Anthony Latina (1 goal) Played with alot of jump, showed lots of energy was working hard all game. Scored a great goal in the second to give Vernon a three goal lead never quit skating tonight.
The line of Nicolas Rasovic, Colton McCarthy (1 assist) and Riley Brandt (1 goal) played very well for a second straight night. I thought McCarthy was going to the grey areas, getting in front of the net, causing traffic for Brett Clark played a hard nosed game. Brandt who hasnt played as physical as he has been was another kid who worked and competed hard all night. Brandt really battled and went hard into the corners, battled strong for the pucks along the wall. This line really worked hard and played very well.
Luke Shiplo (1 assist) Was another Viper d-man that played very well. A real good skater, can really move up ice in a hurry, really sees and reads the play well. Smart with the puck, had a good transition game tonight.
Game Thought's: (Vernon)
The Vipers with another great start to a hockey game. The Vipers have come out of the gates a flying the last three games and have played some great 1st periods in all of their last three games. Playing with alot of jump, speed and skill jumped out to a quick two goal lead totally outplayed and dominated the Smokies. Vernon once again started the 2nd with a strong start started with back to back powerplays, couldnt capitalize but had a flurry of good opportunities. In the second half is when the Vipers went to sleep and never really fully recovered for the remainder of the game. Vernon and Trail both put the fans to sleep in the final ten minutes of the second period with some very scrambled hockey. The Vipers up by three goals looked to have the game in hand but counting Trail out was the wrong approach as the Smoke Eaters put on their working boots and had a very strong third period. The Vipers with several poor defensive plays and coverages blew a three goal lead needed Thomas Aldworth's two late 3rd period goals to hold on for the 6-4 victory. Vernon looked slow and sluggish most of the third made way too many mistakes allowing the Smoke Eaters back in the contest. The Vipers quit skating left too many players uncovered in front of the net. I thought the Vipers played and looked very good for the first thirty minutes or so but thought they didnt look very good to finish the game. Vernon also needs to work on hitting the net, fired wide atleast twenty times if not more. The Vipers needed to put the Smokies away in the first period, but only up two goals let Trail hang around and stay in the hockey game thought this one was in the bag. With a week away from the BCHL Trade Deadline, will Mark Ferner make any moves? We all know Trevor Fidler will be delt but will the Vipers be looking at other posibilities?
Top Players: (Trail)
Jake Lucchini I thought was one of the Smokies better players through out the full sixty minutes. Lucchini quick on his feet, can really move the puck in a hurry, gets pucks to the net, had a few looks-opportunities tonight played very well.
Connor Brown-Maloski (1 goal & 1 assist) Played well through out the game. The Smoke Eaters with not alot of offensive threat through two periods of play, really seemed to lean on Brown-Maloski and Lucchini.
Bryan Basilico (1 goal) Played hard, worked hard and competed hard all night. Went hard to the net, battled and competed in the dirty areas.
Brett Clark (49 saves) Kept his club in the game, giving Trail a chance to win or atleast keep the score close. Clark who is now 0-5 vs Vernon this season made some good saves through out the contest. I wouldnt say he had to stand on his head but made some big saves when the Vipers were up by two or three goals. Clark lets in one or two of these shots and now its 4 or 5-0 at this point.
Game Thought's: (Trail)
Playing their third game of a four game road trip Trail is now 0-3 on this trip. The Smokies have now have just one win in their last fourteen road games. Trail was completely outplayed the entire opening frame were lucky to only be down by two goals. The Smokies with just seven shots on goal had very little puck possesion played most of the 1st in their own end. Things werent looking good for Trail who took some very undisaplined penalties through out the game, lost their Head Coach during the 2nd period. The Smokies coaching staff couldnt keep their mouths shut, were constantly yapping at the officials eventually would get tossed for talking too much. The Smoke Eaters who had no rights even being in the hockey game after the first thirty minutes got a late goal in the final minute of the 2nd got on the board, got some life and seemed to build off that heading into the 3rd. The Smokies come out strong, played their best hockey of the game in the final period didnt quit working. Trail had the Vipers back on their heels, forced Vernon's defence into several turnovers and missed coverages scored three goals to tie the game, looked to force overtime gave up two late third period goals to fall to 0-5 vs the Vipers this season. A tough loss for the Smokies who took it to the Vipers most of the final period. I thought Trail's penalty kill was good, yes they gave up a PP goal but held off the Viper powerplay the rest of the night. I also thought the Smoke Eaters did a good job at limiting the Vipers chances early and often, shutdown the shooting lanes, made it difficult for the Vernon shooters to get a good look at the net. Give Trail credit, they could have easily folded the tent and packed up and left but they battled hard and made a heck of a finish giving the Vipers a bit of a scare.
Scratches:
Vernon:
Jagger Williamson (Injured)
Trevor Fidler (Suspended)
Linden Hora
Trail:
Craig Martin
Dallas Calvin
Paulsen Lautard
Sheldon Hubbard
Adam Todd
Energy player of the game:
Colton McCarthy (1 assist)
Three Stars:
1st Star: Thomas Aldworth (2 goals)
2nd Star: Kenny Citron (1 goal & 1 assist)
3rd Star: Brett Clark (49 saves)
BCHL Boxscore,
http://www.vipers.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=1358377&link=bchl
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