I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following Junior hockey in Vernon my whole life. My family watched Senior men's hockey in Vernon in the 1950's and has been watching Junior hockey in Vernon since it started in 1961. I have two family members that played Junior hockey in Vernon. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing only 40 home games. Since 2001 I have missed 10 home games. I started and created this blog in November 2008 and have over 3 million viewers. For anyone who couldn't watch or attend tonight's Vipers game, here are my thoughts and views from tonight's hockey game. You may agree or disagree, but we all have our own opinion on the hockey game and see things differently. I try to be professional and give a fare game recap from both sides. Thank you for visiting my blog.
I was at tonight's game between the Vernon Vipers & Cranbrook Bucks as the Bucks defeated the Vipers 5-1 in front of 2,413 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Marko Bilic
Cranbrook Bucks: Miles Roberts
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2nd Period: The Bucks were the better team and had the better of the play. The Bucks made some mistakes at times, but scored a key early goal to jump out to a earl 3-0 lead. The Vipers did manage some zone time and had a couple of quality chances but far and few between. Vernon went several lengthy periods of time without a shot on goal. Landon MacDonald scored the Vipers annual teddy bear toss goal to get the Snakes on the board. It was 3-1 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 11-7 Bucks.
3rd Period: Both teams went back and fourth early and often. The Snakes slowly took over the edge in play and were the better team in the second half. Vernon carried the better of the play in the second half but not a whole lot of quality opportunities. The hometown Vipers were getting pucks to the net but with very little traffic in front. The Vipers would call a late timeout and get Marko Bilic to the bench for the extra attacker and on a late power play, Kaslo Ferner put the game away with a shorthanded empty netter. The Bucks come away with the 5-1 win. Shots were 15-5.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers fall to 3-6-3-0 at home this season
- The Snakes next game is Friday vs the visiting Blackfalds Bulldogs
- The Bucks come into Vernon playing there third game in four days, you think the Snakes would have put up a better effort/performance instead, played there worst game of the season
- Vernon may have outshot the Bucks 41-34 but most of the Vipers shots were from well out with very little to no bodies in and around the net
- Tonight was the third of four regular season meetings vs the Cranbrook Bucks
- Vernon went 0-3 with the man advantage
- Just like last night, I liked Vernon's start. I thought the Vipers got off to a quick start, had some early jump, were getting pucks to the net, had a couple of good looks/opportunities then got into some penalty trouble. The Snakes took three undisciplined penalties and the game changed. The Bucks changed the momentum and turned the tables and outplayed the Vipers for the remainder of the opening period. The Vipers were ahead 10-1 in shots about five minutes into the period, before the Bucks stormed back and were outshooting Vernon 17-13
- Tonight's the second game of a four game home stand
- Vernon's effort/performance was very dismal tonight
- The Snakes have lost six of there last eight home games
- Former Vipers forward Petr Chytka was at tonight's game. Chytka played with the Vipers from 1997-1999
- Vernon fans have been spoiled for many many years with six National Championships and several winning teams but since ownership change in 2018 the Vipers have been an average or below average team with very little regular season or playoff success. Since 2018 this is the worst Vipers team ownership/coaching staff have assembled and there record and play on the ice proves it.
- The Vipers were wearing there baby blue third/alternate jerseys
- Vernon's power play was awful. The Vipers PP saw not a single player in front of or going to the net, while the team in a slow moving pace, passed the puck around and around and around getting few to very little pucks to the net
- The Vipers have lost four of there last five games and lost seven of there last ten games
- Vernon has no systems, struggled offensively, struggled defensively, in there own end, coming out of there own end, struggled to make a pass. The Vipers didn't look good at all tonight
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,413
- This was by far the worst Vipers game I have watched this season
- I thought the Snakes had some good shifts and generated a couple of quality chances but overall didn't look good in the 2nd period. Vernon went a while with only four shots on goal and had troubles coming out of there own end, the amount of turnovers inside the neutral zone was brutal. Cranbrook was the better team in the middle period
- The Snakes have one game remaining before the Christmas break
- The Vipers defensive play is terrible and the defence can't move the puck out of there own end without making a mistake or turning over pucks. The amount of sloppy play in there own end at this time of year is ridiculous
- For a team trailing two goals in the 3rd period you would think you would see a little more urgency/hustle. The Snakes played with little to no little jump/energy
- Landon MacDonald scored the Vipers "Teddy Bear Toss" goal
- The Vipers are 1-2-0-0 vs Cranbrook this season
- There was several times tonight where the game got a little chippy with some rough stuff/scrums after whistles
- Vernon has scored five or more goals in a game only six times this season
- The Vipers are struggling and it doesn't look good. This team is playing with no confidence and the body language on the bench and ice shows that. This team is not very good and there record not only proves that but the play on the ice is awful. I mean we are one game away from the Christmas break and the Vipers have only eight wins? I have never seen a Vernon team with as little wins at this time of year other then this season. Over half of the team that started the season is gone. The entire scouting staff who recruited the team for the start of the season, that thought this team was good enough to compete with the top teams in the league should be fired
- I thought both teams went back and fourth early and often to start the 3rd period before the Vipers slowly took over the edge in play. Vernon carried the better of the play for most of the remainder of the period but you could clearly tell the Bucks had taken there foot off the gas, were playing a defensive shutdown 3rd period sitting on a two goal lead. The Snakes were getting lots of pucks to the net in the 3rd but with nobody in front of the net and very few to little quality chances
- Tonight's game/effort was the worst I have seen from the Vipers this year and it's going to get worse. This team isn't improving there getting worse
- The Vipers & Bucks will meet for the final time this regular season, March 29th in Vernon
- Vernon took several undisciplined penalties tonight and has been all season
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 8-14-4-0 sit 10th in the Interior Conference and 18th overall in the league
Cranbrook Bucks Top Performers:
Nic Leggett The former Salmon Arm Silverbacks defender saw a lot of ice, played well on the Bucks blueline
Malachi Freh (1 goal) Was another defenceman that played very well but at both ends of the rink. Freh was joining the rush, moving the puck and creating plays. This kid can skate
Matthew Gilmore (1 assist) Not the biggest kid but a kid that skates, plays with a lot of jump/energy, is engaged in the play, plays hard, isn't afraid to work for the puck
Jacob Fletcher (1 assist) The Bucks alternate captain, also looked good/played good, was hard to contain
Blake Cotton (1 assist) The former Surrey Eagles forward was another player that looked good, played hard, was involved in the play
Bryce Sookro (1 assist) The Bucks captain was one of the better Cranbrook players in the win, had a strong game on the Bucks blueline
Miles Roberts (40 saves) Cranbrook's goaltender played well but most of Vernon's fourty one shots were from well out and nobody in front of the blue paint. Roberts did have to make some big stops but overall was seeing everything put on net
Game Thought's: Cranbrook Bucks
- The Bucks are 8-4-1-0 on the road this season
- I spotted a couple of Bucks fans in attendance
- Tonight was the fifth game of a five game road trip
- Cranbrook went 0-5 with the power play
- Playing there third game in four days, it showed early off the opening faceoff. The Snakes jumped on Cranbrook early, had a couple of good looks/chances, were firing everything to the net, were outshooting the Bucks 10-1 at one point, before Cranbrook changed the momentum and turned the tables, before outplaying Vernon for most of the remainder of the 1st period
- The Bucks have won three of there last four road games
- Cranbrook is pretty quick, can move the puck up ice in a hurry and gets help from there blueline who joins the rush and gets involved in the play
- The Bucks next game is Friday vs the visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- The Bucks defence played very well this evening, like to join the rush, carry the puck/play up ice, block shots, kept the Vipers to the outside and limited there scoring chances
- Even thought Cranbrook didn't score on the PP, I liked the Bucks power play. I thought they moved the puck around, were able to find open ice, create some looks/chances and got pucks to the net
- The Bucks got a big goal 4:03 into the 2nd period from Rasmus Svartstrom, giving the Bucks a 3-0 lead. This goal was key as Vernon scored the next goal, to get within two goals. I thought the Bucks got a little sloppy at times in the 2nd period but stayed the course, gave up some opportunities but not a ton and overall were the better team in the middle frame
- The Bucks have won three of there last five games are 5-5 in there last ten games
- The Bucks return home for a five game home stand starting Friday
- I really liked Cranbrook's breakout coming out of there own end, the d-man behind the net makes a quick pass to the next defender who then makes a dart up through the neutral zone to the forward who dumps it in for the forecheck and the Bucks transition on the offence
- Give credit to Cranbrook, coming off an emotional 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday in West Kelowna, rebound with a big 2-1 overtime win in Salmon Arm on Friday, come into Vernon for the first time this season, playing there third game in four days and play a very greasy road game on Vipers teddy bear toss night, end this five game road trip with the win.
- The Bucks have several skilled defenders who not only play defence but can join the rush and get involved in the play also have some skilled/hard working forwards
- With the win, Cranbrook improves to 14-10-1-0 sit 6th in the Interior Conference and 10th overall in the league standings
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Georgios Stavrianeas
Jakub Galnor
Koji Gibson
Cranbrook Bucks:
Tanner Fennell
Jack O'Brien
Patrick Murphy
Kolton Bourret
Energy Player of the Game:
Logan Peskett (1 assist)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Miles Roberts (40 saves)
2nd Star: Malachi Freh (1 goal)
3rd Star: Landon MacDonald (1 goal)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions in the comment box below. Please be respectful when leaving comments.
14 comments:
Were you at tonight's game? What did you think of tonight's Vipers/Bucks game? What are your comments/opinion on the game?
What a brutal-sloppy game by the Vipers
I heard they lost. It sounds like I missed the best game of the year lol I went to a birthday party instead, because they have been brutal
Calling the game “BRUTAL”, does not even begin to describe the game!
It’s starting to get harder to watch a full game. Lukas said in the after game show that the team is fragile right now and it shows. I would think the boys are struggling to find their footing with a revolving door of players. Some have chosen to leave, some were traded and some wonder if they’re next to be traded. A horrible atmosphere to play in. And a horrible way to treat these young men. John and Tom Glenn need to step up as owners and be part of the solution that turns this team around. It’s not entirely up to the coaches or the players. It starts at the top with ownership.
Arrogant coaches and management leads to what we are seeing now. Can’t blame players when they have no identity as a team. From the beginning of the year they’ve looked like a beer league team that doesn’t practice. So, to hide the incompetence running the show, they ship players in and out constantly. I feel bad for the players and fans!
Yes Anonymous, I couldn't agree more, you are stating what we are all hearing at the rink. The arrogance is seen in the coaches and management but starts with the owner. A responsible businessman listens to his consumers and this owner certainly does not. In business if ownership or management treats employees with the disrespect we have witnessed there would most certainly be a mutiny. That is now what we are seeing from the players. This once proud franchise will not see change until this owner sells the team or hires a proven hockey mind and empowers him with full control.
As quoted from an earlier post... "The recruits and their families deserve more respect than they are getting. They are looking for a path to education through a stable hockey environment , a fair chance and good coaching. Are they getting it with the Vipers? If we are being honest it is a pretty easy answer." The players and their families are showing us their answer.
Well said and couldn't agree with you more but do you think Tom Glenn even knows or cares what is going on with his team. Is he holding onto the team for his other son to play on?
I know someone that also heard this rumor, so they asked Tom & his wife one game a couple of years ago how old was there other son and they said we only have one son and one daughter
The key words to be used are event and sociability. It is something to do which is affordable and gives one a chance to be with family and friends. It is obvious the fans are enjoying themselves our you wouldn't be having over 2000 fans showing up at each game. The calgary flames and vancover canucks have had some years to be horrible but they still fill the seats. Why because of the words I mentioned. Event and sociability. Enjoy the game. Go vipers :*
If you want proof of their delusion/arrogance just read the article on Castanet. Lomicky is out to lunch!!!
Maybe we should count just the fans who are there to watch hockey not the hundreds of kids to go to socialize at a much discounted price. Parents take their kids or drop them off because it is better than other options. Have a look around at the next game, you may agree.
Kids, seniors, non-fans, it all counts for people in attendance, kind of an odd point to make. I’m sure teams that draw in the mere hundreds for games would take a big pack of kids to boost attendance in a heartbeat.
Exactly! He blames the horrific record on the NCAA rule change which just happened a few weeks ago. They’ve been ruining the season for players since late August! Time to look in the mirror. They’ve gone through 40-50 players and still can’t figure it out. What’s the common denominator?
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