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 & Sherwood Park Crusaders as the Crusaders defeated the Vipers 6-4 in front of 2,202 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Marko Bilic
Sherwood Park Crusaders: Logan Kennedy
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2nd Period: This was a very exciting period as both teams went back and fourth. I thought both teams were evenly matched but it was the hometown Vipers who put up three goals to take there first lead of the contest. Both teams had several chances. Talan Blanck hit the post. Marko Stojkov went to the bench in discomfort, going to the dressing room, seemed to be ok, returning to the Viper bench for the 3rd period. It was 4-3 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 12-11 Vipers.
3rd Period: Both teams were again pretty even early and often until the visiting Sherwood Park Crusaders slowly started to gain some momentum and take over the edge in play just before the halfway mark. The Vipers had a couple of looks in the first half to take a two goal lead but couldn't capitalize before a rare fight broke out between Keeghan Dunn and Brec Christenson. The Crusaders controlled most of the remainder of the period, scored three goals to come away with the victory. Sherwood Park was skating circles around the Snakes at different times as Marko Bilic was doing his best to keep Vernon in the game. The Vipers struggled offensively, just couldn't seem to generate or create a ton of opportunities. Will Schumacher had two quality chances in front. Jeremy Loranger put the game away after Talan Blanck turned over the puck at the blueline as Sherwood Park with a 3rd period comeback, wins 6-4. Shots were 12-9 Crusaders.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Simon Binkley (2 goals & 1 assist) Binkley has really started to come into his own as of late, has scored some goals recently and playing better. One thing I have noticed, Binkley's going to the net more and being rewarded.
Charlie Kresl (2 assists) Looked good and played well in the loss
Corban Almen I thought played well in the first two periods. Almen lost a skate blade inside the final minute of the 2nd period, but didn't notice him in the 3rd
Marko Bilic (30 saves) Playing his first game in almost a month. Bilic last played in a 5-1 loss to the Cranbrook Bucks December 7th. I thought Bilic was sharp, made some key saves in the 1st period when the Crusaders had the edge in play and then again with some big stops in the 3rd with the Crusaders buzzing around the net. The Vipers have two solid goaltenders who have been playing very well as of late
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- Tonight was the second game of a two game home stand
- The Vipers are 0-2 vs Sherwood Park this season
- This was a very exciting/entertaining hockey game. One of the better games the Vipers have played this season
- Vernon was wearing their baby blue 3rd/alternate jerseys tonight
- I thought the Vipers had some jump off the faceoff, were skating hard but couldn't get control of the puck, this lead to no shots on goal and no offence before the Crusaders took over the edge in play and were the better team in the first half. I thought the hometown Snakes re-grouped and played better in the second half, were able to tie the game but gave up a goal on the PP with one second remaining. This was a hard goal to swallow late in the period.
- The Vipers next game is Friday in Brooks
- The Snakes have lost three of there last five games and lost seven of there last ten games
- Vernon went 1-3 with the man advantage
- Giving up the power play goal late in the 1st period with a second late was a hard one to swallow and then giving up two goals in thirty eight seconds in the 3rd was tough
- The Vipers & Crusaders play again March 8th in Sherwood Park
- If only the Vipers can continue to play like they did tonight on a regular basis
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,202
- The Vipers need to find ways to close games out in the 3rd period, playing with a lead. Vernon has blown a number of games this season.
- Defenceman Jordan Gudridge played 15 games with the Crusaders was traded to Vernon November 13th for Carson McGinley
- The Vipers are 5-7-4-0 at home this season
- I really liked the Snakes 2nd period. Vernon played with pace, was moving the puck, had several opportunities, scored three goals to take there first lead of the evening. I thought both teams went back and fourth, were fairly even. The Vipers capitalized on there chances, held there own vs a good Sherwood Park team
- I liked Vernon's power play. They only scored once but I thought they generated more on the man advantage tonight, over last night where they scored three PP goals. The Snakes were going to the net, getting pucks to the net and generated opportunities
- The Vipers have lost seven of there last nine games
- This was one of the better games the Vipers have played all season
- Vernon is 3-3-1-0 vs teams from Alberta this season
- The Vipers went into the 3rd with a 4-3 lead. Vernon had a couple of chances early to take a two goal lead and couldn't, instead the Crusaders slowly start to gain some momentum and take over the edge in play just before the halfway mark. Sherwood Park would eventually tie the game before scoring twice more to come away with the come from behind win. The Crusaders were the better team in the second half, as Vernon struggled offensively, had troubles getting anything going. The Vipers had trouble with Sherwood Park's top line
- I wonder when Noah Ideback will make his Vipers debut?
- For a team that has seen twenty four players leave Vernon, I give the Vipers credit this weekend for playing two very well played hockey games. For the first time this season I have seen some improvement over the last four games. It has to be very difficult for these players to come to the rink everyday with someone traded, someone released or someone leaving the team
- The Vipers don't play at home for three weeks
- With a 4-3 lead, Sherwood Park scores two goals in thirty eight seconds that killed the Snakes momentum, were now down 5-4 and couldn't get there game back. A span of thirty eight seconds cost Vernon the hockey game
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 10-16-5-0 sits 10th in the Interior Conference and 18th in overall league standings
Sherwood Park Crusaders Top Performers:
Tait Ross saw a lot of ice, played well at both ends of the rink
The line of Jeremy Loranger (2 goals & 1 assist), Poul Anderson (1 goal & 1 assist) & Kale Dach (3 assists) was very dangerous all night. These three gave the Snakes defenders all kinds of troubles. This line is quick, shifty, hard to contain and hard to defend against
Connor Gengle (2 goals & 1 assist) Lead the way points wise on the Crusaders blueline, had a strong game offensively
John Alex Banks was another d-man who impressed me. Not the biggest kid but can this kid skate, is shifty and can move the puck
Logan Kennedy (26 saves) Played well between the pipes for Sherwood Park. Was bumped in the 2nd period, that lead to a Crusaders PP but shook it off and stayed in the contest. This kid is quick on his feet, not the biggest netminder but very agile
Game Thought's: Sherwood Park Crusaders
- Sherwood Park went 1-3 with the man advantage
- Forward Lucas Brennan played 21 games with the Vipers, was traded to the Blackfalds Bulldogs December 1st. Brennan never played a single game with the Bulldogs, was traded to Sherwood Park December 5th
- Tonight is the third game of a four game road trip
- The Crusaders & Vipers play twice more with both games in Sherwood Park
- I thought the Crusaders had a good start, were the better team in the first half of the opening frame. Sherwood Park's transition game is very quick, were using there speed and skill to create/generate chances early and often. The Crusaders were ahead in shots 7-1 at one point, could have easily been up a couple of goals if it wasn't for the strong goaltending from Marko Bilic. The Vipers would get there game going and played better in the second half as both teams were evenly matched in the second half
- The Crusaders are 9-8-0-0 on the road this season
- Sherwood Park is the highest scoring team in the BCHL with 148 goals
- The Crusaders have a very good transition game, are very quick, hard to contain/defend
- The Crusaders with five regulars out of the lineup
- The Crusaders gave up three goals in the 2nd period, but scored three goals in the 3rd period
- Sherwood Park has won four of there last five games and won seven of there last ten games
- The 2nd period could have been anyone's taking as both teams were even, going back and fourth. The visiting Crusaders took a 2-1 lead into the middle frame, but gave up three goals to trail 4-3 heading into the 3rd. I thought Sherwood Park had there chances, couldn't capitalize in a very exciting/entertaining period
- The Crusaders next game is Friday in Spruce Grove
- This team is very quick, plays with pace, is very skilled and very shifty
- The line of Poul Anderson, Kale Dach and Jeremy Loranger saw a ton of ice, was double shifting through out the entire 3rd period
- Sherwood Park has won ten of it's last fourteen games
- The visiting Crusaders were down 4-3 heading into the 3rd, got a couple of big stops from Logan Kennedy in the first half, before tying the hockey game, then taking the lead thirty eight seconds later. Sherwood Park with a strong 3rd scored three times to come away with the 6-4 victory. The Crusaders were the better team in the second half, had the better of the play, more puck possession, limited Vernon's puck possession and zone time
- With the win, Sherwood Park improves to 20-12-0-0 sit 5th in the Interior Conference and 7th overall in league standings
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Dennis Lominac
Sherwood Park Crusaders:
Christian Chouha
Hudson Landmark
James Bond
Jude Bray
James Venne
Energy Player of the Game:
Kyren Gronick
Three Star's:
1st Star: Jeremy Loranger (2 goals & 1 assist)
2nd Star: Simon Binkley (2 goals & 1 assist)
3rd Star: Connor Gengle (2 goals & 1 assist)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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4 comments:
Were you at tonight's game? What did you think of tonight's Vipers/Crusaders game? What are your comments/opinion on the game?
Good effort by the team imo. I think two big things hurt them, pinching against their top line creating odd man chances and an ill advised fight when we had the lead in the third that obviously fired their team up and they scored 2 quick goals shortly after
An "ill advised fight"... yes, the spotter should have sent Dunn to the quiet room. The SPC player was sitting in the penalty box moving around and talking to the box staff while Dunn just sat motionless & dazed looking. He caught a hard shot right on the kisser.
Proud of you Vernon Vipers. The powerplay show great improvement. GO vipers GO.
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