Friday, January 24, 2025

Game Recap - Vernon Vipers 3 Okotoks Oilers 2 Overtime

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 & Okotoks Oilers as the Vipers defeated the Oilers 3-2 in overtime in front of 2,825 fans at Kal Tire Place.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon Vipers: Jari Kykkanen
Okotoks Oilers: Olivier Ciarlo

To continue reading, please click the "read more" button below,


1st Period: I thought both teams were fairly even at times in the first ten minutes with the Oilers having a bit of edge in the play. I thought Okotoks was the better team in the final ten minutes. I thought the Oilers had more zone time, more opportunities and the better of the opportunities. The hometown Vipers had a flurry of chances but didn't generate a ton of time in the offensive zone and didn't get a lot of pucks towards the net. Both goaltenders played well. It was 0-0 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 16-9 Okotoks.

2nd Period: I thought Vernon was the better team in the middle frame. The Snakes responded with a much more consistent twenty minutes, played more as a unit and had a lot more pressure/zone time. This was a very intense/chippy period with tempers heating up and several scrums after the whistle as both teams didn't like each other. For a second straight period, the Oilers had more shots on goal but didn't get as many scoring chances this period, compared to the opening frame. Both goaltenders played well. It was 0-0 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 13-6 Oilers.

3rd Period: After killing off an early penalty, the visiting Okotoks Oilers opened the scoring/scored twice in less then two minutes to take a 2-0 lead. On what looked like the game was in hand, the Snakes responded with back to back goals of there own to tie the game 2-2. I thought the Vipers were the better team in the final frame, showed a lot of fight to battle back down 2-0 and then kill off a five minute major late in the period to force overtime. In a game where it looked like one goal may be enough to win, the Oilers blow a 2-0 lead and then struggled on a late five minute power play. Okotoks starting goaltender Olivier Ciarlo was run over by Luke Bibby and didn't return. Simon Westling was forced to play the remainder of the hockey game. It was 2-2 after 60 minutes of play. Shots were 15-7 Vernon.

Overtime: Okotoks was the better team in the extra period, as the Oilers had most of the play. The Oilers had several chances but couldn't put the game away. On a late power play, Kyren Gronick scored at 9:21 giving the hometown Vipers a 3-2 overtime victory. Shots were 5-5.

Vernon Vipers Top Performers:

Will Schumacher (1 assist) I thought was one of the more consistent Vipers. Schumacher looked to be in some discomfort in the 3rd but stayed in the hockey game. 

Daniil Dolzhenko I thought played a physical game on the blueline

Talan Blanck was another forward who played well, had some looks

Jari Kykkanen (39 saves) Was one of the reasons the Vipers got to overtime as the former Kelowna Rockets goaltender was solid in goal

Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers

- The Vipers are 4-5-1-0 vs teams from Alberta

- Tonight's the first game of a two game home stand

- Jason Armstrong does a great job at his job, pumping up the crowd, getting the crowd into the game

- The Snakes are 2-1-0-0 vs the Oilers this season

- This was one of the better games of the year

- Forward Luc Bydal made his Vipers debut tonight

- The Vipers are 6-6-4-0 at Kal Tire Place this season

- Vernon went 1-2 with the man advantage

- I thought the Snakes had a couple of good looks in the 1st period held there own in the first ten minutes as the Oilers pulled away a bit and were the better team in the second half of the period. Vernon didn't get enough pucks on net and gave up way too many shots, didn't get a lot of pressure in the offensive zone. Both teams had some looks/chances as both goaltenders played well

- The Vipers next game is Saturday vs the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters

- The Vipers have lost three of there last five games and lost seven of there last ten games

- This was one of if not the most entertaining/exciting games of the season

- A large crowd tonight as tonight's attendance was announced at 2,825

- Vernon is 2-5 in overtime this season

- I liked Vernon's 2nd period as the Vipers played more as a unit, even though only getting six shots on goal I liked Vernon's game, thought they were the better team, were able to generate some pressure and zone time. This was a chippy period as both teams got involved in several scrums. Both goaltenders played well

- The Vipers & Oilers play once more in Okotoks February 21st

- For a team that has struggled all year and had troubles not only scoring but coming from behind, give the Snakes credit for not folding the tent after going down 2-0 early into the 3rd. The Vipers rallied, battled back with two goals less then two minutes apart to tie the game/force overtime

- I thought the Vipers got better as the game went on and played more as a team as the game went on

- How good was Vernon's PK? The Oilers went 0-4 but none bigger then killing off the five minute major in the 3rd

- How big was tonight's game? Heading into tonight, Vernon was seven points back of the Oilers for the Interior Conference final playoff spot

- The Vipers have lost twelve of there last eighteen games

- A great crowd and great atmosphere tonight

- Even though the Vipers went down 2-0 in the 3rd, I thought Vernon was the better team. The Vipers not only battled back to tie the game but were forced to kill off a five minute major, after Luke Bibby took out Oilers goaltender Olivier Ciarlo. The Snakes played through a lot of adversity, played a hard fought period

- This was a very chippy game with lots of rough stuff/altercations after the whitsle as both teams played with a bit of an edge. 

- The Snakes didn't see the puck much in overtime as Okotoks carried the better of the play, had some looks/opportunities. A late power play, allowed Kyren Gronick to play the OT hero

- Both goaltenders put on a show tonight, making several highlight reel saves

- Where has this Vipers team been all year? I know the Vipers roster has gone through a makeover with a ton of roster changes but tonight's Vipers not only played well, played hard, competed, gave the fans something to cheer about and if the Vipers played like they did tonight all season, we wouldn't have eleven wins

- With the overtime win, Vernon improves to 11-18-5-0 sit 10th in the Interior Conference and 19th overall in league standings

Okotoks Oilers Top Performers:

Ryder de Nys I thought looked good/played well on the Oilers backend

Brett Wilson is a smooth skating d-man that can carry the puck, move the puck up ice in a hurry and played well at both ends of the rink

Hunter Sawka (1 goal) Is quick on his feet, can move the puck, skate and has some skill, was hard to contain/defend this evening

Michael Kowalski (1 goal) Was one of if not Okotoks best forward in the overtime loss. This kid was dangerous, can skate, has soft hands and hard to defend, had a strong game up front for the Oilers

Jackson Rowland I thought got better as the game went on, looked real good in overtime

Olivier Ciarlo (27 saves) Was stellar between the pipes for the visiting Oilers. Left the game with about eight minutes remaining in the 3rd after being run over by Luke Bibby

Game Thought's: Okotoks Oilers

- Tonight's the first game of a two game road trip

- This was the Oilers second ever game played in Vernon

- I spotted a small handful of Oilers fans in attendance

- The Oilers had a great opportunity to put the game away on a late power play (five minute major) but couldn't capitalize 

- The Oilers joined the BCHL in February 2024

- Okotoks went 0-4 with the power play

- I liked the Oilers 1st period. I thought both teams were fairly even with a bit of an edge to Okotoks in the first half, before the Oilers pulled away and were the better team in the second half. Okotoks got plenty of rubber towards the net, had some looks/opportunities. Both goaltenders played well

- The Oilers next game is Saturday in Salmon Arm

- The Oilers are 0-2-0-0 in Vernon this season

- Goaltender Olivier Ciarlo left the game with about eight minutes remaining in the 3rd after being run over by Luke Bibby. Simon Westling played the remainder of the hockey game

- The Oilers are quick, have a good transition game

- Forward Michael Kowalski is no relation to former Vipers forward Matt Kowalski

- The Oilers & Vipers play each other four times this season

- Okotoks is 4-13-1-0 on the road this season

- The Oilers managed to get thirteen shots on goal in the 2nd period, didn't have as much pressure allowed the Vipers to get back in the game as Vernon was the better team in the middle frame

- The Oilers have lost three of there last five games are 5-5 in there last ten games

- This Okotoks team is a little chippy and plays with a bit of an edge at times. Both teams were chippy tonight as tempers flared up in the 2nd and 3rd periods

- The Alberta Junior Hockey League approved the sale of the Crowsnest Past Timberwolves to Okotoks in 2005

- The Oilers hit the post on a late power play in the dying seconds of the 1st period

- After killing off an early power play to start the 3rd, Okotoks opened the scoring before taking a 2-0 lead less then two minutes apart. The way the hockey game was going, it looked like this may be enough but the Oilers blew the 2-0 lead, allowed the Snakes to tie the game with two goals in less then two minutes before losing in overtime

- The Oilers couldn't capitalize with the man advantage

- The Oilers are so good at home, only lost four home games but not so good on the road with only four road wins

- Give credit to Simon Westling who come into the hockey game late, didn't see a ton of action but played well in the few shots he faced. None bigger then stopping Talan Blanck on a breakaway in overtime

- With the overtime loss, Okotoks falls to 16-17-1-0 sit 8th in the Interior Conference and 15th overall in league standings

Scratches:

Vernon Vipers:

Jordan Gudridge
Dennis Lominac
Emils Skeltins

Okotoks Oilers:

Brennan Hocher
Coy Pighin

Energy Player of the Game:

Tyson Zimmer (1 goal & 1 assist)

Three Star's:

1st Star: Kyren Gronick (1 goal & 1 assist)
2nd Star: Michael Kowalski (1 goal)
3rd Star: Jari Kykkanen (39 saves)

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.


Here are some photo's I took before and during tonight's Vernon Vipers-Okotoks Oilers game.
























































7 comments:

vipersdiehardfan said...

Were you at tonight's game? What did you think of tonight's Vipers/Oilers game? What are your comments/opinion on the game?

Anonymous said...

All the accolades towards the Vipers in your write up, remember they played Okotoks, a near the bottom team, tonight they play Trail a, a much better barometer of how good the Vipers are or will be.

Bobby C said...

Congrats to Marko Stojkov winning the hardest shot competition last week, too bad he never uses it.

Marty said...

Vipers persevered and scratched one out but it was not pretty. The third period and OT were certainly exciting but the first two were a scramble-fest. Vernon was out shot almost 2 to 1 in the first two but found their game in the third, good for them. The win gives them a much needed two points but Okotoks earning a single point, a team they are chasing, does not help Vernon's standing much.

I was very impressed with what I saw from new Assistant Coach McAmmond. He was engaged with the players and encouraging with pats on the back. It is more support and interaction from a coach than I have seen all year. Hopefully his hiring creates more positivity and players will chose to stay with the Vipers instead of heading for better options.

BINGO said...

I agree with more engaging with the players and showing support. The assistant coaches of sparrow and morissette regards support was hardly noticeable. The assistant coaches looked good in there suits and I am sure they where hoping we would notice but as far as support it didn't exist. Much like a father to his son you have to be a positive influence and show you care. GO,VIPERS,GO

JB said...

With a team that has a revolving door of players, it was great to see a win no matter what team they were playing. These boys needed and deserved this win! Great game Vernon!!

Anonymous said...

Seems only fair Lomicky has to watch his replacement for the rest of the year just like Ferner did!!! Wait a minute, Ferner won the division and was dumped by the know it all owner