I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon my entire life. I started and created this blog in 2008 and have over 6.2 million viewers. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing 46 home games since. My family watched senior men's hockey in Vernon in the 1950's and has been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon since Vernon got a team in 1961. I have two family members that played junior hockey in Vernon. I have programs and ticket stubs going back to 1988 and have every program and ticket stub from every game since 1989. I worked with the Vipers as colour commentator for a few home games during the 2002-03 season and in 2011 I helped create and design the Vipers website that I was in charge of for five seasons.
I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-Blackfalds Bulldogs game as the Bulldogs won 4-1 in front of 2,350 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Oliver Kanat
Blackfalds Bulldogs: Carson Mertz
1st Period: Both teams were pretty even for most of the opening frame. The Snakes had the better of the scoring chances but I thought the Bulldogs had a little more puck possession and zone time in the second half of the period. This was also a pretty physical period with both teams laying out the body. Both goaltenders were good between the pipes. It was 0-0 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 10-9 Vernon.
2nd Period: Both teams were again pretty evenly matched in back to back periods. Both teams with some good looks/quality opportunities as again both goaltenders played well. Shawn Leary opened the scoring 3:15 into the middle frame. Another physical period as both teams were finishing their checks and taking the body. It was 1-0 Vipers after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 11-7 Blackfalds.
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3rd Period: Back to back penalties early sent the visiting Blackfalds Bulldogs to a two man advantage and the Bulldogs capitalized with two powerplay goals. This was the "Vipersdiehardfan" turning point and changed not only the period but the hockey game as the Bulldogs took the wind out of the sails of the hometown Vipers and dominated the final twenty minutes. Vernon couldn't seem to get their game back as Blackfalds was by far the better team in the final period. The Bulldogs had the puck on their stick most of the period, had loads of zone time, were moving the puck around, shooting/taking shots from almost anywhere, had the Snakes on their heels as Vernon played a lot of the 3rd in their own end. Down 3-1 at one point, the Vipers couldn't seem to generate or create any kind of offence, struggled to get the puck on their stick and any kind of pressure in the offensive zone. The Bulldogs come away with a 4-1 win and their first win over the Vipers this season. Shots were 41-24.
Vernon Vipers Top Players:
Shawn Leary (1 goal) Not only did Leary score the lone goal of the hockey game but played well on the Snakes blueline. Recently acquired from the Surrey Eagles at the BCHL trade deadline
Connor Dick Who was recently traded to Vernon was the Chilliwack Chiefs leading scorer, but has yet to show his offensive side with the Vipers. I thought tonight was by far his best game as a Viper. Dick played with a lot of jump/energy, was hard on the forecheck, strong on the backcheck and played hard in the loss
Dmitrii Kubantsev Is by far the Vipers most skilled forward and showed it this evening. Kubantsev made some slick moves with the puck, was hard to defend, hard to contain, create/generated some opportunities through out the hockey game
Garin Ludwig Was recently traded to Vernon and played well tonight on the backend. Was physical, was involved in the play at both ends of the rink, really stood out
Oliver Kanat (35 saves) I don't think you can blame Kanat on any of the four Bulldogs goals, was good between the pipes, making a couple of highlight reel saves and some key saves at different times
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers are 2-1-0-0 vs the Bulldogs
- The Vipers play four of their next six games on the road
- Tonight was one of the better defensive efforts from the Snakes in a long time. Vernon played very well defensively, limited their turnovers/mistakes, were clearing the zone and not running around looking scrambled as they have been recently
- The Vipers are 5-13-5-0 at home
- Sebastian Bradshaw returned to the lineup after being out with an injury
- The Vipers & Bulldogs will play once more, March 20th in Blackfalds
- I liked the Vipers 1st period. I thought they had the better of the chances, held their own vs a 1st place Bulldogs team, were physical, laying the body, played well at both ends of the rink
- The Vipers next game is Saturday in Trail
- The Vipers have won three of their last five games and lost seven of their last ten games
- Other then the 3rd period, the Vipers played one of their best games in a long time. Vernon held their own in the first two periods, were very evenly matched vs the Bulldogs and took a 1-0 lead into the 3rd before two early penalties cost them the hockey game
- Seth Tansem returned to the lineup after being out with an injury
- The Vipers have four regular season home games remaining
- Tonight's attendance was 2,350
- I liked Vernon's 2nd period. Not only did they score the lone goal but they generated/created several good looks/chances. The Vipers had a couple of opportunities to take a 2-0 lead but couldn't convert. Another physical period with both teams laying the body
- The Vipers have lost eleven of their last fourteen games
- Vernon went 0-3 with the man advantage
- The Snakes take a 1-0 lead into the 3rd, the Bulldogs capitalized with back to back powerplay goals that change the momentum and take over the hockey game as Vernon can't seem to recover and the games over. The Snakes had the wind taken out of their sails and just never seemed to recover. The Bulldogs dominated the period as Vernon played a lot of the period in their own end, were back on their heels at times and struggled offensively
- The Vipers are 4-10-3-0 vs teams from Alberta
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 11-24-7-0 sit 5th in the Interior West Division, are five points back of Cranbrook for the final playoff spot
Blackfalds Bulldogs Top Players:
Thomas Neu (3 assists) Had a strong game up front for the Bulldogs. Neu played with speed, was hard to contain, was going up and down the wing, was involved and engaged in the play, looked good through out the Bulldogs victory
Nikita Ivachenko (2 goals) Leads the Bulldogs in scoring with fifty seven points and it showed why tonight. A big lanky kid that can skate, is hard to defend/contain, dangerous with and without the puck, always in and around the net
Dean Toskos (1 goal) Played a physical game, dropped the gloves with Cole Bieksa in the 2nd period. Played with a bit of an edge, was involved in the play
Noah Mertz (2 assists) Another forward who played well and well at both ends of the rink. Mertz made a strong defensive play in the 3rd, had a real nice game
Nikita Meshcheryakov Another big kid, didn't record any points but had a strong game, was in and around the Vipers net constantly, was hard to defend, hard to contain, created some open ice and generated some plays
Carson Mertz (20 saves) Picked up his eighteenth win tonight, was good between the pipes. Made a couple of big saves in the 1st and 2nd periods, wasn't tested much at all in the 3rd
Game Thought's: Blackfalds Bulldogs
- The Bulldogs are 14-6-1-0 on the road
- The Bulldogs are 1-1 in Vernon
- I thought the Bulldogs played a very good road game in the 1st period. Both teams were pretty even with the Vipers getting the better of the chances but Blackfalds having a little more puck possession/zone time in the second half. Both teams were physical
- Tonight's the first game of a three game road trip
- The Bulldogs have won three of their last five games and won six of their last ten games
- This is a very quick/skilled hockey team that doesn't make a lot of mistakes and makes you pay for yours
- The Bulldogs are a single point ahead of 2nd place Brooks
- Blackfalds outshot Vernon in the 2nd period but were down 1-0. Another pretty even period with both teams getting some good looks and quality chances. Another physical period with Dean Toskos dropping the gloves with Cole Bieksa
- The Bulldogs next game is Saturday in Salmon Arm
- The Bulldogs like to shoot and shoot from anywhere, as they fired a lot of pucks towards the Vipers net often
- Blackfalds went 3-7 on the powerplay
- Down 1-0 heading into the 3rd, the Bulldogs capitalized on a two man advantage, scoring twice before adding two more 3rd period goals in a period they dominated. Blackfalds was by far the better team, carried the play, had the puck on their stick most of the period, were getting lots of pucks to the net, capitalized on the PP and shut the hometown Vipers down
- With the win, Blackfalds improves to 29-13-1-0 sit 1st in the Interior East Division
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Jack Bousquet
London Taylor
Anthony Nolan
Artyom Khaydarov
Jesse Sanche (Injured)
Blackfalds Bulldogs:
Radoslav Dimitrov
Rohan Guevarra
Magnuss Avotins
Liam Loughery
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Blackfalds Bulldogs @ Vernon Vipers Friday, February 20, 2026 | BCHL League Site
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
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1 comment:
I think the vipers played very well the 1st 2nd periods then got into penalty trouble in the third period that cost them the game.
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