Game Recap - Vernon Vipers 6 West Kelowna Warriors 4

I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon my entre life. I started and created this blog in November 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 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 every ticket stub going back to 1989. I worked with the Vipers as colour commentator for a few home games during the 2002-03 season and in 2011 helped create and design the Vipers website that I was in charge of for five seasons.

I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-West Kelowna Warriors game as the Vipers won 6-4 in front of 856 fans at Royal LePage Place.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon Vipers: Lane Maarhuis
West Kelowna Warriors: Bor Glavic

1st Period: I thought both teams were pretty even at times but the Vipers had a slight edge in play overall. The Snakes didn't get a ton of shots on goal but had more puck possession, more time with the puck in the offensive zone and had the better looks/opportunities. West Kelowna seemed to be firing everything on goal, didn't have a ton of time in the offensive zone and didn't get a lot of quality scoring chances. This was a very quick moving period with both goaltenders playing well. Warriors netminder Bor Glavic made two large saves that looked to be sure goals. It was 2-1 West Kelowna after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 15-5 Warriors.

2nd Period: The visiting Vernon Vipers were by far the better of the two teams, outplayed the Warriors for the better of the middle frame. The Vipers played a great 2nd period. Vernon carried the better of the play, had the puck on their stick for a lot of the period, played very well at both ends of the rink, were getting pucks on net, creating opportunities, played well defensively and were good on the PK. Connor Dick was denied on a breakaway as Bor Glavic kept the Tribe in the period. The hometown Warriors struggled at both ends of the rink, didn't have a very good period. WK gave up a lot of opportunities, weren't very good in front of their goaltender, struggled offensively, went a lengthy period of time without a single shot on goal. The Warriors were very lucky to be tied heading into the 3rd. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 12-4 Vernon.

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3rd Period: The Tribe jumped on the Snakes early. Alexandre Lallier gave the Warriors a 3-2 lead just fourty six seconds into the final frame. West Kelowna got the early jump on Vernon and was by far the better team early and in the first half. The Warriors come out flying, were playing with speed, carried and controlled the better of the play in the first half. The Tribe had the puck on their stick often, saw a lot of time in the offensive zone, had the Vipers back on their heels. With a 4-2 lead the Warriors had a ton of good looks/opportunities to put the game away but Lane Maarhuis kept the Snakes in the hockey game, with several big stops. WK had two breakaways, if not three along with several odd man rushes taking advantage of several Vipers turnovers but couldn't capitalize. The Snakes didn't have a great start to the period, had just one shot on goal in the first half, struggled offensively and defensively. Vernon saw a lot of the first half in their own end, were turning over pucks, struggled defensively giving up a ton of opportunities. Deagan McMillan got the Vipers to within a goal at 12:54 and that seemed to turn the tables and change the momentum of the hockey game. McMillan would tie the game at 15:07 Natan Ethier would be denied on a penalty shot, keeping the game tied before the Snakes add two more for the come from behind win on the road with the 6-4 victory. For a team that didn't look great and couldn't do much of anything in the first ten to twelve minutes, the Vipers responded with a heck of an effort late in the second half to come from behind. Shots were 19-8 West Kelowna. 

Vernon Vipers Top Players:

Liam Magnuson I thought was one of the better defencemen tonight

Thomas Duhamel (1 assist) Stood out and played a hard fought game. Duhamel never quit skating, worked and competed, was hard in on the forecheck, created plays and was hard to play against

Connor Dick (2 assists) Has finally seemed to get his game going lately. Recently acquired from the Chilliwack Chiefs didn't really stand out for me until the last few games. I thought was one of the better forwards this evening. Was skating hard, strong on the puck and forecheck, was making plays, was stopped on a 2nd period breakaway

Garin Ludwig (1 goal) I thought was another d-man that played very well, scored a highlight reel goal in the 2nd period to tie the game

Lane Maarhuis (33 saves) I didn't think was tested much in the first two periods, would like back two goals after giving up pretty big rebounds but kept the Vipers in the hockey game down 4-2 in the 3rd with several big stops to give the Snakes a chance at the comeback. A massive save off Natan Ethier on a 3rd period penalty shot

Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers

- The Vipers are 7-12-2-0 on the road

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

- Even though Vernon was outshot and down 2-1 I really liked the Snakes 1st period. I thought the visiting Vipers had a slight edge in play, had more puck possession, more zone time, didn't get a ton of pucks to the net but had the better looks/opportunities 

- The Vipers next game is Saturday vs the visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks

- Congratulations to Graham Turnbull on his 800th game behind the mic this evening

- This was a very entertaining game to watch

- Goaltender Jesse Sanche returned to the Vipers lineup after being out with an injury

- The Vipers may have not been getting the wins, but have been playing better hockey as of late

- Not a whole lot of Viper fans in attendance

- Vernon went 0-1 with the powerplay

- The Vipers are 2-5-0-0 vs the Warriors

- The Snakes played a great 2nd period were by far the better team. Vernon carried and controlled the better of the period, had the puck on their stick for most of the middle frame, had more zone time, more shots on goal, generated lots of looks/opportunities, played very well at both ends of the rink

- The Vipers have lost three of their last five games and lost six of their last ten games

- Captain Deagan McMillan didn't stand out much through out the hockey game but scored two huge back to back goals in the 3rd to tie the hockey game

- The Vipers have ten regular season games remaining

- Prior to tonight the Vipers last regular season win in West Kelowna was a 6-1 victory on November 2nd 2024

- For a team that played so well in the first two periods, sure didn't look like the same team to start the 3rd period. Vernon was outplayed in the first half, gave up a quick goal just fourty six seconds into the period, were down 4-2 at one point, had just one shot on goal in the first half. The Vipers didn't look good or play good at both ends of the rink. The Vipers defensive struggles caused several turnovers, resulting in several breakaways/odd man rushes. Lane Maarhuis was the difference, making several big stops keeping the Vipers in the game. It wasn't until Deagan McMillan got Vernon to within a goal at 12:54 turned the tables and changed the momentum as the Snakes finished the period as the better team

- The Langley Hornets moved to West Kelowna in 2006. Since the 2006 regular season, the Vipers are 53-49-7-3-2 vs the Warriors

- The Vipers were the better team overall tonight

- Since January 2nd the Vipers have just four wins in sixteen games

- Give the Vipers credit for not quitting in the 3rd in a period where they were outplayed and couldn't get anything going

- The Vipers play five of their next seven games on the road

- With the win, Vernon improves to 12-25-7-0 sit 5th in the Interior West Division are 5 pts back of Cranbrook for the final playoff spot

West Kelowna Warriors Top Players:

Max Dinneen (1 assist) Was one of the more dangerous forwards. Dinneen plays with a lot of speed, is quick on his feet, hard to contain, makes plays happen in a hurry

Blake Burke (2 goals) Has some size, played a strong game for the Tribe. Has twelve points in sixteen games since joining the Warriors

Carson Pavlowich Was strong on the puck, strong on the forecheck, played a hard nosed game in the loss

Liam Nilsson (2 assists) A big body played well on the Warriors backend

Bor Glavic (19 saves) Wasn't tested much in the 1st and 3rd periods but was forced to come up with several large saves at different points in the contest. A big kid that covers a lot of the net, is quick side to side

Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors

- Tonight was just the Warriors third regulation loss at home

- Simon Ferguson reached his 300th game as Head Coach/GM of the Warriors

- Tonight's attendance was 856

- The Warriors outshot and outscored Vernon after one period but it was the visiting Vipers who had a slight edge in play. West Kelowna played well, were firing everything towards the goal but didn't have the puck on their stick a lot, didn't have a lot of time in the offensive zone, were forced to play more in the defensive zone

- The Tribe went 1-5 with the man advantage

- The Warriors have won four of their last five games and won seven of their last ten games

- The Warriors are 3-1-0-0 at home vs the Vipers

- The Warriors won't be happy after blowing this game. This was a game WK should have never lost

- Tonight's the second game of a three game home stand

- The Warriors were lucky to be tied heading into the 3rd after getting outplayed in the 2nd period. WK struggled at both ends of the rink, were outshot, gave up too many opportunities, didn't play well in front of their goaltender, struggled offensively, went several lengthy minutes without a shot on goal

- The Warriors next game is Saturday vs the visiting Okotoks Oilers

- The Warriors are 20-3-1-0 at home

- The Warriors have ten regular season games remaining 

- West Kelowna played no where near sixty minutes, was very inconsistent 

- Leading 4-2 in the 3rd and outplaying Vernon, the Tribe had a ton of quality looks/opportunities to put the game away but couldn't capitalize on several breakaways/odd man rushes

- The Warriors are 5 pts back of the Cowichan Capitals for top spot in the league standings

- Natan Ethier was denied on a 3rd period penalty shot

- The hometown Warriors jumped on the Vipers early and often to start the 3rd. West Kelowna with a great start to the final period, outplayed Vernon in the first half and looked to be on their way to another win before the wheels fell off. The Warriors who were by far the better team, had all the momentum in their favor, allowed Vernon back into the game, giving up four goals in the final seven minutes

- Both goaltenders played very well

- With the loss, West Kelowna falls to 33-9-2-0 sit 1st in the Interior West Division

Scratches:

Vernon Vipers:

Jack Bousquet (Injured)
London Taylor
Anthony Nolan (Injured)
Oliver Kanat
Artyom Khaydarov

West Kelowna Warriors:

Noah Garthe (Sick)
Jeca Rask (Injured)
Philip Hagen (Injured)
Ethan Merner (Injured)

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Vernon Vipers @ West Kelowna Warriors Friday, February 27, 2026 | BCHL League Site

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