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 & Salmon Arm Silverbacks as the Silverbacks shutout the Vipers 4-0 in front of 1,581 fans at Rogers Rink.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Marko Bilic
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Ryan Grout
2nd Period: The Snakes with a quality chance off the opening faceoff, can't capitalize before Maddux Martin comes back the other way, opens the scoring fifty five seconds into the middle frame. SA looked good early and often and never took their foot off the gas as the Gorillas were by far the better team. The Backs outskated/outplayed Vernon for most of the 2nd period. The Silverbacks had a ton of puck possession, loads of zone time, generated/created some looks/opportunities. The Backs with a strong period, looked good at both ends of the rink. Salmon Arm's defence stepped up their game shutting down the Snakes offence. The Vipers didn't have a great period, weren't skating, were outworked, outskated, outshot and outscored. The Vipers struggled offensively to get any kind of offence going, didn't record a single shot in back to back power plays. Vernon went over eight minutes without a shot on goal. The Snakes couldn't get much of anything going. It was 1-0 Salmon Arm after 40 minutes of play. Silverbacks go 0-1 with the man advantage, while the Vipers go 0-2 Shots were 11-5 Silverbacks.
3rd Period: An early turnover allowed Caleb Mahar to put the hometown Silverbacks ahead 2-0. I thought both teams were even at times within the first five or so minutes before SA slowly started to pull ahead before taking over the hockey game. The Apes seemed to take over the edge in play before once again outplaying the Snakes for the remainder of the period. The Silverbacks were moving the puck well, generated/created several quality chances, were either denied by Vipers starting goaltender Marko Bilic or had troubles hitting the net. Salmon Arm with several good looks in close, couldn't hit the net. Vernon once again struggled offensively, couldn't keep the puck on their stick, were back on there heels at times, turning over pucks, making costly mistakes in there own end, relied on there goaltender to bail them out. The S'Backs were by far the better team. The Silverbacks take their home opener 4-0 in front of a standing room only crowd at the newly named Rogers Rink. Shots were 12-7 Salmon Arm.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Simon Binkley I thought played hard, was one of a select few forwards skating hard, making plays, trying to create some open ice and generate some offence. Binkley was one forward I thought played hard and stood out in the loss.
Koji Gibson playing along side Simon Binkley I thought was another forward who stood out/worked hard, competed and never quit skating. Gibson was involved in the play a lot tonight and made some plays/created some open ice
Lukas McCloskey I thought played well on the Vernon blueline
Shea Busch Was another kid who never stopped skating, made a couple of nice moves to try and generate some offence, never quit working, battled/competed, played a hard fought game
Marko Bilic (28 saves) Making just his second start of the regular season, played very well. Bilic committed to the Vipers for the 2024-25 season, kept the Snakes in the contest, giving them a chance to win.
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers shutout the Silverbacks 3-0 in the preseason, September 10th in Salmon Arm
- Tonight was the first of seven regular season meetings vs the Silverbacks
- The league website only goes back as far as the 2003-04 regular season. Since 2003 the Vipers have never started a regular season 0-5
- The Vipers went lengthy periods of time in the 2nd and 3rd periods without a shot on goal
- The Vernon Vipers & Blackfalds Bulldogs are the only two teams without a win this season
- Not a whole lot of Vipers fans at tonight's game, as I spotted maybe 13-15 fans in attendance
- The Vipers struggled offensively, had trouble keeping the puck on there stick most of the hockey game
- Vernon went 0-2 with the power play
- The Vipers biggest problem so far this season, is they can't score and don't have a goal scorer/someone that can put the puck in the net
- I thought both teams were fairly even at times in the 1st period but the Vipers did have the edge in play otherwise, as the Snakes had more puck possession, zone time, didn't get a whole lot of chances, played very well on the road in the opening frame
- The Snakes were very disciplined this evening, didn't take any dumb or retaliation penalties
- The Vipers are 0-4-0-0 on the road this season
- The Vipers only had two power plays, but struggled with the man advantage. Vernon had back to back power plays seconds apart in the 2nd period, didn't get a single shot on goal on either of the two PPs
- The Vipers next game is at home on Saturday vs the Penticton Vees
- Vernon didn't get off to a great start in the 2nd period, gave up the games first goal just fifty five seconds into the middle frame, were outskated, outworked, outscored and outshot during that 2nd period, gave up some good looks, struggled offensively, couldn't seem to muster any offence, going well over eight minutes without a shot on goal
- The Vipers & Silverbacks meet again October 25th in Salmon Arm
- Vernon went 6-3-0-0 vs Salmon Arm last season
- Defenceman Keaton Dowhaniuk made his Vipers debut tonight
- The Vipers could be 0-7 after next weekend as Vernon hosts Penticton & West Kelowna in their next two games
- The Snakes play six of their next eight games on the road
- I never saw this coming. After the way Lukas Lomicky/Colton Sparrow finished the regular season last year and beat a Trail team in the playoffs that had Vernon's number during the regular season, I didn't think the Snakes would be winless in their first five games
- Vernon is the second lowest scoring team in the league with only eight goals, the Blackfalds Bulldogs are the lowest scoring team with seven goals
- Down 1-0 heading into the 3rd the Snakes didn't look good, struggled at both ends of the rink, couldn't make a pass, couldn't keep the puck on their stick, were turning over pucks, making costly mistakes, struggled offensively, were outskated and outplayed for most of the final period
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 0-4-1-0 sits 10th in the Interior Conference
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Performers:
Ryan Philbrick played very well on the Apes blueline
The line of Maddux Martin (2 goals), Patrick Raftery (2 assists) & Riley Ashe (2 assists) collected six points, played very well in the win over Vernon
Easton Walos Played with a bit of an edge to his game, got under the skin of the Vipers on a couple of occasions, is quick on his feet, played well
Roenick Jodoin Looked to have Marko Bilic beat on a 1st period breakaway, somehow missed the open net, plays with a lot of pace/speed, is quick on his feet, moves the puck up ice in a hurry, was hard to defend/contain, seemed to be involved in the play often
Ryan Grout (20 saves-shutout) Wasn't overly busy but was forced to make the big saves when needed. I didn't think the Snakes generated a ton of quality chances but did get some good looks/opportunities and Grout was there to make the save
Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- Prior to tonight, the Silverbacks had lost five of their last six regular season games vs the Vipers
- A large crowd on hand for the Silverbacks home opener. A standing room only was announced at 1,581
- The Apes next game is Saturday at home vs the Okotoks Oilers
- I thought Salmon Arm got better as the game continued as the Gorillas slowly started to take over early into the 2nd period and never really looked back
- The Silverbacks went 0-1 with the man advantage
- Both teams played disciplined
- The Silverbacks defence played very well through out the game, limited Vernon's offensive players, didn't give up a ton of shots or opportunities
- The Gorillas are quick, have a good transition game
- Salmon Arm plays four of their next six games on the road
- The Silverbacks were by far the better team in the 2nd and 3rd periods, outskated, outworked, outscored and outshot the Snakes
- Assistant Coach Angus Redmond was the Silverbacks goaltender from 2012-2016
- SA had a ton of quality chances also missed the net often
- Cole Cooksey hit the post in the 1st period
- Rogers Rink has a big video screen up on the wall up behind of the goals but the Silverbacks don't take advantage of it and show many replays other then replaying the goals. On a few players we were looking for the replay to see what happened but they didn't show it. You have a video screen, use it and keep fans engaged in the game
- The Apes played with a lot more jump in there game, kept there feet moving and played with pace
- Salmon Arm needs to work on hitting the net as the S'Backs had some very good looks but missed the net often
- With the win, Salmon Arm improves to 3-1-1-0 sits 6th in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Marko Stojkov (suspended)
Adam Csabi
Keeghan Dunn
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
Luke Brierley
Carson Olsen
Nate Crashley
Energy Player of the Game:
Kaycee Coyle
Three Star's:
1st Star: Maddux Martin (2 goals)
2nd Star: Riley Ashe (2 assists)
3rd Star: Ryan Grout (20 saves-shutout)
Boscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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