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 & West Kelowna Warriors as the Vipers defeated the Warriors 6-3 in front of 2,167 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Marko Bilic
West Kelowna Warriors: Dawson Labre
2nd Period: I thought the Snakes were the better team in the middle frame, scoring twice. For a second straight period, the Vipers had more puck possession, zone time, created/generate a lot of looks/chances. Vernon played a high tempo game with lots of jump. I thought the Warriors had spurts through out the period where they looked good but not for very lengthy periods of time. It was 4-1 Vipers after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 11-7 Snakes.
3rd Period: The visiting West Kelowna Warriors jumped on the Vipers early and often, scoring two quick back to back goals just over five minutes into the final frame. The Vipers would call a timeout as WK still pressed. The Warriors were by far the better of the two hockey clubs, carried most of the play for most of the period. At times the Snakes were hemmed in their own end for lengthy periods of time. The Vipers defence struggled at times, coughing up the puck or making mistakes in their own end but also looked good in their own end, blocking shots, keeping West Kelowna to the outside and limiting their chances. Vernon didn't get much time in the offensive zone, saw most of the 3rd in their own end. The Tribe had some good looks/opportunities, while Marko Bilic made a couple of big stops. Shea Busch with his second goal of the evening into an empty net, gave the hometown Vipers their first win of the regular season. Shots were 10-10.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Landon MacDonald (1 goal & 2 assists) I thought played his best game as a Viper since joining the team just days before the start of the 2024-25 regular season. MacDonald was going to the net and rewarded with a goal on the power play.
Luke Bibby (1 assist) Was engaged in tonight's contest and played hard, chipping in with one helper.
Erik Pastro (1 assist) I really liked Pastro's game and thought he played hard at both ends of the rink tonight. A Vernon kid wearing the "C" competed, was involved in the play, made some plays but also did a lot of the little things
Keaton Dowhaniuk Played a very solid game on Vernon's backend.
Shea Busch (2 goals) Was another forward who I thought stood out and played very well. You could see this kids game start to elevate the last couple of games and it paid off tonight with two goals and the win. Busch played hard and competed at both ends of the rink, blocked a couple of shots
Keeghan Dunn (1 goal) I really liked this kids game. I thought he played a hard nosed game from top to bottom, was engaged in the play, played with a bit of an edge, was under the skin of the West Kelowna Warriors and just competed
Marko Bilic (24 saves) This kid has played very well this season but hasn't been rewarded with a win. In every game other then the game in Cranbrook Bilic has gave the Vipers an opportunity to win or at least keep the team in the hockey game. I thought Bilic made a couple of key saves early and then a couple in the 2nd period before being forced to make a couple of big stops in the 3rd with the Tribe pressing.
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Snakes next game is Sunday afternoon vs the Cowichan Capitals at the BCHL Showcase in Abbotsford
- The Vipers unveiled their new 3rd jerseys this evening
- The Vipers are 1-1-1-0 vs the West Kelowna Warriors this season
- I thought Vernon played a very good 1st period and was the better team. I thought the Warriors got off to the better start and carried the edge in play for the first six to seven minutes before the Vipers seemed to get their game going. Shea Busch's opening goal shorthanded seemed to change the momentum and the Vipers carried the better of the for most of the remainder of the period. I thought the Snakes played with a ton of jump/energy, were hitting, had some great looks and created/generated some good opportunities
- The Vipers score six goals for the first time this season
- The Vipers & Warriors meet again November 2nd in West Kelowna
- Vernon went 1-3 with the man advantage
- This was a huge win for the kids! They are playing better and improving, they needed just one win to get some confidence and mometum and things will change
- Prior to tonight, the Warriors had won six straight games over the Vipers
- I liked the Snakes PK I thought the Vipers were good on the penalty kill and have been very good on the PK the last few games
- The puck seemed to be on edge/bouncing a lot tonight
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,167
- Defenceman Zhenya Miles played parts of two seasons with the West Kelowna Warriors from 2022-2024 was traded to Vernon February 9th 2024
- I liked the Vipers 2nd period and thought the Vipers were the better of the two teams. Vernon for a second straight period, played with a lot of jump/energy, carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, zone time and generated/created some good looks/chances
- The Snakes play their next six games on the road
- I didn't like Vernon's power play tonight. The Vipers went 1-3 but struggled with the man advantage, didn't look very sharp
- Its a good thing Vernon had a 5-1 lead. The Vipers need to work on keeping their foot on the gas and not allowing teams back in games. Vipers were outplayed in the 3rd and got lucky at times to hold on for the win
- Hard to believe were only three weeks into the 2024-25 regular season and already played West Kelowna three times
- Lots of flying sticks in the 1st period. It seemed like nobody could keep a handle on their sticks as one stick went flying into the crowd, while players seemed to have trouble holding onto their sticks
- The league website statistics only go as far back as the 2003-04 regular season. The Vipers have never gone winless in their first six games going back to 2003
- I like the Vipers new 3rd jerseys. They are the exact same as last years 3rd jerseys but powder blue instead of yellow. I never did like the yellow jerseys
- Leading 5-1 in the 3rd did the Vipers take their foot off the gas or did West Kelowna just play that much better? No matter how you look at it, the Snakes didn't have a very good 3rd. The Warriors really cranked it up in the final frame, scoring back to back goals just over five minutes into the period, pressed hard for the remainder of the period. The Vipers saw most of the 3rd in their own end. The Vipers were hemmed in at times and struggled getting the puck out at times but also looked good at times, blocking shots, keeping WK to the outside and taking away time and space. Marko Bilic was forced to make a couple of big saves with the Tribe pressing.
- The Vipers & Warriors play each other six times this season
- Even though they only have one win, this team has improved and is improving over the last couple of weeks. All those changes made are paying off and the team has improved. The Vipers are a better team then their record shows. The Vipers are moving in the right direction
- The Snakes are 1-1-1-0 at home this season
- The Vipers have four wins in their last eighteen games vs the Warriors
- Other then the 3rd period I thought the Snakes were the better team
- I really like what I see from behind the bench as both Lukas Lomicky and Colton Sparrow are always talking/communicating with the players, lots of pats on the back and encouragement
- How big was tonight's win? Not only did the Vipers get their first win of the season, they beat a very good West Kelowna team but a win like tonight can go a long way and a win tonight will not only be huge on the players but also heading out on a six game road trip
With the win, Vernon improves to 1-5-1-0 sit 10th in the Interior Conference
West Kelowna Warriors Top Performers:
Brady Flynn played very well on the Warriors blueline
Owen Drury played with an edge, was under the skin of the Vipers all night. Drury with three minor penalties was stirring it up through out the hockey game
Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors
- Tonight's the first game of a four game road trip
- The Warriors are 1-3-1-0 on the road this season
- I spotted a small handful of Warriors fans in attendance
- West Kelowna went 0-4 with the power play
- I liked West Kelowna's start to the hockey game. The Warriors carried the better of the play early, were ahead 5-2 in shots before the Vipers scored shorthanded to open the scoring and the momentum changed. The Warriors didn't seem to have an answer for Vernon, fell behind 2-0 before scoring late to get back in the contest
Tonight is the second of three games the Warriors play in Vernon this season
- The Warriors next game is Saturday in Salmon Arm
- The Warriors seemed off compared to their 4-3 overtime win over the Vipers September 28th
- Warriors Head Coach/GM Simon Ferguson played with the 2004 Memorial Cup Champion Kelowna Rockets
- West Kelowna's penalty kill was good. The Vipers went 1-3 with the man advantage but the Warriors PK was attacking, forcing Vernon to move the puck, stick on stick, kept the Vipers to the outside and limited their scoring chances
- I thought the Warriors looked good at different times in the 2nd period but not for lengthy period of times. Vernon was the better team in the middle frame
- Jack Pridham a Chicago Blackhawks draft pick didn't play this evening and a big loss for the Warriors. Pridham had three points in four games this season, while putting up 48 pts last season with the Warriors
- West Kelowna played their best in the 3rd. The Warriors down 5-1 scored back to back goals just over five minutes into the final frame, had full control of the contest, had the Vipers back on their heels and were the better of the two teams. WK come very close on a couple of looks/chances, could have easily got to within a goal. I really thought this team dug deep and turned it up a notch in the 3rd
- I was a little surprised the Warriors left Dawson Labre in goal the entire game. Labre allowed five goals on thirty one Viper shots, now it wasn't the goaltending that cost the Tribe the win but I figured a goaltending change would happen just for a spark or to shake things up
- The Warriors PP couldn't seem to get much going in the loss, going 0-4 with the man advantage
- Overall I thought Vernon was the better team. I didn't think the Warriors played very well and when they did, it was in spurts. The Warriors played their best hockey in the 3rd but at this point it was 5-1. WK got to within two goals, pressed hard
With the loss, West Kelowna falls to 3-3-1-0 sits 7th in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Zhenya Miles
Koji Gibson (Suspended)
Adam Csabi
Joey Mugaas
West Kelowna Warriors:
Simon Houge
Jack Pridham
Luke Schraeder
Kelsen Podworny
Zack Ferris
Energy Player of the Game:
Keeghan Dunn (1 goal)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Landon MacDonald (1 goal & 2 assists)
2nd Star: Shea Busch (2 goals)
3rd Star: Callum Hughes (1 goal)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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