Penticton 4 Vernon 1

Was at tonights BCHL game as Penticton defeated Vernon 4-1 in front of 2,182 fans at the Wesbild Centre.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon: Graeme Gordon
Penticton: Sean Bonar

1st Period: The Vipers come out strong with some good early pressure, cycling the puck well down low. The Vipers laid out some good checks early, Connor & Kellen Jones with a solid hit deep inbehind the Vees goal, and then Sawyer Mick with a good check along the wall. Vernon carried the edge in play for the first five minutes but with just one shot on goal and no scoring chances the Vipers couldnt capitalize. It took Penticton six minutes to record their first shot on goal. Patrick McGillis & Ryan Viselli collided in the Vees zone as Viselli went down and didnt get up. The play was stopped as Viselli was down for a few minutes and had troubles getting up as he was carried off on one leg and didnt return to the hockey game. On the next play Alex Szcechura with some soft hands down low snapped a quick shot high over Graeme Gordon putting the Vees up 1-0 at 6:54. Szcechura's goal was unassisted. Off the faceoff Penticton got the puck down low, Derik Johnson setup Denver Manderson at the side of the net who beat Gordon high at 7:18 putting Penticton up 2-0. Johnson with the lone assist as Penticton scores two quick goals just seconds apart. The Vees now have two goals on just three shots. Off the faceoff a long shot from just over the blueline gave Graeme Gordon a little trouble handcuffing him on the play. The Vipers were a little back on their heels right now as the Vees started to slowly take over the play. Beau Bennett with a shot from the slot was stopped by Gordon. Penticton was rolling moving the puck well and now outshooting Vernon 7-2 at this point. Eric Filiou with a shot from the circle was stopped by Gordon. The Vees carried the edge in play for a good six minutes as the Vipers couldnt get anything going. Vernon finally turned things around and got some offence going back the other way. Kevin Kraus with a shot from the point was tipped in front by Connor Jones but Sean Bonar saw the puck all the way, making his first big save of the night. Jonathan Milhouse rang a shot off the post after beating Bonar but not the post. Braden Pimm & Jonathan Milhouse went in two on one, Pimms pass went off d-man Byron Sorensen and then redirected towards Sean Bonar who had to be alert to make the quick save in the crease. Patrick McGillis with a solid check in the Vees zone, opened up some ice wich gave room for Sawyer Mick to setup former Westside Warrior Bryce Kakoske who beat Sean Bonar at 16:31 getting the Vipers on the scoreboard. McGillis & Mick with the assists. Vernon would get a late powerplay with a handfull of seconds remaining on the clock. The Vipers would win the draw, the puck would come back to Curtis Gedig whos shot got through traffic but couldnt get past Bonar. Penticton was up 2-1 after 20 minutes of play. The Vees outshot the Vipers 9-8.

2nd Period: Vernon would start the period with the man advantage wich was carried over from the end of the 1st period. Penticton would kill off the minor as the Vipers recorded just one shot while on the powerplay. Shortly after Penticton would get its first powerplay of the evening, but it was Connor & Kellen Jones who had a good chance shorthanded. Connor tried feeding Kellen with a pass through the slot wich was turned over and forced a Vees oddman rush back the other way. Just as the minor was coming to an end Graeme Gordon was forced to make a huge save with a mad scramble in front. Joey Holka then gathered up the loose puck at the side of the net and was then robbed by Gordon who somehow come across to make the save. The Vipers would kill off the minor. The Vees kept coming and with a good transition game moved the puck well, creating some good chances. Jake Johnson with some good cycle down low was very hard to knock off the puck all night, buzzing in and around the Vernon zone. The Vees were by far the better of the two teams, winning all the races, battles and just outplaying the Vipers for most of the 2nd period. The Vipers lone good scoring chance came shorthanded when Rob Short went in for the parcial breakaway but couldnt keep up to the puck, diving at the loose puck and then came crashing into Sean Bonar who stopped both the puck and Short. Back come the Vees, Joey Laleggia's point shot was tipped in front by Garrett Milan putting Penticton up 3-1. Laleggia and Denver Manderson collected the assists. Milan did all the work standing in front of Gordon during most of the Vees powerplay, creating all kinds of havoc for Gordon to see anything. Vernon looked very flat and disorganised in the middle frame, several Vipers wernt skating, showed very little emotion and were being outplayed for most of the 2nd period. Penticton would go on another powerplay, with some good puck movement the Vees created several chances but couldnt score. Vernon would manage to kill off the minor. But late in the period the Vees would jump on another man advantage. Ben Sexton's shot hit a few bodies in front, wich caused a mad scramble in the crease, with several sticks trying to poke the puck home and clear the crease, Joey Holka's stick managed to find the back of the empty net putting the Vees up 4-1 and in full control. Four minors and two powerplay goals later and the Vipers were no where to be seen in the middle period. The Vees dominated the entire period outplaying the Vipers taking a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes of play. Penticton outshot Vernon 17-8.

3rd Period: Off the faceoff Cory Kane and Kellen Jones went in on a parcial two on one, Kanes shot from the slot just missed the far corner. Two minutes later Alex Szcechura with a great shot on a two on one was stopped in front by Gordon. Some sloppy play at both ends of the rink with several stoppages in play made for a very slow period. Bryce Kakoske with a shot from the slot hit the post after beating Sean Bonar. Vernon would get the first powerplay of the period and off the draw Dan Nycholat would beat Bonar but hit the post on a great chance. On the same powerplay Mike Collins was wide open at the side of the net, having Bonar beat Collins hit the post. Vernon come close twice but couldnt capitalize as the Vees would kill off the minor. Shortly after the Vipers would go back to work on another man advantge but yet again couldnt capitalize. On the man advantage Dan Nycholat's point shot wound up hitting Kellen Jones in the face, Jones would leave the ice with blood coming from his mouth. Jones would not return to the game as the Vipers trainer also didnt return to the bench for the remainder of the game. The Vipers moved the puck well getting a few chances but Penticton would kill off its second straight minor of the 3rd. Eric Filiou with a chance from the circle was stopped by Gordon. Logan Johnson and Kevin Kraus were having words after a whistle as both players were hading off towards the benches. The Vees took their foot off the gas just trying to chip the puck out of their zone, making as little mistakes as possible. Vernon would get very little good quality chances in a very non-entertaining period. Both teams looked like they just wanted to end tonights game. Penticton would get a late powerplay but Vernon would kill off the minor. The Vipers would get a man advantage in the final minute of play but it was too late as the Vees would defeat the Vipers 4-1. Penticton outshot Vernon 10-9.

Top Players: (Vernon)

Steve Weinstein played a solid game on Vernons blueline. Weinstein has really impressed me this year and has been playing his best hockey as of late. Took some big checks tonight, but didnt back down. Carried the puck on several plays, really skating well and handling the puck with alot of confidence.

Cole Ikkala I thought was the Vipers hardest working player. Ikkala when with the puck was very hard to knock off the puck down low, battled hard down low and in front of the net.

Top Players: (Penticton)

Sean Bonar (25 saves) Played his best in the opening period making several key saves keeping his club in the hockey game. Bonar made a big pad save in the 1st off a tip in front off Connor Jones. Played well giving up very little rebounds.

The line of Eric Filiou, Logan Johnston, & Jake Johnson was the Vees top unit tonight. The line played with alot of jump, was Pentictons hardest working line. All three kids contributed in all areas. Jake Johnson was a work horse down low, very hard to knock off the puck. Eric Filiou had some good chances, was always in and around the net. Logan Johnston battled hard, was yapping after each whistle trying to get any Viper player off his game.

Garrett Milan (1 goal) Looked very strong and effective on the Vees powerplay. Milan planted himself in front of Graeme Gordon on each and every man advantage and took a pounding in front, but didnt back down. Milan was skating hard all night, really flying at times. Had some good chances through out tonights game. Took a high stick from Cole Ikkala in the 3rd, but returned on the next shift.

Alex Szczechura (1 goal) Also played well up front for Penticton. Scored a real nice first goal of the game, this kid has some soft hands down low.

Matt Paltridge played a solid game on the Vees blueline. A very steady d-man.

Game Thoughts: (Vernon)

After winning 21 straight games the Vipers have now lost back to back games to two of the Interiors top teams. Vernon now falls to 1-2 vs Penticton this season. The Vees are 2-0 at the Wesbild Centre outscoring the Vipers 6-1. For being a big game the Vipers sure didnt show it tonight, very little emotion or intensity all night. After coming out strong having the early edge in play for the first five minutes I thought giving up two quick goals seemed to take the life out of the team for the remainder of the game. I thought Vernon had chances and played well at times in the opening period but struggled and were outplayed in the 2nd period. Tonight was by far the Vipers poorest game of the season, they were beat in almost all aspects of the game. Outplayed, outworked, lost many of the battles and races. Several players were no where to be seen tonight. Im curious to wonder if several players or the team dosnt have the flu? They just looked like they wernt in tonights game. Hitting four posts also dosnt help or give you a chance to win either. Lets hope Kellen Jones is ok and dosnt have a broken jaw or is hurt too bad. After winning 21 straight games and beating alot of weaker teams, the Vipers now have a good stretch of games playing some tougher opponents with winning records, games inwich they really need to play a full 60 minutes in order to win. This is good for the team, will see what there really made of. After all, I think tonight is a good loss. It will get this team thinking their not going to be able to win all games by six or more goals. The Vipers are now 0-2 after making the big trade for Curtis Gedig.

Game Thoughts: (Penticton)

Give full credit to the Penticton Vees, they come into Vernon winning four straight and played a solid road game coming away with their 5th straight victory. The Vees did all the little things, played well at both ends of the rink and battled hard for a full 60 minutes. The Vees took the big crowd out of tonights game. Scoring two quick goals early in the first was a big lift, and then outplaying and outworking the Vipers in the 2nd period gave the team alot of confidence. Going 2-4 on the powerplay in the middle frame sealed this one. Penticton has a big hockey club, that moves the puck well and skates very well. They play their systems well and have a great coach in Fred Harbinson. Penticton really attacked the Vipers, onething they did very well was getting the Jones Twins off their game. Both Connor & Kellen had very little time or space. Both brothers were shutdown offensively, and took a pounding. You could see that both Connor & Kellen were frustraed at times, being hooked, checked and knocked around. The Vees looked very good tonight. Vernon will have rematch on their minds next wekened when the Vees will host the Vipers next Saturday night in Penticton.

Scratches:

Vernon:

Eric Soderlund
Darrin Robak

Penticton:

Bo Dolan

3 Stars:

1st Star: Denver Manderson (1 goal & 1 assist)
2nd Star: Sean Bonar (25 saves)
3rd Star: Alex Szczechura (1 goal)