Vernon 3 Penticton 2 (Overtime)

I was at tonights BCHL game as Vernon defeated Pentict5on 3-2 in overtime in front of 2,323 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon: Blake Voth
Penticton: Sean Bonar

1st Period: Off the opening draw the Vipers line of Connor Jones, Kellen Jones & David Robinson got the puck in deep and in the first minute had a real good scoring chance in front with traffic in front of Sean Bonar but couldnt get the puck through the crowd. Back come the Vees and on their first rush up ice Garrett Milan had a great chance but just missed the net. Shortly after Milan and the Vees on a three on two, as the puck come back to Milan who was stopped in close by Blake Voth. Milan with two real good quality scoring chances early. Vernon would then get into some penalty trouble taking back to back to back minors giving Penticton three early powerplays. Vernons penalty kill was sharp early killing off both minors not giving up any chances but the Vipers couldnt stop the Vees on their third man advantage, Blake Voth stopped Garrett Milan in the slot but couldnt handle the rebound as Alex Szczechura burried it past Voth at 8:47 putting Penticton up 1-0 giving them the all important first goal of the game. Just over a minute and a half later the Vipers would get their first powerplay on a makeup call by Andrew Guest who took the flow right out of tonights first place showdown, by calling penalty after penalty. Pentictons penalty kill was solid blocking several Viper shots as the Vees would kill off the minor. Neither team was very physical and now looked afraid to make a big hit thinking they may get a penalty on the play. Both teams with very little chances in a tight checking period. Vernon would come on late in the 1st getting some good sustained pressure deep in the Penticton zone but had troubles generating any kid of offence, the Vipers with 13 shots in the period but very few quality chances. Sahir Gill in behind the Penticton net, got a quick shot off trying to sneak one past Bonar, but Bonar was their to hug the post and cover up the puck. The Vipers carried the edge in play for the final five or six minutes but were unable to get anything past Sean Bonar. Penticton lead 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers outshot the Vees 13-9.

2nd Period: The Vipers would start the 2nd period on the powerplay with 37 seconds still remaining from a late man advantage wich was carried over from the end of the 1st period. Penticton would kill off the remainder of the powerplay. Shortly after the Vipers on an odd man rush, the pass went through the slot to a wide open Steve Weinstein who just missed shortside on a good early scoring chance. Vernon would get an early powerplay, Cory Kane in front couldnt handle the bouncing puck after having a wide open net on a great scoring chance as the Vipers come oh so close to tying the game, Penticton would kill off another Vernon powerplay. Again no real offensive threats coming from either team, as alot of battling along the boards took place in the 2nd period. The best scoring chance came when Alex Szczechura was left all alone in front of Blake Voth, Szczechura got two quick shots off in close but couldnt beat Voth as the Vipers got lucky. Vernon would get into penalty trouble once again taking back to back to back minors giving the Vees three more powerplays. Vernons penalty kill was once again sharp, especially Rob Short & Kellen & Connor Jones who ate up alot of the clock on all three penalty kills. The Vipers would excape and kill off all three minors. The Vipers would get a late powerplay but couldnt generate much offence as Penticton killed off the minor, the Vees then would get a late powerplay but again the Vipers penalty kill killed off the minor. Neither team could get much going in the middle frame with so many penalties. Penticton lead 1-0 after 40 minutes of play. The Vees outshot the Vipers 8-7.

3rd Period: Vernon would get the puck in deep early and with some good pressure down low moved the puck around, before Cory Kane put one past Bonar at 3:04 tying the game 1-1. Rob Short with the lone assist. A mad scramble in front of Bonar and somehow Kanes shot found the back of the net. Just over two minutes later the Vees won the draw deep in the Vipers zone, the puck would come back to the point where, Bo Dolans screened shot somehow found its way through a maze of players and beat Voth upstairs at 5:01 as Penticton got back their lead up 2-1. Ryan Viselli with the lone helper on the goal. Just over three minutes later Penticton would go on another powerplay and come close to taking a 3-1 lead. A shot from the slot hit the post as Alex Szczechura was all alone at the side of the net but couldnt connect on the rebound as the Vipers excaped on that play. Ben Sexton then missed from the side of the net after Voth was going down, Sexton fired high and over the net as two real good chances. Vernon would kill off the minor. In the second half of the 3rd Vernon got their legs going and that great cycle were all so use to watching. The Vipers would get the puck in deep and with some good sustained pressure Vernon was finally able to create and generate some real good scoring chances. Kevin Krauss point shot was tipped by Connor Jones but just missed. Braden Pimm with a Penticton player all over him, drove hard to the net but was stopped by Sean Bonar. David Robinson with a chance at the side of the net was stopped by Bonar. The Vipers would then get another powerplay, once again the Vees penalty killers come up with some huge shot blocks, getting anything and everything in the way of the Vernon shooters, in the end the Vees penalty kill got the job done killing off the minor, but just as the penalty expired Kellen Jones beat Bonar at 14:33 tying the game 2-2. David Robinson & Curtis Gedig picked up the assists. I thought it was Robinson who scored the goal but they gave the goal to Jones. At this time it didnt really matter as Vernon had tied the game late in the 3rd. This didnt stop the Vipers as they kept coming with that solid forecheck and cycle down low, moving the puck well, generating chances. Vernon was by far the better of the two teams in the 3rd, especially in the second half of the period. With just 5.5 seconds remaining and a faceoff deep in the Vipers zone, Mark Ferner would call a timeout. The Vees would win the draw, send the puck back to the point, getting a quick shot off the puck was tipped at the side of the net and just went over the top of the goal as a diving Blake Voth hit the ice, as Penticton come oh so close to winning it in the dying seconds. The game was tied 2-2 after 60 minutes of play. Vernon outshot Penticton 8-7.

Overtime: The Vipers with the best chance in the extra period tried sending veteran Mike Collins in for the breakaway, but Joey Laleggia showed good hustle getting back into the defensive zone to break up the breakaway as Collins couldnt get a shot off. On Vernons first real good rush up ice, Kellen Jones crossed the blueline, looked back for the pass but decided to carry the puck into the Vees zone, getting a quick snap shot off from the circle Jones beat Bonar shortside at 2:18 sending the Vipers bench into an uproar jumping onto the ice as Vernon knocked off Penticton 3-2 in overtime. The Vipers outshot the Vees 2-1. Both teams split the season series between one another 3-3.

Top Players: (Vernon)

The line of Connor Jones, Kellen Jones (2 goals) & David Robinson (1 assist) Played very well for the Vipers tonight. Both Jones Twins were really skating hard, working hard down low. This line was very effective and dangerous in the 3rd.

I was also impressed with the line of Mike Collins, Braden Pimm & Cole Ikkala. Pimm & Collins looked very good down low and in and around the net. Collins made some real nice heads up plays through out tonights contest. Pimm was very hard to fight off the puck, especially in the 3rd period.

I was also impressed with the line of Rob Short (1 goal), Sahir Gill & Cory Kane (1 goal). What can you say about Rob Short, this kid worked his butt off all night. Was very solid on the penalty kill, saw alot of time on the penalty kill. Short was very good for Vernon. I was really impressed with Cory Kanes play tonight. Kane was really skating hard and fast tonight, had a few chances where he let his wicked wrist shot go but missed the net. Played one of his better games in a while. Sahir Gills five game point streak came to an end tonight.

Adam Thompson & Garrett Noonan both played very well on the blueline. Thompson took a beating tonight. Looked as if he hurt his shoulder or wrist on one play, went to the bench and gotit chekced out. Stayed in the game and looked fine, but then got tangled up with a Penticton player and looked as if he hit his knee, but seemed fine and continued the game.

Blake Voth (23 saves) Made his 8th straight start for the Vipers making 23 saves improving to 19-2 on the season. Played very well tonight, looked calm and confident between the pipes.

Top Players: (Penticton)

Sean Bonar (27 saves) Dropped his 2nd straight game to the Vipers. Bonar didnt have any real huge saves to make tonight but did play well through out the game. I think he would like to have back Kellen Jones ot winner. Bonar has now given up 16 goals in his last six games.

Alex Szczechura (1 goal) Now has five points in six games vs Vernon. Szczechura had several chances all night. Was really flying out there tonight, looked real strong up front for the Vees.

Garrett Milan (1 assist) I thought played very well in the first two periods. Had two real nice chances early in the opening period. This kid has always played well against the Vipers. Very shifty in and around the net.

Ben Sexton I was impressed with Sexton tonight. Had a few chances, looked good with and without the puck. Had a wide open net in the 3rd but fired high and over the goal.

Matt Paltridge played a solid game on the Penticton blueline, this kid blocked several Viper shots, was the best d-man on the ice tonight.

Game Thoughts: (Vernon)

Another huge victory for the Vipers over the Vees there second in just six days. Vernon really come to play and show Penticton they can play with them. Vernon who was 1-3 against the Vees before this past weekend evened the season series 3-3 with two huge wins. Vernon is now just a single win away from clinching the top spot in the BCHL and in the Interior Division. The Vipers with three games remaining in the regular season. Vernon was unable to play physical tonight with Andrew Guest calling a very tight game. Both teams almost looked afraid at checking due to getting called for a penalty on the play. A very defensive game tonight, with two of the highest scoring teams in the league fans saw more battles along the boards and in front of the net then odd man rushes and lots of great scoring chances. Very little scoring chances at either ends of the rink. Give full credit to Vernon for shutting down Pentictons top players. The Vipers penalty kill was also very strong giving up just a single goal on eight chances. Give the Vipers full credit for not going away, they kept battling and battled back twice, down 1-0 heading into the 3rd and then down 2-1 late in the period to send the game to overtime. All three meetings between these two teams in Penticton have gone to overtime where the Vipers have pulled out two victories.

Game Thoughts: (Penticton)

Give full credit to the Vees for shutting down the Vipers high powered offence for two full periods. Pentictons defence played very well against the Vernon cycle and forecheck in the first two periods but couldnt contain or slow them down in the final frame. This was just the Vees 5th loss on home ice, two of them have come against the Vipers. Penticton battled hard and played hard but in the end couldnt hold the lead. I would say Fred Harbinson cant be happy with some missed opportunities that could have changed tonights game and outcome. Im not one for talking about or complaining about the officials but Andrew Guest once again ruined a great hockey game. This was supose to be a first place showdown and us the fans were treated to penalty after penalty for most of the game. Guest took alot if any flow out of tonights game by calling way too many penalties. & I dont mean just against Vernon, there were calls at both ends that were very unworthy of being called. For such a big game it was sad to see Guest ruin a great game.

Scratches:

Vernon:

Darren Robak
Patrick McGillis

Penticton:

Denver Manderson (Injured)
Hayden Trupp

3 Stars:

1st Star: Kellen Jones (2 goals)
2nd Star: Matt Paltridge
3rd Star: Blake Voth (23 saves)