I was at tonight's BCHL game as Salmon Arm defeated Vernon 3-0 in front of 1,633 fans at the Wesbild Centre.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Kirby Halcrow
Salmon Arm: Kris Moore
1st Period: Both teams got off to a bit of a slow start as several stopages in play occured, as neither team could really get much going. Two minutes into the game Patrick McGillis with the game's first chance, McGillis was able to go through three Silverbacks before going hard to the net but Kris Moore made a big pad save in close to keep the Vipers off the board. Three minutes later McGillis cut towards the net getting off a backhand from in close but Moore come up with the glove save. Vernon would then get the game's first powerplay, but the Vipers couldnt setup as the Backs penalty kill was good giving the Vipers no time or space as Salmon Arm killed off the minor. Just as the powerplay expired Vernon would get a two man advantage, moving the puck around the perimiter the Silverbacks did a great job at keeping the Vernon shooters to the outside limiting their chances. The Vipers would get two good chances, Kris Moore come up with a big pad save on the Vipers first chance before Darren Nowick had a wide open net but was robbed by a sliding, Clinton Atkinson who come across the crease to bail out his goaltender saving the puck stopping Nowick in close as Vernon couldnt buy a goal. Salmon Arm would kill off both penalties. On the next shift former Cowichan Valley Capital Mike Hammond would get a parcial breakaway but with Ryan Renz chasing Hammond down, Hammond couldnt get off a good quality shot as Kirby Halcrow made the routine save. On the next play Kevin Mills would carry the puck up ice, getting the play inside the Vipers zone, before setting up Brett Knowles who beat Halcrow from the slot at 11:51 giving Salmon Arm the 1-0 lead. Mills with the lone assist. This is a goal Halcrow would like to have back. The Vipers were outshooting the Silverbacks 16-5 but down 1-0. Just a few shifts later Halcrow come up with a big save off Jarryd Ten Vannholt in close. Back come the Vipers as Max Mowats point shot was redirected at the side of the net by Bryce Kakoske but Moore come up with a big save at the side of the goal. John Knisley then tipped a point shot that just missed the far corner as the Vipers had some good chances but couldnt beat Kris Moore. The Vipers would then get their fourth powerplay of the night, Vernon captain David Robinson with a quick shot from the slot was robbed after Moore made a huge pad save kicking out Robinson's rebound as the Vipers went 0-4 with the man advantage in the opening period. The Vipers outplayed Salmon Arm the entire period carrying most of the play, but couldnt beat Moore. Salmon Arm would get a late powerplay wich would carry on into the 2nd period. Vernon was down 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers outshot the Backs 19-7.
2nd Period: Salmon Arm started out the period with the man advantage that was carried over from the end of the 1st. The Backs moved the puck around, but the Vipers kept Salmon Arm to the outside, after a few poor passes the Silverbacks couldnt get much going not recording a single shot as Vernon killed off the penalty. The Silverbacks would head back to the powerplay just a minute or so later, moving the puck around Salmon Arm managed to get a few shots but no real good quality chances as the Vipers killed off the minor. Just after the powerplay Silverbacks captain, David Killip took advantage of some poor defensive coverage and was able to walk in from behind the Vipers net, beating Kirby Halcrow down low at 7:18 giving Salmon Arm the two goal lead. Brett Knowles and Josh Manson collected the helpers. The Vipers didnt get off to a good start and looked like a different hockey club in the middle frame. Vernon just couldnt get much of anything going as the Backs started to take the body against the Vipers in the 2nd. Vernon with just one real good chance as David Robinson and Kyle Murphy tried getting the puck through a pile of players in front of Kris Moore but somehow Moore come up with the puck through the mad scramble. Clayton Atkinson then setup Jerryd Ten Vannholt who beat Halcrow at 11:14 giving the Backs a 3-0 lead. Atkinson with the lone helper. The Vipers who quit skating just didnt seem to have much life in them come the 2nd. Some poor passing and several turnovers in their own end also didnt do them much good down three goals. Paul De Jersey with a good chance in close was stopped by Kirby Halcrow. Salmon Arm looked like a much different team this period, the Backs were skating, nice crisp passing and playing physical. Vernon would get two late back to back powerplays but struggle, the Vipers passed the puck around and around the perimiter as the Backs penalty kill did a great job at keeping the Vipers shooters to the outside and getting in the shooting lanes as Vernon couldnt capitalise and get back in the game as the Silverbacks killed off the both minors. Adam Thompson would head to the Vipers dressing room and not return. The Vipers didnt look good at all that period as Salmon Arm carried most of the play and were by far the better of the two teams. The Silverbacks won most of the battles and the races to the pucks taking a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes of play. Vernon outshot Salmon Arm 16-13.
3rd Period: Off the opening draw the Backs would get the play in deep, setting up Charlie Vasaturo's quick screened shot from the point that was stopped by Kirby Halcrow kicking the rebound into the corner. Patrick McGillis with a great chance to get Vernon on the board early and back into the game was stopped by Kris Moore for the third time tonight, after Moore made a nice pad save. Back come Salmon Arm as Kirby Halcrow made a nice pad save off Clinton Atkinson's point shot. For the second straight period Vernon didnt look good, as the Vipers down three goals couldnt find any offence. The play then got real scrambly as the Silverbacks were doing a great job at shutting down Vernon's offence and speed. Just before the midway mark a long Silverbacks dump in took a funny bounce off the end boards, as the puck shot right back out front of Kirby Halcrow, luckily for Vernon's sake no Salmon Arm player was near. The Vipers defence had a rough night, coughing up the puck or turnover the puck several times in the 3rd. Paul De Jersey and Mike Hammond with some nice three way passing on a two on one couldnt find the back of the net on a great chance. Devin Muller at the side of the Viper goal, had Halcrow down and out but tried throwing the puck out front to a linemate as the puck got away and took away a good scoring chance. Paul De Jersey then bumped into David Robinson between both benches, before De Jersey two handed Robinson in the back of the legs, taking down the Viper captain. Dane Muench and Josh Manson exchanged words and gave each other a little jab inbetween whistles. The Vipers best chance to break Kris Moore's shutout bid come after David Robinson redirected a point shot that beat Moore but just missed the far corner. Vernon didnt really get alot of quality shots on Moore in the 3rd as the Silverbacks played very well defensively, shutting down the Vipers. For the second straight period Salmon Arm was winning most of if not all the battles and races for the puck looking like the hungrier of the two teams. Kris Moore come close to losing his shutout bid in the final minute after a long dump in by the Vipers took a funny bounce in front of the Silverbacks goaltender but Moore was able to collapse and cover up the loose puck. In the end Salmon Arm would defeat Vernon 3-0 to lead the season series 6-1. Shots were even 10-10.
Top Players: (Vernon)
David Robinson had atleast three or four good chances and was one of only a few Viper players that really stood out this evening.
Kyle Murphy also played hard and very well up front for the Vipers. Murphy was skating hard, battled hard but didnt get alot of chances.
Patrick McGillis who has really come on as of late the past few games played very well again tonight. McGillis who looks to be playing with alot of confidence these days, had three or four real good chances but couldnt get one past Kris Moore.
Top Players: (Salmon Arm)
Clinton Atkinson (1 assist) Atkinson looked very good on the Silverbacks backend this evening. Was involved in the play, getting off a few good shots from the point. Played very well defensively.
Charlie Vasaturo didnt put up any points or big hits tonight, but was very steady on the Silverbacks blueline. Didnt allow many Viper players to get by him most of the night.
Josh Manson (1 assist) Was another Salmon Arm d-man that played very well on the point. Manson seemed to play with a bit of an edge tonight, played well defensively.
Brett Knowles (1 goal & 1 assist) Was good up front for the Backs. Scored the games opening and winning goal on a goal that Kirby Halcrow would like to have back.
David Killip (1 goal) Usally plays well against Vernon, looked good tonight. Killip was in and around the net battling and played well at both ends of the rink.
Paul De Jersey I thought played very well for Salmon Arm. The former Coquitlam Express forward had two good chances, and was another player that was in and around the net. I didnt like the cheap shot two handed slash De Jersey got away with in the 3rd on Vipers captain, David Robinson. I didnt see what happened but in the final minute De Jersey was bent over the Salmon Arm bench, in pain. He managed to stay on the bench.
Kris Moore (45 saves-1st BCHL Shutout) Moore who now improves to 4-1 against the Vipers this season seems to always come up big when playing the defending National Champions. Moore didnt have to stand on his head but made some big-key saves early in the hockey game and through out the opening period keeping Vernon off the board.
Game Thoughts: (Vernon)
I thought the Vipers played and looked very good in the opening period but couldnt beat Moore on atleast four or five real good chances. Vernon also did them selfs in after going 0-4 on the powerplay before giving up the game's first goal. The Vipers who have the leagues second worst powerplay, struggled with the man advantage all night. Not scoring on the two man advantage wont win you hockey games. Now if the Vipers score a goal or two early in tonight's game on the powerplay, we may have a different game. What happened to Vernon after the 1st period? The Vipers gave up back to back powerplays early to start the 2nd and then went down 3-0. Vernon didnt seem to have any jump or life in them after the 1st. The Vipers struggled in their own end, giving up several turnovers and struggled passing. Vernon also wasnt hitting and was losing most of the battles and races for the puck. The Vipers didnt look very good in the final two periods and now have just one win in seven games vs Salmon Arm. The Vipers missed hard hitting d-man, Malcolm Lyles as well as Mike Zalewski. Kirby Halcrow falls to 2-6 in his career vs the Silverbacks, while Salmon Arm has now won five straight at the Wesbild Centre. I dont think the Vipers got enough traffic in front and around Kris Moore, as well as not alot of good quality shots on the Backs goaltender. Vernon needs to go to the grey areas more. Vernon also didnt get any bounces tonight. The Vipers just dont seem to have any confidence playing Salmon Arm and dont want to face this team in the playoffs. With the loss snaps Vernon's six game winning streak.
Game Thoughts: (Salmon Arm)
Riding a two game losing streak and a 5-4-1-0 record in their last ten games, the Backs havnt been playing very well latley. Come into Vernon where they have won four straight (now five) continued to dominate the Vipers walking away with a pretty convincing 3-0 victory. The Silverbacks who have owned the Vipers this season, cant seem to do anything wrong against Vernon. Full credits to the Backs for a hard fought 3-0 win. Salmon Arm got into penalty trouble early but the penalty kill was very strong, as well was Kris Moore who gave his team a chance to win before the Silverbacks killed off four straight penalties before grabing the 1-0 lead and didnt seem to look back. Salmon Arm won most of the races, battles along the boards and were the more physical team, playing with a in your face style of hockey. The Backs did a great job defensively at shutting down Vernon's offence and speed, limiting their chances and quality shots. Salmon Arm weathered the storm early and then scored on their chances. This was a big win for the Silverbacks jumping into 3rd place one point up on the Trail Smoke Eaters. Salmon Arm has alot of confidence playing Vernon right now. With just over 1,600 fans at tonight's game, it's one of the smallest crowds for a Vernon-Salmon Arm game at the Wesbild Centre and just didnt have that same feel to it as in past Viper-Silverback games. This onetime great rivalry sure isnt anywhere where it use to be, back in the day.
Scratches:
Vernon:
Malcolm Lyles (Suspended)
Mike Zalewski (Injured)
Colton Sparrow
Salmon Arm:
Justin Elliott
Brad Reid
Josh McKissock
3 Stars:
1st Star: Kris Moore (45 saves-1st career BCHL shutout)
2nd Star: Clinton Atkinson (1 assist)
3rd Star: Patrick McGillis
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