Saturday, December 1, 2012

Vernon 3 West Kelowna 2

For anyone who could not attend or watch tonight’s Vipers game here are my thoughts and views from tonight’s game. You may agree or disagree but we all have our own view and opinion on any game we watch. This is my opinion and my thoughts on how I saw tonight’s game. I try to be unbiased and give a fare recap on both sides. Thanks for stopping by & visiting my blog.

I was at tonight's BCHL game as Vernon defeated West Kelowna 3-2 in front of 1,702 fans at the Wesbild centre.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon:  Austin Smith
West Kelowna:  Tyler Briggs

Before tonight's game former Vipers captain Lennie Rampone awarded Vipers forward Adam Tambellini with the player of the month award.

1st Period:  Josh Monk jumped up into the play getting a quick shot from that slot that Austin Smith made a nice blocker save in the opening minute before the Vipers come back with some good speed, moving the puck well opened up some ice as Liam Board setup Braeden Russell for his first goal as a Viper & first career BCHL goal giving Vernon an early 1-0 lead at 2:02 Board with the only assist.  The Vipers had lots of jump-energy were skating hard early.  West Kelowna would get the games first powerplay but it was the Vipers penalty kill that come up with the scoring opportunities.  Aaron Hadley who played one of his best games of the season used his speed to get by the d-man going in for the breakaway but couldnt beat Tyler Briggs who come up with a huge save.  Vernon's aggressive penalty kill didnt stop, in the dying seconds of the man advantage Hadley again this time with Brendan Persley went in two on one, Hadley setup Persley who couldnt connect on the pass missing on a great shorthanded chance as Vernon would kill off the minor.  Just after the penalty expired Seb Lloyd beat Austin Smith who hit the post on a close call.  Shortly after Jedd Soleway carried the puck in deep going around the net through the puck out front, that went off a body in front coming out to the slot to a wide open Liam Board who was stopped by Briggs who come out to challenge making the big save.  Both teams were very even in the opening period before the Warriors carried the edge in play in the second half.  Smith was then put to the test making to big back to back saves off Brent Lashuk & Shawn Hochhausen.  Smith then made his biggest save of the period after robbing former Vernon Viper tryout Devon Hascarl who was alone in the slot.  West Kelowna would tie the game late after Brett Zarazun with a nice no look back pass to Seb Lloyd who beat Smith tying the game 1-1 at 19:09 Zarazun collected the lone helper.  It was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes of play.  West Kelowna outshot Vernon 14-6.

2nd Period:  The Vipers would get their first powerplay of the night just fourteen seconds into the middle frame.  Vernon who couldnt get much of anything setup didnt register a shot on goal after the Warriors would kill off the penalty.  Just as the penalty expired former Vernon Vipers forward Marcus Basara come out of the penalty box, jumped into the play before ripping a hard shot from the circle that beat Austin Smith but graized the outside of the post on a close call.  On the same play Ambrose Firkus with a quick shot from the slot was also stopped by Smith.  Just over five minutes into the second Colton Sparrow and Matthew Berry-Lamontagna dropped the gloves.  Vernon who struggled early took six and a half minutes to record their first shot of period.  Shortly after the Warriors would get their second powerplay of the night and capitalize after Shawn Hochhausen setup Seb Lloyd on the powerplay giving West Kelowna the 2-1 lead at 8:52 Hochhausen and Josh Monk with the assists.  West Kelowna who also had lots of jump in there game was by far the better of the two teams in the period outplaying Vernon for most of the period.  The Vipers turned over the puck giving Ambrose Firkus and Jetlan Houcher go in for the two on one again Smith was there to make the save.  On the same play Vernon couldnt clear the zone giving up another back to back odd man rushes as Austin Smith was forced to bail out his team on three different occasions all on the same shift.  Just past the midway mark Vernon would get their second powerplay of the game but couldnt capitalize as West Kelowna killed off the minor.  Just after the man advantage the Vipers finally got the spark they needed after a solid energized shift by the Vipers 4th line.  Michael Roberts and Logan Mick with some nice passing created and setup Mick's game tying goal at 16:05 getting Vernon and the crowd back into the game with a nice highlight goal.  Roberts with the only helper.  This goal seemed to give the Vipers some much needed life as Vernon come back and finished the period with some solid shifts.  The Warriors carried most of the edge in play but Vernon did come back and look much better in the final five minutes as the game was tied 2-2 after 40 minutes of play.  West Kelowna outshot Vernon 12-10.

3rd Period:  Just fourty four seconds into the final frame West Kelowna would get an early powerplay, the first of three straight to start the third period.  But it was the Vipers strong aggressive penalty kill that was the difference in killing off all three penalties.  A minute or so after killing off three straight penalties the Warriors were heading right back to the man advantage but it only lasted a few seconds after West Kelowna took a penalty as both teams played a little four on four before the Vipers had a very short powerplay where they capitalized after Michael Statchuk kept the play in the the Warriors blueline before Liam Board with a shifty move in close beat Tyler Briggs giving Vernon a 3-2 lead at 11:26 Statchuk & Jedd Soleway with the assists.  Just two minutes later Logan Mick with some hard work down low setup Ryan Renz who was stopped in close by Briggs.  On the same shift the Warriors come right back before Brett Zarazun wired a hard shot from the point that was stopped by Smith who was forced to make a huge left pad save.  Not alot of scoring chances this period even with all the West Kelowna powerplays as both teams were very limited to scoring opportunties.  TJ Dumonceaux went down with a West Kelowna Warrior in front of the benches and looked to be in alot of pain slowly getting up and limping off the ice.  Dumonceaux went to the Vipers dressing room and never returned.  From here on in Vernon buckled down and played a very strong defensive game carrying the edge in play before West Kelowna would pull Tyler Briggs for the extra attacker, getting the play in deep the Vipers iced the puck twice before clearing the zone winding the clock down to the final seconds before West Kelowna setup Marcus Basara with ten seconds remaining, alone in the slot the former Viper with a shifty move in close looked to have Austin Smith beat but somehow either couldnt get off the shot or missed the net on a very very close call.  After the whistle a huge scrum formed deep in the Vernon zone as tempers heated up with both teams taking shots at each other.  In the end Vernon would come out of the scrum with a very late powerplay with just nine and a half seconds remaining would kill off the final seconds walking away with the 3-2 victory.  A very entertaining third period as Vernon was the better of the two teams.  West Kelowna outshot Vernon 15-10.  At the end of the game a big crowd of Warrior fans got involved with a group of Viper fans on their way out of the Wesbild Centre.  Pushing and shoving started before several punches were thrown.  One Warriors fan was pushed where he almost went backwards down the stairs if it wasnt for a group of people behind him to prevent him from falling backwards.  Secuirty rushed in before settling the crowd down.

Top Players:  (Vernon)

Michael Statchuk (1 assist) Played a solid game on the Vipers blueline.

The Vipers 4th line of Logan Mick (1 goal), Michael Roberts (1 assist) & Mitch McAllister was Vernon's best line playing with alot of jump & energy as well as playing physical.  McAllister not the biggest kid on the team had atleast three big checks in tonight's game.  This line generated and created some good chances.

Aaron Hadley who didnt stand out last night until the 3rd period where he was one of the Vipers better players played one of his best games of the season tonight.  Hadley with a shorthanded breakaway and a shorthanded odd man rush in the opening period played with lots of jump-energy and was very physical.  Very good down low and in and around the net.  Very good on the penalty kill as well.

I thought Pearce Eviston and Jedd Soleway didnt stand out alot but did put together a few solid hard working shifts and made a few heads up plays in tonight's game.

Liam Board (1 goal & 1 assist)  Played fairly well in just his fourth game with the Vipers.  Board with a few chances tonight.

Austin Smith (39 saves)  Played a very strong game between the pipes for Vernon.  Smith who has kept the Vipers in lots of games this season played with alot of confidence and looked very solid between the pipes tonight making some big saves keeping his club in the game at times.

Game Thoughts:  (Vernon)

Well after an embarising 7-1 loss in West Kelowna last night the Vipers returned home and took a 2-1 season series lead with the Warriors after a 3-2 win tonight.  These same two teams will play again in West Kelowna Friday.  The Vipers looked and played much better compared to last night's loss.  I wouldnt say Vernon played a full sixty minutes but they played close to fourty minutes atleast.  I thought the Vipers come out strong with a very strong start, had there legs moving, skating hard playing with lots of jump and energy most of the night.  I also thought Vernon played pretty physical and finished their checks tonight.  The Vipers seemed to build off two big goals after Logan Mick's game tying goal and Liam Board's game winner.  The Vipers were outplayed most of the second period but give this team credit they battled hard and what can you say about their penalty kill tonight.  A very gutsy effort on the penalty kill killing off three straight penalties to start the 3rd.  Ive said it before and will say it again this team is very uncosistant and you never know wich team is going to show up for each game.  Give the Vipers credit they come back with a much better effort tonight after last night's 7-1 loss and played much better.  With the win the Vipers move to with three points of West Kelowna and four points back of 2nd place Merritt.  Jason Williamson said on the post-game show the Vipers are bringing in another forward after the trade of Mitch Van Teeling today. 

Top Players:  (West Kelowna)

Seb Lloyd (2 goals)  Scored five goals in the home and home series vs Vernon.  Just like last night Lloyd was very strong for the Warriors and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.  Made some nice heads up plays tonight.

Matthew Berry-Lamontagna played very well on the Warriors backend.  Dropped the gloves with Colton Sparrow in the second period played very well tonight.

Marcus Basara was really hustling all night, come up with several scoring chances against his former team but couldnt find the back of the net.  Basara was really flying-buzzing around the rink tonight.

Ambrose Firkus who played well last night looked very good again tonight.  Come up with some good opportunities got under the Vipers skin on several occasions.  Very hard to play against.

Brent Lashuk played well last night, played good again tonight. 

Brett Zarazun (1 assist)  Played very steady on West Kelowna's blueline.

Game Thoughts:  (West Kelowna)

After a big win over Vernon last night the Warriors come ready to play tonight but couldnt capitalize on the man advantage espeically in the 3rd period.  West Kelowna just like Vernon was skating hard, played with lots of energy and jump made for a fairly entertaining hockey game tonight.  The Warriors are quick, move the puck well and create chances on the rush.  Rylan Ferster sure gets excited behind the bench yelling and screaming at the officials on almost every shift wanting a penalty.  He sure gets into the games and gives it to the officials on almost every other shift complaining about a call or non call.  After back to back games the intensity and rivarly heated up tonight with some emotions going both ways.  Great to see a big crowd of West Kelowna fans come out to the game tonight.  West Kelowna has just three wins in their last thirteen games.  For the second straight night Max French took the warmup but didnt play.  The Warriors have now lost eight straight games in Vernon.  West Kelowna's last regular season victory at the Wesbild Centre was a 3-1 win on Saturday, January 23rd 2010

Scratches:

Vernon:

Craig Martin (Injured)

West Kelowna:

David Pope
Max French
Brett McKinnon
Brennan Clark
Reid Simmonds

Three Stars:

1st Star:  Austin Smith (39 saves)
2nd Star:  Seb Lloyd (2 goals)
3rd Star:  Logan Mick (1 goal)

For more on tonight's game visit the boxscore,

http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=1102972&link=bchl

For more on tonight's game and the West Kelowna Warriors visit Jon Zack's West Kelowna Warriors blog,

http://thegeneralsreport.wordpress.com/

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