I was at tonight's Vipers Intersquad game as Team Blue defeated Team White 5-3 in front of around 100 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Team Blue: Connor Webb
Team White: James Brendeland
1st Period: Both teams looked fairly even early with not many scoring chances before Colby Feist with a quality chance in front of the net, missed the goal about three minutes in. Shortly after Viper recruit Josh Prokop opened the scoring beat James Brendeland giving Team Blue a 1-0 lead. (No announcement on the goal) Just two plays later Nicholas Cherkowski setup Wyatt Light on an odd man rush giving Team Blue a quick 2-0 lead at 4:08 Cherkowski & Alex Swetlikoff picked up the assists. Just over two minutes later Carter Anderson with a quick shot from the side wall handcuffed James Brendeland who was forced to make a difficult save, keeping this a two goal game. Team Blue slowly coming on, now starting to carry a slight edge in play. Just before the halfway mark Dean Whitcomb gave Team Blue a 3-0 lead at 9:29 Hayden Dick and Josh Prokop collected the helpers. On the following play Team Blue would get caught with to many men, giving Team White the games first powerplay. Team White moved the puck around, was forcing the play down low before Quinton Ong beat Connor Webb from the high slot, cutting the Team Blue lead to 3-1 at 10:52 Gabriel Suessnbacher Fu & Ethan Jones drew the assists. Both teams went back and fourth with several quality chances. Team White come on strong in the final minutes had back to back shifts with good zone time, couldn't solve Connor Webb. Inside the final minute James Brendeland made a huge pad save from in close in the final ten seconds keeping this a two goal game. It was 3-1 Team Blue after 20 minutes of play. I don't know the shots on goal, as nobody was running the shot clock tonight.
2nd Period: A bit of a slower period with not as many opportunities for either team. Again both teams were back and fourth, matched up pretty well but just didn't get the scoring chances they had in the opening frame. Just before the midway mark Team White starting goaltender James Brendeland stayed down after making a save and was croutched down on his knees, slow to get up. Looked to be shaking his glove hand after making the save. Brendeland would leave the crease and make his way to the bench and into the dressing room. Johnny Derrick would replace Brendeland and play the remainder of the intersquad game. Brendeland would give up three goals in a period and a half. At the halfway mark Team Blue would switch goaltenders. Zack Willms would replace starting goaltender Connor Webb who surrendered just one goal before making his way to the bench. On the following play Hayden Dick spotted Connor Marritt who gave Team Blue a 4-1 lead at 10:42 Dick and Dean Whitcomb picked up the helpers. Just over two minutes later Reese Tambellini got Team White to within two goals scoring at 12:46 Christian Sanda & Kyler Shmigelsky picked up the assists. Mitch Andres with a nice rush up ice, carried the play through the neutral zone, into the offensive zone before trying to setup the winger going through the slot, couldn't connect on the pass. Andres with good speed and hand eye, really opened up the ice with his rush up ice. With about six minutes remaining Quinton Ong with a parcial breakaway was stopped in close before picking up the rebound, missed the net on his second chance on the same shift. Quick speed and skill in close from Ong. In the final fifteen seconds Gabriel Suessnbacher ripped a quick low shot from the point that was kicked out by Zach Willms who made a huge pad save in the dying seconds before Team Blue raced up ice with just seconds left before Matthias Urbanski was denied at the other end of the rink, just before the buzzer. Back to back chances at both ends of the rink inside the final twenty seconds. It was 4-2 Team Blue after 40 minutes of play.
3rd Period: Team Blue come out strong. Had a ton of pressure off the opening faceoff. Simon Sagissor's brother TJ Sagissor was stopped in close after Johnny Derrick made a big stop from in tight. Derrick had to be sharp, was forced into making several big stops in the opening few minutes. Team Blue was all over Team White early. Team White would eventually settle down and come back getting a few opportunities of their own. Coleton Bilodeau setup KT Walters in front got Team White to within a goal. Bilodeau and Matthew Francois with the helpers. Walters a defenceman has to be the smallest kid on the ice. Just over two minutes later Team Blue put the game away after Matthias Urbanski with the goal gave Team Blue a 5-3 lead at 16:33 Urbanski's goal was unassisted. Team White didn't quit and in the dying seconds tried getting back within a goal after Justin Scott tried setting up Mitch Andres who joined the rush couldn't hit the net before the final buzzer. Team Blue come away with the 5-3 victory.
Top Player's: (Team Blue)
Alex Swetlikoff (1 assist) Has some size and skill can play. Was pretty impressed with his game-play this evening. This kid can skate, move the puck and has some hands in close. Created-generated several opportunities in the offensive zone.
Josh Prokop (1 goal & 1 assist) Was another new recruit-committed player that looked/played very well. Opened the scoring looks strong.
TJ Sagissor Had some good shifts, was going to the net, had some looks-chances, has some decent size, played well for most of the night.
Matthias Urbanski (1 goal) Was another kid who showed promiss-had some good shifts through out the game.
Top Player's: (Team White)
Johnny Derrick replaced starting goaltender James Brendeland who left the game just before the halfway mark of the middle frame with an injury. Derrick was very solid between the pipes, looked at his best to start the 3rd when Team Blue jumped on Team White early to start the 3rd. Derrick kept his team in the game early to start the third, made some big saves in that 3rd period. The youngest goaltender in camp, was very impressive.
Mitch Andres who caught my attention Monday & Tuesday during the scrimmages looked very solid again tonight in the annual Blue-White intersquad game. Has good size, plays rugged, can skate, move the puck, plays at both ends of the rink, really sees-reads the play well.
Jake Mulder Had a few good shifts, looked good at times.
Reese Tambellini (1 goal) I heard is the cousin of former Viper forward Adam Tambellini. This kid has some size, needs some work on his skating, played hard.
Quinton Ong (1 goal) Opened the scoring for Team White on the powerplay, really impressed me. This kid has some wheels, can really fly and open up the ice in a hurry. Created/generated lots of quality chances through out the game.
Christian Sanda (1 assist) Caught my attention in the scrimmage game last night, had some good shifts-played well at times in tonight's game.
News & Notes:
I really liked the looks of several players tonight. Mark Ferner and the Vipers coaching staff have looked to done a great job recruiting and brought in some great young players. You get a much better prospective watching tonight, compared to the scrimmage games Monday-Tuesday. Tonight was more like a game, had a lot more flow-energy. The Vipers have lots of speed and talent-skill at camp and will have some tough decisions to make heading into the pre-season-opening day roster. Saw several kids tonight, who could easily make the team. I know its real early, but I like what I see so far and excited for the new season.
I heard former NHLer Gary Valk's son Garret Valk is at camp-trying out for the Vipers.
All thirteen veteran players returning from last season sat out tonight, along with Jordan Sandhu & Keyvan Mokhtari.
It dosnt look like the Vipers have made any cuts from training camp. I was surprised to see this many kids still in camp with only two-three roster spots available.
I heard the Vipers will cut 20-22 players after tonight's intersquad game. It will be interesting to see how many players the Vipers open the exhibition season with.
The Vipers will now open the pre-season, host the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Friday.
Here is a look at both teams rosters-lineups
Team Blue:
Zach Willms G (99)
Connor Webb G (99)
Michael Young D (98)
Jack Judson D (00)
Cale Cripps D (99)
Garret Valk (D (02)
Jason Lin D (02)
Matthew Cadden D (01)
Dean Whitcomb F (99)
Hayden Dick F (99)
Andrew Sorensen F (00)
Alex Swetlikoff F (01)
Wyatt Light F (98)
Nicholas Cherkowski F (00)
Josh Prokop F (00)
TJ Sagissor F (99)
Matthias Urbanski F (99)
Connor Marritt F (99)
Carter Anderson F (01)
Nicholas Teale F (02)
Hayden Gelbard F (02)
Coaches: Kevin Pederson, Brett Stapley & Jimmy Lambert
Team White:
James Brendeland G (99)
Johnny Derrick G (01)
Gabriel Suessnbacher Fu D (01)
Kyler Shmigelsky D (00)
Will Dow-Kenny D (00)
Mitch Andres D (98)
Nicholas Ardanaz D (02)
Rhys Lepine D (00)
KT Walters D (02)
Colby Feist F (02)
Jake Mulder F (00)
Kaden Meszaros F (01)
Reese Tambellini F (00)
Coleton Bilodeau F (00)
Quinton Ong F (99)
Christian Sanda F (98)
Adam Panacci F (99)
Ethan Jones F (01)
Matthew Francois F (99)
Justin Scott F (01)
Coaches: Kevin Kraus & Jerred Smithson
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