I have had season tickets for the past 28 years and been following Junior hockey in Vernon for close to thirty five years. I've missed only three home games since 1998-99 season. 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 Vipers-Grizzlies game as Vernon defeated Victoria 3-1 in front of 1,659 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Anthony Yamnitsky
Victoria: Shawn Parkinson
1st Period: The Snakes jumped on the Grizzlies early. Vernon with a quick start, were really moving their legs, had control of the puck-play and good pressure in the opening few minutes. The Vipers with a few good looks early. Jimmy Lambert off the opening faceoff whistled a shot just wide of the far post. The Grizz back on their feet, looked to have trouble with the Viper speed-attack early, couldn't really get any traction going early. Mitch Andres opened the scoring early, after a laser shot from the blueline went in and out in a hurry, not giving the goal judge a chance to turn on the red light. Vernon with a 1-0 lead at 4:09 Andres goal was unassisted. The Victoria coaching staff didn't think the puck went in, as the Grizzlies bench was chirping at the officials. It didn't matter as the goal stood. The Snakes carried most of the play early and often, had several good looks, were getting pucks to the net. Shawn Parkinson was fighting the puck at times, having troubles controlling the puck after making the first stop. The Grizz needed almost nine minutes to record their first shot of the night. I thought Victoria had a shot in the opening few minutes, but the shot clock showed other wise. Just before the midway mark Justin Michaelian with Victoria's first quality chance, couldn't solve Anthony Yamnitsky on a big save on just Victoria's second shot of the opening period. On the following play the Vipers would get the games first powerplay, getting several good looks, just missing the goal, Vernon unable to capitalize with the man advantage, managed just two shots on the PP. Minutes later Anthony Yamnitsky was forced to come across the blue paint to make a game saver off Ethan Nother. The Grizzlies with back to back great opportunities, couldn't beat the Vernon goaltender. The Grizz slowly gained some traction and had back to back good shifts, were finally able to get pucks to the net. The Vipers were outshooting Victoria 9-1 at one point, were now outshooting the Grizzlies 9-8. It was 1-0 Vernon after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers with a great/quick start jumped on the Grizzlies early. Vernon's speed was a big difference early. The Snakes were the better of the two teams, carried most of the play, had a ton of zone time. Victoria had two solid chances but didn't generate much for offence or zone time. I thought the Grizzlies played a little better in the second half, but didn't really get any real sustained pressure. Vernon outshot Victoria 14-8.
2nd Period: Thirty seven seconds into the middle frame, TJ Friedmann with a slick move, before getting in tight couldn't beat Vipers starting goaltender Anthony Yamnitsky in close. Minutes in Vernon would get an early powerplay. Again getting some good looks, couldn't capitalize. Just as the penalty expired, Niko Karamanis beat Grizzlies starting goaltender Shawn Parkinson giving Vernon a 2-0 lead at 5:35 Chris Jandric and Jimmy Lambert drew the assists. About a minute later Victoria would get their first look with the man advantage. But it would be Jimmy Lambert & Jagger Williamson who generated/created two quality chances shorthanded. The Vipers with a solid penalty kill early, before the Grizzlies would take a penalty of their own, sending both teams to four on four. Jimmy Lambert in close, got some fans out of their seats after looking like he went top shelf, butin reality missed the goal on a close call from the top of the crease. The Snakes would get a late powerplay after four on four. Captain Jagger Williamson with a quick snipe from the slot beat Shawn Parkinson giving Vernon a 3-0 lead at 8:21 Williamson's goal was unassisted. Both teams would go back and fourth switching powerplay's with neither team able to capitalize with the man advantage. Jackson Alexander snuck in from the point, before being denied by Anthony Yamnitsky on a late powerplay. It was 3-0 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. The Grizzlies looked to have their legs going early, looked pretty good off the opening draw, but fell behind two goals after giving up an early goal. Victoria would surrender back to back goals just minutes apart. I thought the Grizz looked a little better but didn't generate-create much, while the Snakes were again skating hard, got two big back to back goals, minutes apart to give them a three goal coushin heading into the 3rd. I thought the Vipers were again the better of the two teams. The Victoria coaching staff, weren't too pleased with some of the calls, complaining to the officials on at least two plays. Vernon had some good looks, didn't generate a ton of opportunities, carried a lot of the play. I thought the Snakes penalty kill was aggressive and was able to open up some ice to create/generate some chances on the PK. Vernon outshot Victoria 11-8.
3rd Period: The Vipers started the third on the powerplay, that was carried over from the end of the 2nd period. Cole Noble come up with a huge shot block, went down in a hurry, was a little slow getting up, hobbled to the bench in pain. Getting several pats on the helmet from his mates, Noble toughed it up and stayed in the game. The Grizzlies able to kill off the remainder of the penalty. Just minutes in Ryan Nolan on an odd man rush, decided to keep and do it himself, missed the goal on a missed opportunity. The Grizzlies would get an early powerplay, had some good looks, missed from in close couldnt capitalize as Vernon killed off the minor. Up 3-0 the Vipers sat back, playing a more defensive game. Again the Grizzlies with several good looks, couldn't finish in close, missed the net on several occasions. Marty Westhaver with a grade a chance in front, was stoned by Anthony Yamnitsky. Yamnitsky had to be sharp made several key saves in the 3rd. Just before the halfway mark Yamnitsky come up with a big stop on Shawn O'Malley before Victoria would get back to back powerplay's in the second half. With several good looks, the Viper penalty kill was also as good killing off the first minor. Late in the game Anthony Yamnitsky come across the blue paint to make a large save off Cameron Thompson, the Grizz kept the play alive, before setting up Justin Michaelian in the slot, beating Yamnitsky cutting the Vernon lead to 3-1 at 17:37 Cameron Thompson drew the helper. Victoria would call a late timeout with about 1:13 to go, getting Shawn Parkinson to the bench for the extra attacker. The Grizz had troubles getting any traction with the goaltender pulled. Jesse Lansdell shot for the empty cage but Dayne Finnson come up with a big defensive play, keeping the puck from going into the open goal. On the same play-shift, Niko Karamanis fired a shot from just outside the neutral zone, just missing the open cage. The Snakes come close to adding an empty netter, would come away with the 3-1 victory. Up three goals in the final frame it was all Victoria as the Grizzlies carried the better of the play for most of the twenty minutes. The Vipers sitting on a three goal lead, didn't get any kind of pressure-zone time, saw most of the period in their own end. The Grizzlies fought hard, had several good looks-opportunities, only managed one goal. Victoria had trouble finishing in close-around the goal, missed on their opportunities. The Vipers may have caught a few breaks, hung on for the win. Victoria outshot Vernon 9-2.
Top Player's: (Vernon)
Niko Karamanis (1 goal) I thought had a strong night. Was really flying, played with a ton of jump/energy, kept his feet moving, was a work horse for Vernon.
Mitch Andres (1 goal) Scored his first career BCHL goal was also very good in the win this evening. Andres a bigger body, takes the body, played well at both ends of the rink.
Anthony Yamnitsky (24 saves) Didn't see a ton of rubber, but stood tall between the pipes when needing to come up with the big stops. I thought the veteran goaltender was dialed in tonight, looked ready-confident, was in the zone all night.
Game Thought's: (Vernon)
The Vipers with a much more consistent effort tonight over last night's 6-3 win over Trail. I didn't think Vernon played their best hockey the past two games with a 2-1 loss to Wenatchee Wednesday and the 6-3 victory over Trail last night. Yes the Snakes played fairly well in two of the three periods last night, I thought really had their legs going tonight, were skating hard, played with a lot of jump/energy. I thought the Viper defence played very well in front of Anthony Yamnitsky, the penalty kill was very aggressive-dangerous tonight. I don't like teams sitting on a 3rd period lead, the Vipers gave up several opportunities in that 3rd period, may have got lucky at times with either Victoria missing the goal-opportunities from in close or relying on their goaltender to bail them out. Either way the Vipers were able to sit on the three goal lead, and come away with the win. The Snakes played more as a team tonight, compared to the past two home games. I thought everyone looked engaged and ready to go from the drop of the puck. Give credit to the Vipers who were playing without several key veterans. Very disappointing crowds this weekend. After the Vipers return home from a four game road trip, the team cant even get over 2000 people in the rink for at least one of the two home games this weekend? Pretty disappointed. Nice to see a select few Victoria fans in attendance. With the win Vernon improves to 21-7-0-4 still remain atop the Interior Division-overall standings, are still three points up on Penticton but move six points ahead of Wenatchee & Trail.
Top Player's: (Victoria)
Marty Westhaver I thought was one of the Grizzlies more consistent players.
TJ Friedmann was announced as a scratch before the game started, was in the lineup and Victoria's best player. Had a few looks-opportunities, is a bigger body, took the body on occasion, played well at both ends of the rink.
Game Thought's: (Victoria)
The Grizzlies didn't get off to a great start. The Snakes jumped on Victoria early and often, opened the scoring just minutes in. The Grizz back on their heels at times didn't seem to get their legs going and finally generate-get any real zone time until the second half of the opening frame. I thought Victoria played a little better at the start of the middle frame but gave up two quick-early back to back goals, wich put them down 3-0 on the road in a tough rink to play in. Shawn Parkinson had troubles handling the puck early, made several saves but couldnt control the rebound or lost sight of the puck. Seemed to feel a little more confident as the game went on. The Grizzlies couldn't recover until the 3rd when they had several good looks-opportunities, with Vernon sitting on a three goal lead. Victoria had no finish in and around the net, had troubles capitalizing on their chances. Missed several opportunities in close, could have easily tied the game. Victoria was only down 3-0 and then 3-1 if they could have got to within a goal, their was still lots of time left on the clock. Overall the Grizzlies didn't get any real traction until the final frame. Victoria with a few looks-opportunities in the first two periods, needed more. The Grizzlies were a step behind the Vipers most of the night. The Grizzlies 2-1 losers in Prince George last night, had the long bus trip to Vernon, didn't have their legs going early and it showed. The Grizzlies missing several veteran players, who were out of the lineup. Victoria drops their third straight, have just one win in their last five games and four wins in their last thirteen. With the loss the Grizzlies fall to 14-12-3-1 remain 3rd in the Island Division.
Scratches:
Vernon:
Brett Stapley (At the WJAC)
Tanner Wishnowski (Injured)
Jordan Sandhu (Injured)
Jack Judson (Injured)
Ty Taylor (At the WJAC)
Victoria:
Alex Newhoot
Jamie Rome
Jordan Guiney
Drayson Pears
Zachary Rose
Energy Player of the Game:
Alex Swetlikoff
Three Star's:
1st Star: Niko Karamanis (1 goal)
2nd Star: Anthony Yamnitsky (24 saves)
3rd Star: Mitch Andres (1 goal)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
http://bchl.ca/stats/game-summary/8100
Game Report,
https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/official-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=8100
Text-Boxscore,
https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/text-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=8100
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