I have had season tickets for the past 28 years and been following Junior hockey in Vernon for close to thirty five years. I have missed only three home games since the 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 opening round of the BCHL playoffs as Vernon defeated Salmon Arm 5-2 in Game 1 in front of 1,838 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon: Ty Taylor
Salmon Arm: Reid Cooper
1st Period: Inside the opening minute Keyvan Mokhtari blocked a shot with his hand looked to take a stinger, was trying to shake it off on his way to the bench, stayed in the game. The Silverbacks jumped on the Snakes early and often. Ryan Hogg faked the wrap around setup Tanner Campbell who caught second year Viper Ty Taylor going the other way opened the scoring giving Salmon Arm an earl 1-0 lead at 2:00 Hogg drew the lone assist. 1:04 later the Backs would get the games first powerplay, but unable to capitalize. Just before the penalty expired, Niko Karamanis used his wheels to try and blow by the SA defenceman before going hard to the goal, would be denied in close by Reid Cooper. The Viper bench looking for a penalty on the play, would be denied. Vernon would kill off the minor. The Gorillas with all the momentum and edge in play controlled the early play. Salmon Arm was outshooting Vernon 6-2 eight minutes into the opening game of the playoffs. At the midway mark the Vipers setup Jimmy Lambert wearing Les Reaney's old jersey #23 in the slot couldn't hit the goal from in close on a missed opportunity. Shortly after the Snakes would get their first look with the man advantage. On the PP a shot from the blueline would be redirected on it's way to the goal, just missing the far side. The Snakes with some looks before former Salmon Arm Silverback d-man Cameron Trott wired home a shot from the point tying the game 1-1 at 11:35 Derek Brown and Josh Latta collected the helpers. After being outshot 6-2 at one point, the Vipers were now ahead in shots 12-6. With just over six minutes remaining Justin Wilson got in behind the Viper defence before forcing Ty Taylor into making a large save in tight, keeping this game tied. Shortly after the Backs would get their second powerplay of the frame. The Snakes would kill off the penalty. It was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes of play. The Gorillas jumped on Vernon early and often. Needing just two minutes to open the scoring, were by far the better of the two teams in the first half. The Silverbacks had full puck possession, carried most of the play in the first ten minutes. SA was the more physical team, were laying the body, finishing their checks, were doing a lot of clutch grab, trying to slow down Vernon. The Backs were in the face of the Vipers most of the period, trying to get under their skin. The Vipers responded in the second half, tied the game on the PP, played much better, got stronger as the period continued. The Snakes carried a lot of the play and were the better team in the second half. Vernon outshot Salmon Arm 16-10.
2nd Period: For a second straight period the Silverbacks got the early jump on the Vipers. Though it was Jimmy Lambert with an early breakaway about 1:15 into the middle frame couldn't solve Silverbacks starting netminder Reid Cooper. It didn't take long before the Backs regrouped and capitalized. Former Vernon Vipers forward Brandon Whistle won the draw back to Tanner Campbell who beat Vipers starting goaltender Ty Taylor from the circle giving Salmon Arm a 2-1 lead at 1:35 Whistle with the only assist. Both teams went back and fourth early before Rhett Kingston went inside out on two Viper defenders about five and a half minutes in, was stopped in close by Ty Taylor. Just seconds later Salmon Arm sprung Justin Wilson in for the parcial breakaway couldn't solve Ty Taylor. Two big stops from the Viper goalie. On the following play/shift former Coquitlam Express goaltender Reid Cooper stopped Cameron Trott couldn't handle the rebound. Derek Brown with a quick backhand from in close tied the game 2-2 at 6:53 Trott & Jordan Sandhu picked up the assists. The Vipers with a strong push back. A minute later Mitch Andres dumped the puck in, Jesse Lansdell did all the work before spotting captain Jagger Williamson going to the front beat Reid Cooper giving Vernon a 3-2 lead and their first lead of the night at 7:53 Lansdell & Andres with the assists. On the following play/shift Vernon product Coleton Bilodeau with a chance in front couldn't beat Reid Cooper on a quality chance in front. Shortly after the Snakes would get caught with two many men giving the Gorillas the man advantage. On the PP a shot from the point would be redirected in front just missed the far corner by inches. The powerplay wouldn't last long before SA would take a penalty sending both teams to four on four. Vernon would eventually get a shortened powerplay before taking a minor of their own, sending both teams back to four on four. The Silverbacks would eventually get a shortened PP but unable to capitalize as the Vipers killed off the minor. During the play one of the two officials gave the Viper bench a warning for arguing with the officials. With two and a half minutes remaining Grayson Constable with a quality chance in close couldn't beat Ty Taylor in close. It was 3-2 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. For a second straight period the Backs had the early jump, got on the board in the opening two minutes. It was fairly even early with a lot of the play going back and fourth. I thought the Snakes got stronger as the middle frame went along and had a better edge in play in the second half. The Silverbacks missed the net often. Both teams didn't generate/create a lot of offensive chances.
3rd Period: Salmon Arm jumped on the Vipers off the opening faceoff. Vernon back on their heels, were caught standing around, had troubles clearing the zone. The Gorillas with a ton of pressure early forced Ty Taylor into making a large save off a quick release from the slot inside the opening minute. Vernon would get an early powerplay but a strong penalty kill from the Silverbacks would kill off the minor. About a minute later Rhett Kingston and Jagger Williamson were exchanging words along the Salmon Arm blueline in between a stoppage in play. The two parted ways before former Viper defenceman Sol Seibel skated over, getting in Williamson's face as the two exchanged words. Tempers starting to heat up in Game 1. While it looked like things settled down, just before the faceoff a Salmon Arm player looked to take a swing from the bench towards former Chilliwack Chiefs forward Jesse Lansdell. One of the Silverbacks assistant coaches, pulled the Salmon Arm player back in a hurry before Lansdell and Demetri Kambeitz picked up minors. Mark Ferner upset stormed to the front of the Viper bench to argue with one of the officials as both benches were exchanging words. Three minutes later Jagger Williamson and Tanner Campbell got into a bit of a scrum as the two took a shot at one another before getting in one another's faces before both players were sent to the sin bin. On the following play/shift The Snakes setup former Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Josh Latta who was left alone in the slot, bet Reid Cooper with a quick release fivehole giving Vernon a 4-2 lead at 11:14 Jordan Sandhu and Derek Brown with the helpers. SA would call a timeout with about 2:45 remaining before getting Reid Cooper to the bench with 2:20 left. The Gorillas had trouble getting full control of the play before Jesse Lansdell setup Derek Brown who took a look at the open cage, spotted an open Mitch Andres who hit the open cage giving Vernon a 5-2 lead at 18:14 Brown & Lansdell collected the assists. The Silverbacks would send Reid Cooper back between the pipes to finish the game. With twenty two seconds left Sol Seibel with a quick shot from the high slot, forced Ty Taylor into making a big stop inside the final minute. Just as the buzzer sounded a Viper skated towards the Salmon Arm bench looking for the puck, while Tanner Campbell was trying to scoop up the game puck the Viper snuck in and grabbed it, causing a bit of a stir in front of the Gorillas bench. The lone Viper was in the mix of several Salmon Arm players before the officials had to quickly break things up. The Vipers would get the game puck and the win before saluting the crowd at centre ice. The Silverbacks jumped on Vernon early couldn't do any damage were shutdown most of the 3rd period. I thought the Snakes were the better of the two teams and carried most of the play. The Vipers had more puck possession and zone time were solid defensively. Until the final few minutes the Backs had just three shots on goal. Vernon didn't get a lot of scoring chances, kept the puck away from Salmon Arm most of the final frame. The Vipers with two goals played shutdown hockey come the 3rd. Vernon outshot Salmon Arm 12-5.
Top Player's: (Vernon)
Cameron Trott (1 goal & 1 assist) Facing his former team was very good on the Viper backend.
The line of Derek Brown (1 goal & 3 assists), Jordan Sandhu (2 assists) & Josh Latta (1 goal & 1 assist) Was Vernon's most offensive-dangerous unit in the victory. Sandhu played with a ton of jump/energy was flying all night. Winning races/battles was hard to contain. Brown was dangerous in and around the goal, had several good looks/chances. Very shifty and creative with the puck. Latta facing his former team for the first time since being traded to Vernon in December picked up the insurance marker in the third.
Jesse Lansdell (1 assist) Was physical, laying the body, was in the face of the Backs all night.
Jack Judson I thought was very good on the blueline. Showed a lot of poise in his playoff debut, looked confident, was good defensively.
Ty Taylor (23 saves) Was good down low and in close, was forced to making several saves in tight.
Game Thought's: (Vernon)
Things didn't look very good early as the Silverbacks jumped on Vernon off the opening faceoff. The Vipers give up the opening goal just two minutes in were a step behind and outplayed in the first ten minutes of Game 1. Give the Snakes credit, down a goal, they regrouped in a hurry, got their legs going and got better as the 1st period went on. A big powerplay goal from Cameron Trott tied the game and the Vipers were the better team in the second half of that opening frame. I thought once shaking off that rust in the first ten minutes the Vipers got stronger as the game went on. As the game went on I thought Vernon had more puck possession, were a step quicker and have more skill. The Snakes seemed to have trouble with Salmon Arm the opening faceoff of every period. Once shaking that off the Vipers quickly regrouped and seemed ok. Vernon seemed to fight off the clutch and grab from the Silverbacks opened up the ice as the game went on. The Vipers started pulling away in shots as the game went on, but in a one goal game in the 3rd this was anybody's game. It wasn't until Josh Latta's insurance goal 11:14 in the 3rd the Snakes started to pull away with the game. I really liked the Viper defence tonight. I thought got better/stronger as the game went on. Giving up just three shots until the final minutes of the game, played a solid shutdown third period limited the Gorillas time and space. The Vipers have won eight straight at home and five straight overall. Game 2 goes tomorrow night in Vernon. The Vipers are 7-2 vs Salmon Arm this season (exhibition, regular season & playoffs).
Top Player's: (Salmon Arm)
Julian Timba I thought was one of if not the better Silverbacks defenders. Carried the puck often. A smooth/good skater, moved the puck up ice, was solid on the backend.
Tanner Campbell (2 goals) Gave the Vipers troubles, scoring twice was always in and around the net. Not the biggest kid but plays big. Quick on his feet, seems to always find open ice.
Hudson Schandor Was another Salmon Arm forward I liked. A bigger body, was involved in the play, was driving to the goal, played well in the loss.
Trevor Adams Another kid that isn't all that big but at times looked good with and without the puck.
Game Thought's: (Salmon Arm)
After finishing the regular season with back to back wins over West Kelowna & Penticton the 7th place Salmon Arm Silverbacks jumped on the 2nd place Vipers off the opening faceoff. Tanner Campbell opened the scoring two minutes in and the Silverbacks put a bit of a scare into the Vipers/every at Kal Tire Place. The Backs were by far the better of the two teams that first ten minutes of the game, played Vernon tight. A little clutch and grab slowed down the Snakes limiting their time and space, come out hitting, were the more physical of the two teams, in that 1st period held their own in the first half. As the game continued SA couldn't contain the Viper speed and skill were still on the contest either tied or down a goal heading into the 3rd. The Backs missed the net often in the middle frame, gave up two goals a minute apart. Down a goal in the third the Gorillas tried intimidating the Snakes, getting under their skin between whistles. Salmon Arm had troubles mounting a comeback were limited in the offensive zone, didn't have a lot of puck possession, had troubles getting pucks to the net. The Silverbacks had troubles generating/creating any kind of offence in the final twenty minutes would surrender two goals to lose in Game 1. Overall I thought Vernon was the better of the two teams, had an edge in play at times, the Silverbacks were only down a goal heading into the 3rd needed more offence from their leaders/veterans. Three shots in the first seventeen minutes and five shots overall in the 3rd isn't going to win you many hockey games in the playoffs. SA didn't create or generate enough offensive opportunities in the 3rd to come close to tying the game or getting back in the game. The Snakes won 5-2 but this was not a 5-2 score, the game was actually close at times and one play/shift could have easily changed the game at anytime. The Gorillas seemed to be in the face of Viper captain often through out the game, trying to get under the skin of the Vernon product. Silverbacks wearing their purple third set jerseys for Game 1. Great to see a good size crowd of Salmon Arm fans make the trip. The Silverbacks have just one win in their last fourteen games vs the Vipers (regular season & playoffs) & one win in their last night trips to Vernon (regular season & playoffs).
Scratches:
Vernon:
Shane Kelly (Injured)
Josh Prokop (Injured-Out for the season)
Salmon Arm:
Max Wutzke
Logan Mostat
Energy Player of the Game:
Keyvan Mokhtari
Three Star's:
1st Star: Derek Brown (1 goal & 3 assists)
2nd Star: Tanner Campbell (2 goals)
3rd Star: Cameron Trott (1 goal & 1 assist)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
http://bchl.ca/stats/game-summary/8404
Game Report,
https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/official-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=8404
Text Boxscore,
https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/text-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=8404
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