Cowichan 3 Vernon 1

I have had season tickets for 29 years and been following junior hockey in Vernon for over thirty five years. I have missed four Vipers home games since 2009 and five Vipers home games since the 2002-03 season. For anyone who couldn't attend or watch tonight's Vipers game, here are my thought's and view's from tonight's game. You may agree or disagree but we all have our own opinion on the game. I try to be unbiased and give a fare game recap from both sides. Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog.

I was at tonight's Vipers-Capitals game as Cowichan defeated Vernon 3-1 in front of 1,990 fans at Kal Tire Place.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon: Bradley Cooper
Cowichan: Jack Grant

1st Period: The visiting Cowichan Capitals come out hitting off the opening faceoff before the Vipers would get the games first powerplay just over four minutes in. Vernon with just one shot struggled with the man advantage as Cowichan killed off the minor. Just before the halfway mark Teddy Wooding with a great opportunity would be denied in close by Jack Grant before getting a second opportunity on the rebound, fired the puck through the crease wich hit Luc Wilson before bouncing out front as the Snakes come close to opening the scoring. Luckily for Wilson the puck didn't go in and off his leg and into the back of the net. With seven and a half minutes left in the opening frame, Michael Young's quick release from the blueline forced Jack Grant into making a big stop off the blast from the point. Back come the Capitals the other way couldn't jam home a loose puck in front of Bradley Cooper on a goal mouth scramble. About a minute later Teddy Wooding tried setting up Ben Helgeson on a Viper two on one as the puck bounced over Helgeson's stick. A minute later Vernon product Matt Kowalski in close couldn't beat Jack Grant. Shortly after Connor Marritt with a solid chance in front, couldn't find the back of the net. With about three and a half minutes left Paul Selleck would be denied by Bradley Cooper who made a big stop keeping this a scoreless game. Inside the final minute Luc Wilson with a parcial breakaway couldn't solve Bradley Cooper. As the period was winding down, the Snakes couldn't clear the zone. Niko Esposito-Selivanov with a quick pass spotted Brady Lynn who beat Bradley Cooper with a quick release giving Cowichan a late 1-0 lead at 19:27 Esposito-Selivanov drew the lone helper. The Capitals would get their first look with the man advantage off the following faceoff, but would run out of time before the buzzer. It was 1-0 Cowichan after 20 minutes of play. Neither team had any real quality chances in the first half. The Capitals come out hitting, played with a lot of jump/energy, were quick to the puck, winning the races/battles but had troubles generating offence early. Both teams started creating/generating chances in the second half. I thought Vernon had several quality opportunities in the second half, had the better of the chances over the Capitals. Vernon missed at least two open cages, had some good looks, couldn't bury their chances. Vernon outshot Cowichan 13-9.

2nd Period: The Capitals started the middle frame on the powerplay, that was continued from the 1st period. Cowichan struggled with the man advantage as Vernon killed off the minor. Shortly after the Vipers would get an early powerplay on a strange call. Adam Conquest would get called for interference while on the Capitals bench also picked up a game misconduct. The Snakes with good pressure, eventually spotted Michael Young who beat Capitals starting goaltender Jack Grant from the point, tying the game 1-1 at 4:43 Tyler Ho and Teddy Wooding collected the assists. Within minutes after tying the game Connor Marritt alone in front couldn't solve Jack Grant who made a huge save in close, keeping this a tied game. Vernon kept pressing and would get several decent looks in and around the Cowichan goal but couldn't bury their opportunities. Elan Bar-Lev-Wise and Coleton Bilodeau both missed open nets, as the Vipers struggling offensively. Just past the midway mark the Capitals capitalized on a Vernon turnover. "AP" Quiring Steel coughed up the puck in front of the net, allowing Dan McIntyre to bury his chance, giving Cowichan a 2-1 lead at 9:42 McIntyre's goal was unassisted. Less then a minute later the Capitals would get a PP but once again couldn't do much with the powerplay, as the Vipers killed off the penalty. Just as the penalty expired, Vernon would jump on the man advantage. Getting some looks unable to capitalize as Cowichan killed off the minor. The Snakes would get a late powerplay. Teddy Wooding come very close to tying the game beat Jack Grant but not the crossbar as Cowichan killed off the minor and escaped the 2nd period. It was 2-1 Cowichan after 40 minutes of play. It was all Vernon early and often as the Vipers jumped on the Capitals for most of the first half. The Snakes tied the game early on a powerplay, had several good looks-opportunities couldn't bury their chances, also missed at least two open cages. Cowichan with just three shots in the first seven minutes. The Capitals turned things around in the second half, playing a little better but neither team really had any quality chances in the second half. The play was fairly evenly matched. Vernon outshot Cowichan 10-8.

3rd Period: Just six seconds into the final frame the Caps jumped on an early powerplay. The Vipers killed off the minor. Just as the penalty expired, Teddy Wooding hit his second crossbar of the evening as the Snakes come within inches of tying the game. Vernon would get an early powerplay but struggled as Cowichan killed off the penalty. The Vipers had some early looks but no real quality chances. As the period went on Vernon struggled offensively to get pucks to the net. The Capitals defence was solid in the 3rd keeping the Snakes to the outside, taking away time and space, limiting the Vipers chances. The Vipers then started to fall apart and get real sloppy, missing passes, losing the battles/races to the puck, had all kinds of troubles just getting pressure in the offensive zone. This was a very sloppy 3rd period full of all kinds of mistakes. Tempers heated up at times as a few minor scrums broke loose between both hockey clubs. Cowichan had one powerplay just past the halfway mark and capitalized. Luc Wilson put Cowichan up 3-1 at 12:50 Niko Esposito-Selivanov & David Melaragni picked up the assists. This basically took the wind out of the sail of the Vipers as fans started making their way to the exists early. With about four minutes left Tyler Ho and Cole Broadhurst got into a scuffle in a scrum in front of Jack Grant. Both players would be given minors and ten minute misconducts and tossed from the hockey game. The Vipers would call a late timeout and get Bradley Cooper to the bench for the extra attacker, down two goals. The visiting Capitals kept Vernon to the outside and along the wall for several minutes as the clock winded down. The Snakes with a few looks would be denied by Jack Grant. Niko Esposito-Selivanov took a shot at the open cage from just past centre as the puck went off a Viper defenceman and into the neutral zone. The Caps defence lead the rest of the way, blocking a few shots late, kept the Snakes away from the front of the goal, who were unable to really generate much inside the final minute before holding onto the 3-1 victory. This was a very sloppy period and full of mistakes from a Vipers fan point of view. Give full credit to Cowichan for collapsing in front of the goal, blocking shots, keeping the Vipers to the outside and away from the front of the net. The Caps limited Vernon's opportunities, took away time and space for most of the 3rd period. The Vipers down two goals created/generated very little offensive chances this period. Shots were even 13-13.

Top Player's: (Vernon)

Michael Young (1 goal) I thought played hard through out the night. Was one of the only Vipers d-men that seemed to be able to get pucks through and to the net.

Matt Kowalski Had a few quality chances in the opening frame, played with some energy, couldn't catch a break.

Connor Marritt I thought played very well in the first two periods. Had at least three quality opportunities, was going hard to the goal.

Nick Cherkowski wasn't noticeable in the first two periods but I thought was one of a very select few that played hard, battled and tried creating/or generating some offensive chances in the 3rd period. Saw lots of ice time in the final twenty minutes.

Teddy Wooding (1 assist) Was the Snakes best player in the loss. Was skating hard, created/generated lots of opportunities, was hard to defend against and hard to slow down. Come very close to scoring, hitting the crossbar twice in the loss.

Bradley Cooper (27 saves) Wasn't faced with a ton of rubber, played well between the pipes.

Game Thought's: (Vernon)

I thought the Vipers played fairly well in the first two periods. The Vipers didn't really get going until the second half of the 1st when they had several good looks-opportunities, couldn't bury their chances, also missed at least two open cages. In the 2nd period Vernon was strong early and outplayed Cowichan for a lot of the first half, again getting several looks-chances but only scoring once. The Snakes looked sloppy in the 3rd, making several mistakes-poor decisions. Giving up the 3rd goal really took the wind out of their sail and basically put the game away. Why were the Vipers playing one line full of "AP"s in the 3rd period when down two goals? I don't get it. Once again, its the same old story, the Vipers struggle offensively, have troubles scoring-burying their chances. With seven regulars out of your lineup, it doesn't matter who you play, its going to be tough on your team. The Vipers played their final home game of 2018 and will finish the month of December with a four game road trip. With the loss Vernon falls to 12-13-6-3 still remain 6th in the division, are a point up on Trail and three points back of Salmon Arm.

Top Player's: (Cowichan)

Niko Esposito-Selivanov (2 assists) Not the biggest kid, but plays with a lot of heart, never stops skating, always moving his feet. Played hard all night.

Jack Grant (35 saves) Was the difference making 35 saves in the Capitals net. Made some big stops in the second half of the opening frame and in the first half of the 2nd period. Not the biggest goaltender but quick on his feet, played very well.

Game Thought's: (Cowichan)

For a last place team the Cowichan Capitals come out with a ton of jump/energy, come out physical, winning the races/puck battles through out the game. The Capitals didn't generate a lot of offensive chances but scored on their opportunities and played hard through out the night. Give full credit to the Caps defence played large in the 3rd, collapsing in front of Jack Grant, kept Vernon to the outside and along the wall, pressured the Viper defence at the blueline, limited the Vipers time and space in the final twenty minutes. Cowichan blocking several shots as the 3rd period went along. With the win Cowichan improves to 9-20-4-1 sit last in the Island division.

Scratches:

Vernon:

Ben Sanderson (Injured)
Jagger Williamson (Injured)
Jesse Lansdell (Suspended)
Alex Swetlikoff (World Jr A Challenge)
Jack Judson (World Jr A Challenge)
Logan Chas (Injured)
Carver Watson (Injured)

Cowichan:

Doug Scott
Vincent Millette
Matthew Waite

Energy Player of the Game:

Teddy Wooding (1 assist)

Three Star's:

1st Star: Jack Grant (35 saves)
2nd Star: Dan McIntyre (1 goal)
3rd Star: Michael Young (1 goal)

Boxscore-Game Summary,

https://bchl.ca/stats/game-summary/8778 

Game Report,

https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/official-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=8778

Text Boxscore,

https://lscluster.hockeytech.com/game_reports/text-game-report.php?lang_id=1&client_code=bchl&game_id=8778