1st Round - Game 6 Vernon 3 West Kelowna 0

I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following Junior hockey in Vernon my whole life. My family watched Senior men's hockey in Vernon in the 1950's and has been watching Junior hockey in Vernon since it started in 1961. I have two family members that played Junior hockey in Vernon. I have had season tickets since 1990 and missed 5 home games since 2004 and 46 home games since 1990. I started and created this blog in November 2008 and have over 2.3 million viewers. For anyone who couldn't watch or attend tonight's Vipers game, here are my thoughts and views from tonight's hockey game. You may agree or disagree, but we all have our own opinion on the hockey game and see things differently. I try to be professional and give a fare game recap from both sides. Thank you for visiting my blog.

I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-West Kelowna Warriors Game 6 of the 1st Round of the playoffs as Vernon defeated West Kelowna 3-0 in front of 2,303 fans at Kal Tire Place and eliminated the West Kelowna Warriors in six games.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon Vipers: Ethan David 

West Kelowna Warriors: Cayden Camming

1st Period: The Warriors needed two and a half minutes to record the games first shot of the game, while the hometown Vipers needed almost four minutes to get their first shot of the period. The Warriors would get the games first opportunity about six minutes into the hockey game on a play where the puck come out front at the last second as Ethan David was alert to make the save from in close. With about eight and a half minutes remaining in the 1st period, Hank Cleaves had Cayden Hamming down and out but couldn't get the puck up and over the Tribe's netminder who was forced to make two big saves on the same play. About a minute or so later, Luke Ashton's point shot beat Cayden Hamming but not the crossbar. With about five minutes left, former Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Connor Welsh would be denied by Cayden Hamming. Nic Porchetta made his way to the dressing room and was gone for several minutes before returning to the West Kelowna bench. The Vipers would get the games first power play, inside the final minute but unable to capitalize before the buzzer. It was 0-0 after 20 minutes. This was a very tight checking 1st period with the play fairly even at both ends of the rink but I thought Vernon had a slight edge in play at times and had the better scoring chances. I thought the Snakes had three or four good looks/chances while the Warriors with just one. Vernon outshot West Kelowna 10-5.

2nd Period: The Snakes started the period on the man advantage that was carried over from the opening frame. With one second left in the PP Thomas Tien beat West Kelowna Warriors starting goaltender Cayden Hamming on a second opportunity, giving Vernon an early 1-0 lead at 1:24 Dylan Compton and Lee Parks collected the assists. Lee Parks would come right back and get a good look/chance down low shortly after the Vipers opened the scoring but couldn't solve Cayden Hamming down low. Shortly after Julian Facchinelli stepped over the blueline and ripped a shot past Cayden Hamming, giving Vernon an early 2-0 lead at 2:21 Griffen Barr & Anthony Cliche with the helpers. Vernon with two goals in sixty six seconds. Just over six minutes into the middle frame, Michael Salandra looked to get the Tribe on the scoreboard, but was unable to get a shot off in front on a missed opportunity. Shortly after Dylan Compton's point shot would be redirected by Reagan Milburn in front, giving Vernon a 3-0 lead at 7:04 Dylan Compton and Hank Cleaves picking up the assists. With about eight and a half minutes remaining, Viper forward/captain Seiya Tanaka-Campbell looked to have Cayden Hamming beat down low, but somehow the Warriors goaltender come up with a large save while flat on his belly, keeping this a 3-0 game. A few minutes later, West Kelowna would be caught with too many men, giving the Snakes a PP. Vernon didn't generate a whole lot as WK killed off the minor. It was 3-0 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. The Vipers were the better team and outplayed the Tribe. Vernon carried all of the play, had a ton of puck possession, zone time but didn't get a whole lot of opportunities, did score on the few they had. The Warriors had a few good shifts but had trouble gaining puck possession, getting out of their own end and generating zone time. West Kelowna went a long period of time without getting a shot on goal. Shots were 12-2 Vernon.

3rd Period: Just over two minutes into the final frame, a shot from outside the dot was redirected by former Wenatchee Wild forward Jonathan Horn in front. Horn's shot beat Cayden Hamming but not the post. The Snakes were all over the Warriors early and often as Cayden Hamming had to be sharp was forced to make three or four big stops on a scramble in front, keeping WK in the hockey game. Shortly after Connor Welsh with a quality chance/look would be denied by Cayden Hamming. Just over six minutes in, the Tribe would get their first power play of the evening. Luke Devlin would be stoned in front after a huge save from Vernon Vipers starting goaltender Ethan David. David then made a big pad save off Ben MacDonald as the Warriors get a few looks but unable to get on the board as the Snakes kill off the penalty. Connor Welsh lead a two on one attack, kept and shot would be stopped by Vernon product Cayden Hamming. A few minutes later Isaac Tremblay with some nice hands, got behind the WK defence, would be denied by Cayden Hamming before Marik Mamic took an undisciplined penalty, giving Vernon a two man advantage. Mamic was also given a ten minute misconduct and sent to the dressing room for the remainder of the period. The Vipers had some good looks late in the PP but once again Cayden Hamming stood tall, making several saves. Late in the PP West Kelowna would take another penalty, sending the Snakes to a shortened two man advantage. The Warriors would get some big saves from their goaltender as Vernon unable to capitalize with a lengthy PP. The hometown Vipers would eliminate the West Kelowna Warriors from the playoffs after a 3-0 victory and a 4-2 series win as the Vipers move on to face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Another strong period from Vernon as the Vipers were the better team for a second straight period. The Snakes once again outplayed the Warriors. Vernon jumped on the Tribe early and often, forcing Cayden Hamming to make several big stops and keeping this game from a blowout. The Vipers saw a lot of action in the offensive zone, had more puck possession, zone time, created/generated a ton of looks/chances. West Kelowna was down 3-0 and didn't have much gas left in the tank as the Tribe struggled offensively for a second straight period. WK saw a lot of the 3rd period in their own end, had troubles gaining any traction, zone time and generating opportunities. Vernon outshot West Kelowna 13-7.

Vernon Vipers Top Performers:

Julian Fachinneli (1 goal) Had a strong evening, played with a lot of jump/energy, created a lot of open ice and generated some chances

Griffen Barr (1 assist) I thought played very well as a forward tonight, was hard in on the forecheck, strong on pucks, won some battles and competed

Connor Welsh I thought had a couple of chances, was buzzing all night, played a very hard fought game

Seiya Tanaka-Campbell Was another forward who battled/competed and played hard through out the win

Connor Elliott turned over the puck on a couple of plays early but settled into the game as the game went along and played very well on the blueline

Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers

- With the win the Vipers move on to the 2nd round to face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks

- Former Vernon Vipers Head Coach/GM Troy Mick was at tonight's game

- The Vipers were eliminated in five games by the West Kelowna Warriors in last years playoffs

- This was one of the Snakes better games of the series as Vernon played a very good hockey game

- The Vipers went 1-4 with the man advantage

- The Vipers played a very disciplined game

- A good size crowd for a Sunday evening on Easter long weekend. Tonight's attendance was 2,303

- Look at how far this Vipers team has come and improved from the start of the season until now

- Vernon was by far the better team and outplayed the Warriors in the 2nd and 3rd periods

- Ethan David wasn't tested much, only made 14 saves for the shutout is now 4-0 in the playoffs

- Vernon made very few to little mistakes and played very close to sixty minutes

- The Snakes defenders did a good job at shutting down West Kelowna's offensive forwards, taking away time and space and limiting the Warriors shots on goals

- The Vipers went 1-2-0-2 vs the Warriors during the regular season

- Vernon played very well at both ends of the rink, were good defensively, eliminating West Kelowna's opportunities and only giving up nine shots in the final two periods

- The Vipers & Warriors have met five times in the playoffs with Vernon winning four of five playoff meetings

2006-07 1st Round Vipers won series 4-2

2010-11 1st Round Vipers won series 4-2

2013-14 1st Round Vipers won series 4-2

2021-22 1st Round Warriors won series 4-1

2022-23 1st Round Vipers won series 4-2

- The Vipers went 18-6-1-2 at home during the regular season and 2-1 at home in the playoffs. The Snakes have won seventeen of their last twenty three home games 

West Kelowna Warriors Top Performers:

Cayden Hamming (35 saves) Was by far the Warriors best player and kept West Kelowna in the hockey game and not allowing this game from turning into a blowout. Hamming played very well through out the series was heavily relied on this evening to bail out his team 

Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors

- The Warriors played well in the 1st period, didn't generate a whole lot but held their own in a tight checking opening period

- West Kelowna gave up two quick back to back goals early to start the 2nd period and it cost them as Vernon would eventually go ahead 3-0 and take the wind out of their sails

- The Tribe went 0-1 with the power play

- The Warriors struggled offensively, registered only fourteen shots on goal

- Cayden Hamming was relied on to bail out his team and keep WK in the hockey game, making 34 saves

- The Warriors were missing several veteran players due to injury 

- Warriors forward Christopher Duclair's older brother Anthony Duclair plays for the Florida Panthers

- West Kelowna were outplayed in the 2nd and 3rd periods 

- Your not going to win many hockey games with only two shots in a period

- West Kelowna has struggled on the road as of late. The Warriors have lost seventeen of their last twenty three road games

- The Warriors finished 3rd in the Interior Division with a 28-20-6-0 record go out in the opening round of the playoffs in six games

- Warriors Assistant Coach Josh Gorges wasn't on the bench tonight

Scratches:

Vernon Vipers:

Ethan Sundar (Injured)

Walker Erickson (Injured)

Luke Pakulak (Injured)

West Kelowna Warriors

Landen Hilditch

Matthew Fusco (Injured)

Brennan Nelson (Injured)

Felix Caron (Injured)

Kailus Green (Suspended)

Justin Katz (Injured)

Energy Player of the Game:

Three Star's:

1st Star:

2nd Star:

3rd Star:

Boxscore-Game Summary,

West Kelowna Warriors @ Vernon Vipers Sunday, April 09, 2023 | BCHL League Site

Game Report,

Game Report (hockeytech.com)

Text Box Score,

Official statistics powered by LeagueStat.com (hockeytech.com)

Vernon Junior Hockey History website,

VernonJrAHockey.CA

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Here are some photo's I took before and during tonight's Vernon Vipers-West Kelowna Warriors game.