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 2.7 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-Penticton Vees game as the Vees defeated the Vipers 4-2 in front of 4,308 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Colin Reay
Penticton Vees: Andrew Ness
2nd Period: The Snakes with a much better start, held their own and played well early. Vernon had more early puck possession and zone time, had a bit of an edge in play for the first ten or so minutes. Isaac Tremblay opened the scoring after captain Connor Elliott started the play in his own end. Just past the halfway mark, Penticton would get the only PP of the period and capitalize. The Snakes couldn't clear the zone on a couple of chances. The Vees defence made a strong play at the blueline to keep the puck onside, wich lead to Conyr Hellyer's redirect in front, tying the game 1-1 at 12:25 The strong play at the blueline to keep the puck onside, was the turning point that lead to the game tying goal, and then just seventeen seconds later, the Vees take their first lead of the evening and don't look back. The wheels fall off for Vernon as the hometown Vees score twice more to take a 4-1 lead. Penticton's third and fourth goals come twenty three seconds apart. The Vees took off the period and the remainder of the period and outplay the Vipers. Penticton hit the post once. The Vees finish the middle frame with loads of puck possession, zone time and get several chances in and around Vernon's goal. The Vees go 1-1 with the man advantage. It was 4-1 Penticton after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 17-12 Vees.
3rd Period: The first half both teams were fairly even with not a whole lot of opportunities at either ends of the rink. Vernon did come on in the second half but unable to really generate much offence as Penticton's defence kept the Viper shooters to the outside, took away the Snakes time and space and limited the Vipers chances. Isaac Tremblay scored from centre ice that cut Penticton's lead to two. The visiting Vipers pulled Colin Reay but unable to really generate much late in the contest. Penticton would hold on for the 4-2 victory. The Vees go 0-1 with the man advantage. Shots were 9-7 Vernon.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Noah Dorey Played a very well on the Snakes backend. Dorey was engaged in the play, played well at both ends of the rink, was physical, in the face of the Vees forwards and was getting pucks to the net. Saw a lot of minutes through out the game
Georgios Stavrianeas Played well, was involved in the play often, played hard, battled, competed, never quit skating and was mixing it up in the scrums. Played with a lot of jump/energy
Luke Bibby Played with an edge, seemed to be in the face of the Vees through out the contest
Connor Elliott (1 assist) Was another Vipers d-man I thought played well. The Viper captain saw a lot of ice time, was good five on five and on the PK
Bronson Ross Had a couple of shifts that stood out, played hard, competed and played with some jump in his game this evening
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- Tonight was the fifth and final regular season meeting vs the Penticton Vees
- Vernon needed seven and a half minutes to get their first shot of the hockey game
- Noah Dorey has gone from wearing jersey #3 to jersey #5
- The Vipers go 0-1 with the man advantage
- The Vipers have lost eighteen of their last nineteen games to the Vees
- A very small turnout of Vipers fans in attendance this evening
- The Vipers play four of their next six games at home
- The Snakes didn't get off to a good start and were outplayed in the first half of the opening period. The Vipers struggled offensively early, had troubles getting through the neutral zone, played better in the second half, were able to get some zone time, gain puck possession and get a couple of looks
- The Vipers are 11-10-0-0 on the road this season
- Forward Ewan McPherson made his Vipers debut tonight, wearing #14 picked up an assist
- The Snakes have lost three of their last five games and won six of their last ten games
- The Vipers are 1-3-0-0 in Penticton this season
- Vernon would get off to a good start to the 2nd period and play well for at least the first half. The Vipers had a slight edge in play, had more puck possession, zone time and were generating some chances. Isaac Tremblay opened the scoring. Conyr Hellyer's power play goal turned the tables and the momentum as the Vees would score four straight goals and outplay the Vipers for the remainder of the period
- Connor Elliott played 4 games with the 2019-20 Penticton Vees
- The Vipers are three points ahead of 5th place Trail and three points back of 3rd place Salmon Arm
- The Vipers have lost seven of their last ten road games
- The Vipers are 1-4-0-0 vs the Vees this season
- Defenceman Filip Krajcik made his Vipers debut tonight
- Down 4-1 heading to the 3rd, Vernon pushed hard in the 3rd but struggled offensively, didn't get a ton of chances. The Vipers had troubles getting pucks to the net, creating/generating offence
- The Vipers last win in Penticton was a 2-1 overtime victory on October 18th 2019
- Tonight was the third and final game of a three game road trip
- Giving up four straight goals in the 2nd period changed the momentum and basically put the game away. Leading 1-0 and then giving up two quick back to back goals seventeen seconds apart changed the momentum and turned the tables and the Vees ran with it and added two more for insurance
- Since 2006 I have only missed two Vipers games in Penticton
- The Vipers next game is Saturday vs the visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 24-15-1-0 sit 4th in the Interior Conference
Penticton Vees Top Performers:
Matthew Biotti I thought played very well on the Vees backend. Quick on his feet, moves the puck well, sees a lot of ice time
Noaln Stevenson Is another d-man that impressed me, I thought played well and looked good in the win
Anselmo Rego (1 goal) Scored the game winning goal in the 2nd period, was one of the more dangerous and offensive minded Vees forwards this evening. Quick on his feet, slick hands, hard to defend/contain, gave the Viper defenders troubles through out the contest
Zach Stringer Has played well vs Vernon this season and played well again tonight. Stringer was tangled up with a Viper player along the side wall in the 2nd period, as both players went to the ice, Stringer was slow to get up and in some discomfort, went straight to the Vees bench but stayed in the game and played well through out the hockey game. This kid comes to play, plays hard, doesn't back down, goes into the corners, battles, competes and plays with a lot of jump/energy
Thomas Pichette (1 goal) Was another Vees forward who looked good/played well. Was denied on a 1st period breakaway, hit the crosssbar in the opening frame, had some looks. Was hard to contain/defend
James Fisher (2 assists) Plays well vs the Snakes and played well tonight. With two helpers, played with lots of jump/energy. was involved in the play, in and around the net and made things happen
Game Thought's: Penticton Vees
- The Vees are 18-2-0-0 at home this season
- Penticton's next game is Saturday vs the visiting West Kelowna Warriors
- Overall the Vees were the better of the two teams and it showed
- The Vees were wearing special pink jerseys in honour of pink rink night this evening
- Penticton went 1-2 with the power play
- The hometown Vees jumped on the Vipers early and often and outplayed Vernon in the first half of the opening frame. Penticton was up 8-0 in shots only five minutes into the hockey game. The Vees were the better team in the first half, before the Snakes with a good push back, played well to finish the period
- The Vees are five points ahead of 2nd place West Kelowna
- Tonight was the second game of a three game home stand
- The Vees are very disciplined and don't take a lot of penalties and tonight was another good example, only taking two minors all night
- The TSN turning point would be in the middle frame with the Vees on the PP. Vernon had a couple of opportunities to clear the zone but couldn't. A Penticton defender made a great play to keep the puck onside at the blueline, that resulted in the game tying goal. The Vees would score seventeen seconds later and then add two more quick back to back goals, twenty three seconds apart to take a 4-1 lead heading into the 3rd
- A large crowd on hand at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Tonight's attendance was announced at 4,308
- The Vees have won six of their last seven home games
- Penticton basically put the game away in the second half of the middle frame with four unanswered goals
- Thomas Pichette had two breakaways
- Vees forward Callum Arnott is the nephew of former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion Jason Arnott
- The Vees play six of their next seven games on the road
- The Vees defence was solid in the 3rd, shutting down the Vipers offence. Penticton kept Vernon to the outside, took away time and space, blocked shots and limited the Snakes opportunities
- Lots and lots of kids in attendance tonight with what looked like several different elementary school kids at tonight's game
- Penticton is very well structured, can move the puck, has a good transition game, hard to defend and hard to contain, have so many different skilled forwards and a solid defence with good goaltending
- With the win, Penticton improves to 29-7-2-2 sit 1st in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Zhenya Miles
Owen King (Injured/Out for the season)
Linden Burrett
Nick Makin
Owen Kim (Injured)
Penticton Vees:
Attila Lippai
Nate McIsaac
Carson Lesiuk
Sharky Nowek
Energy Player of the Game:
James Fisher (2 assists)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Anselmo Rego (1 goal)
2nd Star: Conyr Hellyer (1 goal)
3rd Star: Thomas Pichette 1 goal)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions in the comment box below. Please be respectful when leaving comments.
As I said before you don't play a full sixty minutes against the vees and stay out of the penalty box you LOSE,LOSE,LOSE. The vees have to strong a team with there defense and offense for any team not to forget to play a full sixty. Like colton sparrow said you let your guard down against this team you go home with the loss. Sorry vipers but that is just the way it is.
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