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 2.8 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 today's Vernon Vipers-Powell River Kings game as the Vipers defeated Powell River 6-2 in front of 2,547 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Colin Reay
Powell River Kings: Vincent Lamberti
1st Period: I thought the visiting Powell River Kings had a lot more jump/energy and had more of an edge in play. The Kings had one or two good looks/opportunities may have not had many shots or scoring chances but were skating, moving the puck, generating some time in the offensive zone, outworking the Vipers at times and just played a very good 1st period on the road. The Snakes weren't skating, were sloppy at times, turning over pucks, were outworked and outskated often. I thought Vernon had two good chances and some time in the offensive zone but didn't look that good or play well. Vernon's PP struggled/didn't look good. Simon Binkley making his Vipers home debut rang a shot off the post early into the opening frame. It was 0-0 after 20 minutes of play. The Vipers went 0-2 with the power play. Shots were 11-6 for Vernon.
2nd Period: This period was a little more evenly matched but again I thought Powell River had a slight edge in play at times and were the better team at times. For a second straight period the Kings were quick, moving the puck, didn't generate a whole lot of opportunities but had some puck possession and simply worked hard. PR for a second straight period outskated and outworked Vernon for most of the period. The Snakes had some zone time and created some looks/chances weren't skating, looked sluggish compared to the visiting PR Kings. Vernon still making some mistakes/sloppy plays, just didn't look sharp. Both goaltenders played well. It was 1-1 after 40 minutes of play. The Vipers go 0-2 with the man advantage. Shots were 10-9 for the Vipers.
3rd Period: Starting the final frame on the PP, Nick Mikan scores twenty five seconds into the 3rd, giving the hometown Vipers their first lead of the evening. The Vipers with a good start and good period, played their best hockey of the night. Vernon was skating, moving the puck, making passes, limiting errors/mistakes, were moving the puck out of their own end, played with a lot more jump/energy and played well at both ends of the rink and created/generated some good looks/opportunities. The Snakes looked very good, played hard and were by far the better team. The Vipers with five 3rd period goals. Bronson Ross scored his first career BCHL goal. Colin Reay was tested and played well in goal. Filip Krajcik would hit the crossbar in the final minute of play. The Kings had troubles defending, took some penalties, didn't look like the same team we saw in the first two periods. I thought Powell River had at least three or four real good looks/quality chances but couldn't solve Colin Reay. Anthony Yu would be denied on a breakaway. The Vipers end the regular season with a 6-2 victory. Shots were 14-10 Powell River.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Filip Krajcik (2 assists) I thought took a hit in the 2nd period and looked a little shaken up, played very well on the Vipers blueline. With two assists also rang a shot off the crossbar inside the final minute of play
Etienne Lessard (1 goal & 2 assists) I think has struggled the past month or so but had a good game on the blueline this evening. Wasn't turning over pucks as often as in previous games and playing with a little more confidence tonight
Simon Binkley (AP) Has committed to the Vipers for the 2024-25 season, is playing in just his second game as an affiliated player. I thought looked good/impressive. Rang a shot off the post early into the 1st period, has some size and skill
Colin Reay (33 saves) Played very well between the pipes. I think Reay would like to have back the Kings 2nd shorthanded goal but otherwise was very strong in goal, making some big saves at key times in the hockey game. Made a large save off Anthony Yu on a 3rd period breakaway and then another big stop midway through the 3rd in tight
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers have won four of their last five games and won seven of their last ten games
- The Snakes open the BCHL playoffs at home April 5th vs the Trail Smoke Eaters
- Vernon went 2-6 with the man advantage
- I didn't like the Vipers 1st period. Sure they had a couple of looks, some zone time and were getting pucks to the net but I thought they looked sluggish, weren't skating, looked sloppy, making mistakes, poor passing, made several mistakes in their own end, were being outworked, outskated and beat to the puck often. I thought at times the play was even but overall I thought Powell River had a slight edge in play and was the better team
- Tonight was the first and only regular season game vs Powell River this season
- I thought Vernon's power play struggled in the first two periods, going 0-4. The Vipers PP was much better and improved in the 3rd period
- The Vipers are 18-6-2-0 at home this season
- "AP" Simon Binkley making his Vipers home debut rang a shot off the post early into the 1st period
- I didn't like the Vipers 2nd period as for a second straight period I thought Vernon wasn't skating, moving the puck, were making mistakes, poor passes, poor decisions, were being beat to the puck and outworked at times. I thought the Snakes had some puck possession, zone time but didn't generate a whole lot of offence
- Another big crowd for the final regular season home game. Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,547
- Assistant Coaches Colton Sparrow and Lukas Lomicky are 7-2-1-0 since taking over the Vipers bench after the team parted ways with Head Coach/GM Jason McKee
- I sure hope the schedule changes next season and we get to see all teams at least once. Not seeing every team this season isn't fair and seeing Salmon Arm etc eight or nine times a year gets tiring. It's hard to believe Powell River hasn't played in Vernon since 2019
- Forward Bronson Ross scored his first career BCHL goal
- I thought the Snakes played disciplined hockey and stayed out of the penalty box for most of the night
- The Vipers need to pick up their game and play with more consistency and way less mistakes etc if they want to get out of the 1st round of the playoffs
- The Snakes have won nine of their last twelve home games
- The 3rd period was anyone's for the taking. It was 1-1 but it was the Vipers who stepped up their play and were the better team coming away with the victory
- Former Vernon Lakers forward/Vernon Vipers Head Coach/GM Troy Mick was in attendance tonight
- I really liked the Snakes 3rd period and thought the hometown Vipers played their best hockey in the 3rd. Vernon looked very good, were skating, improved on their passing and breakout. The Vipers played with a lot more jump/energy, were moving the puck, limited their mistakes/turnovers and were the better team
- Defenceman Filip Krajcik rang a shot off the crossbar inside the final minute of play in the 3rd period
- The Vipers next game is Game 1 of the playoffs, April 5th at home vs the Trail Smoke Eaters
- One of the highlights/best moments for me tonight was watching the reaction after Bronson Ross scored his first career BCHL goal, being mobbed by his teammates and the emotion on the Vipers bench
- With the win, Vernon finishes the 2023-24 regular season with a 33-19-2-0 record, finish 4th in the Interior Conference
Powell River Kings Top Performers:
Asher Wites I thought played well on the Kings backend
Owen Thomas (1 assist) I thought was one of the Kings best players in the loss. Thomas was all over the ice this evening, stood out, was hard to contain/defend
Simone Dadie Was engaged in the play, plays with a bit of an edge, finishes his checks and made sure the Vipers noticed him
Wyatt Davis Was another forward who I thought played very well. This kid can skate, move the puck, has some skill and was another player that was hard to defend
Game Thought's: Powell River Kings
- Tonight was the final game of a four game road trip
- I thought the Kings have a much better team then their record shows
- Powell River went 0-1 with the man advantage
- Kings Head Coach/GM Glen Anderson won six Stanley Cups, played seventeen years in the NHL with Edmonton, Toronto, St. Louis & New York
- The Kings have lost four of their last five games and lost seven of their last ten games
- I thought the Kings got off to a good opening shift and played a very well opening period on the road. Powell River was skating, moving the puck, outworked and outskated the Vipers. The Kings didn't get a lot of shots or quality chances in that 1st period but had a bit of an edge in play and were the better team
- A good size turnout of Kings fans in attendance tonight
- The last time the Kings were in Vernon was a 3-0 loss September 21st 2019
- Powell River took eight minors, compared to Vernon's three
- I thought the Kings played a very well played 2nd period and again outskated and outplayed the hometown Vipers. The play was a little more even at times but the Kings had a slight edge in play. 1-1 heading into the 3rd was anyone's game
- Kings Assistant Coach Cliff Ronning played seventeen years in the NHL with St. Louis, Vancouver, Nashville, Pheonix, Los Angeles, Minnesota and the New York Islanders
- I really like the Kings new look/jerseys but not a fan of having the word "Kings" on the front as a logo
- The Kings have lost eight of their last ten games
- I'm not sure what happened but the Kings in the 3rd but they gave up five goals and didn't look like the same team we saw in the first two periods. Powell River was outplayed, took four minors, gave up several opportunities and had trouble defending a Viper team that really stepped up their play in the final twenty minutes
- The Kings are the one and only team not to make the BCHL playoffs this season
- With the loss, Powell River finishes the 2023-24 regular season with a 14-35-5-0 record, sit 9th in the Coastal Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Julian Facchinelli
Noah Dorey
Erik Pastro
Connor Elliott
Luke Pakulak
Anthony Cliche
Powell River Kings:
Henryk Lasky
Jace Harder
Kristians Samitis
Theodore Jette
Thomas Belzil
Carter Lundie
Justin Katz
Energy Player of the Game:
Isaac Tremblay (1 goal & 1 assist)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Bronson Ross (1 goal)
2nd Star: Etienne Lessard (1 goal & 2 assists)
3rd Star: Luke Bibby (1 goal & 2 assists)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
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Here are some photo's I took before and during today's Vernon Vipers-Powell River Kings game.
