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 today's Vernon Vipers-West Kelowna Warriors game as the Warriors defeated the Vipers 4-2 in front of 2,091 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Ethan David
West Kelowna Warriors: Rorke Applebee
2nd Period: It was all West Kelowna in the middle frame as the Tribe outplayed and outworked Vernon for most of the period. The Warriors had a ton of puck possession, zone time but didn't generate a whole lot of offence in the first half. WK had the edge in play but wasn't overly impressive until turning it on in the second half. West Kelowna with a ton of odd man rushes, had some good looks and opportunities but didn't get a lot of pucks to the net, missed on several opportunities. Trent Wilson hit the post. The Vipers looked flat, sluggish, tired, just weren't skating. Vernon was almost standing still watching the Warriors skate and move the puck. The Snakes couldn't make a pass, were turning over pucks, losing battles, losing races for the puck, being beat to the puck, breaking down defensively, just didn't look good at all. Vernon struggled offensively, saw a lot of time in their own end. Adam Csabi gives the Vipers the lead very late in the period on a power play. It was 2-1 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. The Warriors outshoot the Vipers 9-5.
3rd Period: For a second straight period, the Warriors were the better team. West Kelowna carried the better of the play, had a ton of zone time & puck possession. Eliot Compton tied the game on a fluke bounce off the end wall, that went in and off Ethan David. Vernon struggled offensively, had troubles getting through the neutral zone, saw a lot of time in their own end. The Vipers once again were standing around, looked flat, slow, were turning over pucks, losing races, battles and played with no energy. West Kelowna would come away with a 3rd period comeback for the 4-2 victory. The Warriors outshot the Vipers 9-7.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Georgios Stavrianeas I thought played with some jump/energy, was skating, made some plays offensively and hustled back on a couple of good back checks
Owen Kim Was another forward who played hard, played with some zip, was in finishing checks and getting under the skin of the visitors
Ethan David (26 saves) I thought made at least three or four large saves in the opening frame, keeping his team in the game with the Warriors up a goal. David played well in goal but got no help from his offence/rest of the team
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- After a large crowd of over 3,000 people last night, a much smaller crowd this evening
- The Vipers are 1-4-0-0 vs West Kelowna
- The Vipers were lucky to even be in tonight's game as the Warriors could have easily potted a few early opportunities and gone up two or three goals in the 1st
- Vernon went 1-5 with the man advantage
- I thought the Snakes responded after a tough start and played much better in the second half of the 1st period but other then the final ten minutes Vernon didn't look good or play good at all
- Defenceman Zhenya Miles played with the Warriors during the 2022-23 season and this season before being traded to the Vipers February 10th 2024
- Vernon struggled for most of tonight's game, were making mistakes through out the game
- The Vipers next game is Friday in Merritt
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,091
- The Snakes passing was terrible. Vernon struggling passing, was turning over pucks through out the entire game
- After a big emotional win over Prince George on Friday, the Vipers didn't show up tonight in a very disappointing loss to the Warriors
- The Vipers are two points back of 3rd place Salmon Arm
- The Snakes have won six of their last eight home games
- The Vipers struggled offensively, other then some good looks/chances in the second half of the 1st period, Vernon struggled to get pucks to the net and create chances in the 2nd and 3rd periods
- The Vipers power play struggled tonight, going 1-5
- With the Vipers trying to stay ahead of 5th place Trail and catch 3rd place Salmon Arm, you would think the Vipers would have been ready to play and better performance
- Vernon looked flat, slow and sluggish most of the hockey game
- The Vipers are 15-6-1-0 at Kal Tire Place
- Defenceman Etienne Lessard had a terrible game, Was turning over pucks often, making mistakes, didn't have a good game tonight
- The Vipers are three points ahead of 5th place Trail
- The Vipers have lost three of their last five games and won six of their last ten games
- The Vipers have been very inconsistent all season and it showed again this weekend
- The Snakes have eight games remaining in the regular season
- How big was tonight's game? Salmon Arm lost 4-1 to Trail this evening. A Vipers win and Vernon would be tied with Salmon Arm
- Defenceman Lukas McCloskey with some turnovers, didn't have a good game
- The Vipers weren't skating, were outplayed, outworked, outshot, outscored, lost the races for the puck, & lost the battles along the boards
- Vernon played with very little to no intensity, had no jump/energy through out the game other then maybe the second half of the opening frame
- How great have the large crowds been at Vipers home games this season? When it's a smaller crowd tonight, you sure notice the difference in atmosphere and energy in the arena
- Vipers Head Coach/GM Jason McKee wasn't behind the bench
- This was the fifth and final regular season meeting vs West Kelowna this season
- Carson McGinley hit the post in the 1st period
- Ethan David kept the Snakes in tonight's game. David made three or four big saves in the 1st period with the Tribe up 1-0 as the Warriors could have easily opened the game open
- Tonight's the second game of a two game home stand
- A very poor performance from the Vipers tonight
- Vernon gave up a ton of odd man rushes tonight
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 27-18-1-0 sits 4th in the Interior Conference
West Kelowna Warriors Top Performers:
Callum Hughes (1 goal & 2 assists) This kid is quick, can skate, move the puck, has some skill and a very good hockey player. Skated through what seemed like the entire Vipers team in the 3rd period to give West Kelowna a 3-2 lead
Felix Caron Seems to always play well vs the Snakes, played well tonight. I thought looked good with and without the puck. This kid is always involved in the play, goes to the net, had a couple of looks/opportunities
Sean Keohane (1 goal) Opened the scoring tonight at 1:33 of the opening frame. A big body, played very well
Caden Kemkaran-Humble (2 assists) Looked good, played well
Viggo Nordstrom Is another forward who is very skilled, has some soft hands, can see and read the ice well, didn't pick up a point but made some plays, I thought looked good
Trent Wilson Hit the post in the 2nd period, looked good in the win
Rorke Applebee (21 saves) Wasn't tested often but did make some key saves in the 1st period with Vernon pressing in the second half. I also thought he made a big save in the 2nd and 3rd period with the score still tied
Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors
- The Warriors are 3-0-0-0 in Vernon
- WK was by far the better team as the Tribe outplayed, outworked, outskated, outshot and outscored the Vipers for most of tonight's contest
- The Warriors come ready to play and jumped on Vernon off the opening puck drop. West Kelowna played with a ton of speed, were winning the races, winning the battles, forcing the Vipers into turnovers, making mistakes.
- West Kelowna's penalty kill was very good
- I spotted a few Warriors fans at tonight's game
- The Warriors next game is Friday vs the visiting Penticton Vees
- Warriors Assistant Coach Josh Gorges wasn't behind the bench tonight. Gorges was captain of the Kelowna Rockets Memorial Cup winning team and played fourteen seasons in the NHL with Buffalo, San Jose & Montreal
- The Tribe are 14-6-4-0 on the road this season
- The Warriors are eight points ahead of 3rd place Salmon Arm
- WK has seven regular season games left
- The Warriors missed several opportunities, could have easily won 7-1 or 8-1 if they capitalized on some of their chances
- Warriors Head Coach Simon Ferguson likes to argue or complain to the officials on almost every stoppage in play
- The Warriors have lost five of their last seven road games
- The Tribe are eight points back of Division leading Penticton
- This Warriors team is quick, can move the puck, have a good transition, have several skilled forwards
- West Kelowna went 0-1 with the power play
- Warriors Head Coach/GM Simon Ferguson played with the Kelowna Rockets Memorial Cup winning team
- The Warriors have won three of their last five games but lost six of their last ten games
- With the win, West Kelowna improves to 28-10-9-0 sit 2nd in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Payton Struck
Owen King (Injured-Out for season)
Ewan McPherson
Linden Burrett
Bronson Ross
West Kelowna Warriors:
Simon Houge
Brennan Nelson
Michael Salandra
Energy Player of the Game:
Isaac Tremblay (1 goal)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Callum Hughes (1 goal & 2 assists)
2nd Star: Adam Csabi (1 goal)
3rd Star: Caden Kemkaran-Humble (2 assists)
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.
4 comments:
Your " Game Thoughts" of last nights game are spot on! Not much more to be said.
A disappointing loss for sure. Quite simply we were beaten by a better team, one that was more prepared and played a better overall team game. VDHF... on the post game show it was mentioned that the Vipers looked tired, you also mention this in your recap. Both teams came into this game after hard fought games on Friday night. I agree with this assessment, there were Viper players who were dominant on Friday and invisible on Saturday. Fitness should not be an issue with these young athletes so I propose that the fatigue was more mental fatigue than physical fatigue. It is very understandable with the mental gymnastics these young men have gone through the past week from the coaching drama. The Vipers are a very talented bunch but they appear very fragile at the moment. It will take a while for Lucus & Colton to rebuild their team confidence & esteem, I hope there are enough regular season games left before playoffs. Let's put our disappointment aside and support these two young coaches and this talented team. Go Vipers Go!!!
This Viper team needs some serious coaching . Passing , power play is a mess. How many times did vipers run into each other last night ? You can’t have two young coaches co-coaching you could tell that will not work .
My Question is McKee has been fired ? It has been a week since the Saturday/ Sunday actions by McKee why has the viper organization not said anything about the firing or who is the head coach is now to its loyal fan base ? Poorly handled.
Funny how an ownership group can keep a coach that long, have such bad reviews in the community, never do any improvement in terms of marketing or atmosphere, yet get rewarded with record crowds that make the entire 2010 era look bad.
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