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 2.9 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 Game 5 Playoff game between the Vernon Vipers & Penticton Vees as the Vees eliminated the Vipers in Game 5 2-1 in overtime in front of 2,308 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Ethan David
Penticton Vees: Will Ingemann
1st Period: The hometown Vees were the better team and outplayed the visiting Vernon Vipers most of the opening frame. Penticton carried the better of the play, had a lot more puck possession, more zone time, more shots on goal and the better of the chances. The Snakes had a couple of shifts and two very good looks/opportunities but struggled to make a pass, struggled coming out of their own end, struggled to get puck possession and zone time and didn't get many shots on goal. The Vipers needed almost seven minutes to record their first shot of the hockey game, while shots were 7-0 Vees four minutes into the game. It was 0-0 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 16-4 Penticton.
2nd Period: The Vipers re-grouped and played much better in the middle frame as both teams were fairly even in a very exciting back and fourth kind of game. Both teams had some good looks/opportunities while both goaltenders were forced to make some big stops. The Vipers played much better defensively, limiting the Vees opportunities and shots on goal but still struggled making passes. It was 0-0 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 7-7.
3rd Period: Three minutes into the final frame, Erik Pastro opened the scoring for the visiting Vipers. Both teams were fairly even for about the first five or so minutes before Penticton slowly started to pull away and take over the contest. The Vees were the better team and outplayed the Vipers for the remainder of the period. The Vees speed and skill started to give the Viper defenders difficulties as Vernon had troubles containing and defending the high powered Vees forwards. The Vipers went at least seven or eight minutes without a shot on goal while the Vees had a ton of puck possession, zone time and were getting some very good looks/chances. Ethan David was solid on goal for Vernon and forced to make some big stops, keeping this a one goal hockey game. With just over two minutes remaining the Vees would call a timeout and get Will Ingemann to the bench for the extra attacker. On a goal mouth scramble, Larry Keenan would force overtime at 18:09 tying the hockey gane. It was 1-1 after 60 minutes of play and going to overtime for a third time this series. Shots were 16-4 Penticton.
Overtime: Fourty two seconds into the extra frame, Thomas Pichette from behind the net, beat Ethan David shortside, giving the Penticton Vees a 2-1 come from behind overtime victory. The Vees bench erupted onto the ice as the South Okanagan Events Centre went into a frenzy. The loss ended the Vipers season as the Vees win the best of seven playoff series 4 games to 1 and advance to the Interior Conference Finals for a third straight season will face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Shots were 1-0 Penticton.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Carson McGinley Was a work horse and played a hard fought game. This kid was strong in on the forechecks, battled/competed all night, was forcing turnovers and generating some open ice/offence
The line of Georgios Stavrianeas (1 assist), Owen Kim and Isaac Tremblay was the Vipers best unit in the loss. This line was the Snakes best line this series and come to play tonight. All three were skating, moving the puck, generating/creating opportunities
Ethan David (38 saves) I have said it all season, David is the Vipers MVP and has carried this team on his back not only this season but last season as well. David was solid between the pipes the entire series and again tonight. The veteran netminder made some key saves in the 1st period with the Vees pressing and then again in the 3rd.
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The 2023-24 Vernon Vipers season comes to an end with tonight's overtime loss as the Vipers lost the best of seven playoff series 4 games to 1
- The Vernon Vipers Spring Camp goes this weekend from April 26-28th
- The Vipers went 1-4-0-0 vs Penticton during the regular season
- Vernon couldn't make a pass most of the night as the Vipers passing was terrible
- The Snakes not only struggled shooting and getting pucks on net but also struggled offensively not only tonight but the entire series. Vernon lacked puck possession and sustained pressure in the offensive zone. The Vipers seemed to be a quick in and out of the offensive zone way too many times during this series
- Vipers defenceman/captain Connor Elliott played 4 games with the 2019-20 Penticton Vees
- The Snakes have trouble competing with the Vees on most nights. Three games went to overtime but the Vees were by far the better team and outplayed the Vipers in most games this season (regular season & playoffs)
- Since 2006 I have only missed one Vipers game in Penticton
- The Snakes were outplayed for most of the 1st period. Vernon couldn't make a pass or break out of their own end most of the period. The Vipers needed almost seven minutes to get their first shot on goal, had a couple of good shifts/a couple of looks/opportunities other wise struggled offensively
- The Vipers went 0-1 with the man advantage
- The Snakes have lost thirteen straight games in Penticton
- For the second straight season the Vipers season comes to an end in overtime and in Game 5 Last year the Vipers lost in Salmon Arm in overtime in Game 5 to end the series and season
- Your not going to win many playoff games with only four shots in the 1st period and four shots in the 3rd period
- Vernon finishes the Playoffs with a 5-5 record
- The Snakes best period was the middle frame. I thought Vernon improved defensively, did a much better job at limiting the Vees time and space, didn't give up nearly as many shots or opportunities and got their offence going, would eventually get some puck possession, zone time and created/generate some chances
- I fair amount of Vipers fans in attendance tonight
- How many times have we seen the Vees tie a game or win a game late? Game 1 and tonight the Vees tie the game with about two minutes left and then win both games early into overtime. I can recall many occasions where the Vees have tied the game late or won it late in the dying seconds or minutes
- I noticed in the 1st period where Penticton had at least three or four shots that weren't even close to the net but counted as a shot on goal, while the Vipers had at least three shots in the same period on net that weren't counted as a shot on goal
- This is the 24th time in franchise history Vernon & Penticton have played in the Playoffs
- The Vipers last win in Penticton was a 2-1 overtime victory on October 18th 2019
- I don't care who your playing but when your down 3-1 in the series and have the lead late in the hockey game, you need to find a way to hang on for the win. The Vipers have a 1-0 lead late in the hockey game but give up the game tying goal at 18:09 and then lose in overtime to end the season
- The Vipers have only two wins over the Vees in their last twenty four games
- Tonight's game was very similar to Game 1. The Vipers held a 3-2 lead late in the game, allowed Penticton to tie the game at 17:58 and then give up a shorthanded goal 1:40 into overtime
- Erik Pastro opened the scoring and it looked like his goal may hold up as the game winner, instead the Vipers were outplayed, outskated, outshot, couldn't contain/defend the Vees, allow a late goal at 18:09 to tie the game and then lose in overtime. Vernon just like the opening frame struggled in the 3rd, saw a lot of the period in their own end, struggled offensively. The Vipers with a couple of good shifts but had troubles shooting the puck/getting pucks to the net, didn't have any sustained pressure in the offensive zone, were losing the battles, losing the faceoffs
- The Snakes needed almost seven minutes to record their first shot of the hockey game
- The last time Vernon made it past the second round of the playoffs and into the Interior Conference Finals, you have to go back to the 2018-19 season when the Vipers lost to Prince George in the League Finals
- The Vipers were oh so close to winning Game 1 and within two minutes of taking Game 5 tonight. If the Snakes would have been able to hold on for the win in Game 1 and again tonight, the Vipers would be heading home for Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead. Imagine that?
- Including the regular season and playoffs, Assistant Coaches Colton Sparrow and Lukas Lomicky went 12-5-3-0 behind the Vipers bench after the Vipers parted ways with former Head Coach/GM Jason McKee
- I liked Vernon's PK this evening. I thought the Snakes did a good job at limiting the Vees chances and killed off all three minors
- The big question heading into the summer months is who will be the Vipers Head Coach next season?
Vernon Vipers Graduating Players: (Going by Elite Prospects)
Julian Facchinelli
Ewan McPherson
Erik Pastro
Nick Mikan
Owen Kim
Hank Cleaves
Luke Pakulak
Isaac Tremblay
Noah Dorey
Connor Elliott
Anthony Cliche
Ethan David
I would like to take this time to thank the thousands of viewers who visit my blog daily and monthly not only reading my blog but also leaving comments. Without you the viewers, this blog doesn't exist. Since the Playoffs started, I have been averaging between 3000-6000 views a day, which is a new record for this blog. Thank you to everyone for visiting my blog and hoping you continue to read it through out the summer and will see you all back at the rink in the fall for the 2024-25 Vipers season.
Penticton Vees Top Performers:
Matthew Biotti I thought played a strong series but also was very good in the victory tonight. A big body that sees a lot of ice time and plays well at both ends of the rink
Callum Arnott (2 assists) This kid is a good hockey player and played well vs the Snakes this season and series. A good skater, can move the puck, has some skill and was hard to contain/defend. Setup the game tying goal and overtime winner
Simon Meier played well, had some looks, was involved in the play
Thomas Pichette (Overtime winner) This kid has played well vs Vernon during the regular season and playoffs. Is a big body, hard to knock off the puck, hard to defend against and contain, played well in Game 5
Will Ingemann (14 saves) Wasn't tested much but when tested made some big saves.
Game Thought's: Penticton Vees
- With the win, the Penticton Vees eliminate the Vernon Vipers in 5 games and advance to the Interior Conference Finals for a third straight year will face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,308
- What can you say about Fred Harbinson? The best coach/recruiter in the league and his Vees teams and records prove that
- The Vees were ready to play and played very well in a pretty dominating 1st period as the Vees were the better team and outplayed Vernon for most of the opening frame. Penticton was using their speed and skill to get lots of pucks on net, were outshooting the Snakes 7-0 four minutes into the hockey game, had lots of puck possession, zone time and sustained pressure, played well defensively, didn't give up a whole lot
- Penticton went 0-3 with the power play
- Where are all the Vees fans? Just over 2000 fans in the three home playoff games? I can't remember coming to a game with under 3000 fans
- This team is very quick, has a very good transition game
- Penticton is very shifty and hard to defend against and contain. The Vees do a real good job at avoid being hit, can turn on a dime and create a lot of open ice/generate a lot of opportunities
- Forward Callum Arnott is the nephew to former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion Jason Arnott
- In all of my years going to watch the Vipers play in Penticton, I have had several fans be rude or put the Vipers down with rude comments until tonight. Tonight was the first time where several different Vees fans walking by, stopped to say hi and talk about the game and give their opinion on the game and the series and all of them thanked me for coming down tonight and wished me and the Vipers all the best
- The Vees struggled with the man advantage tonight. Going 0-3 didn't get a whole lot of looks/chances as Vernon's PK was very good
- The Vees have rotated goaltenders every game from the start of the Playoffs and did again tonight as Andrew Ness got the start in goal in Vernon in Game 4, while Will Ingemann got the start in goal tonight
- The Vees have only two players back from last years Championship team
- The last time the Vipers & Vees met in the playoffs, Penticton won the best of seven playoff series 4 games to 3 in 2017
- The Vees improve to 8-1 in the Playoffs
- This Vees team is very good at coming from behind. The Vees were down in Game 1 and Game 5, both games tying the game late and winning the games early into overtime
- Penticton was very good on the draw, won a ton of faceoffs tonight
- I would like to take this time to congratulate the Penticton Vees on a good series and wish them all the best in the next round
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Zhenya Miles
Owen King (Injured-Out for season)
Linden Burrett
Nick Mikan (Injured)
Cooper Cleaves "AP"
Luke Pakulak (Injured)
Penticton Vees:
Nate McIsaac
Daniel Buchbinder
Carson Lesiuk
Sharky Nowek
Energy Player of the Game:
Conyr Hellyer
Three Star's:
1st Star: Thomas Pichette (Overtime winner)
2nd Star: Ethan David (38 saves)
3rd Star: Larry Keenan (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.
Here are some photo's I took before and during tonight's Vernon Vipers-Penticton Vees Game 5
