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 1 Playoff game between the Vernon Vipers & Penticton Vees as the Vees took Game 1 4-3 in overtime in front of 2,321 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Ethan David
Penticton Vees: Will Ingemann
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2nd Period: For a second straight period the Vipers held their own and I thought they had a slight edge in play. Vernon was getting more pucks to the net, had a little more zone time and puck possession and was leading 3-1 at one point. I thought the Snakes did a good job at shutting down Penticton's speed in the 2nd and limited their chances. For a second straight period, the Vipers don't get a PP. The Vees played well but didn't look nearly as sharp as the opening frame. Penticton gave up a lot more compared to a defensive 1st period. The Vees had some looks but not a whole lot of quality chances. Penticton with the lone power play, capitalize late in the period to get within a goal. Up to this point it was a pretty clean hockey game until towards the end of the period when emotions started to heat up a bit. It was 3-2 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 10-7 for the Snakes.
3rd Period: The Snakes were the better of the two teams and carried the better of the play for most of the period. Vernon looked very good, were moving the puck, didn't turn over many pucks or make many mistakes, had a ton of zone time, puck possession and had the Vees in their own end for a lot of the period. The Vipers had some good looks and some chances. Halfway through the 3rd, the Snakes couldn't capitalize with the man advantage and this cost them. Instead of taking a two goal lead, the Vees with a big PK are only down a goal. Towards the end of the period, Vernon looks tired and with about four minutes remaining the momentum changes and the Vees press late. Callum Arnott's harmless looking shot from the circle ties the game at 17:58 on a goal Vipers starting netminder Ethan David would like back. The SOEC is rocking and the Vees have the momentum and look for the winner in the final two minutes. The Vipers are lucky enough to just hang on and force overtime. Penticton played most of the period in their own end, were back on their heels often, running around, didn't look like the regular Vees were use to watching. The Vees with a huge PK manage to tie the game late to force overtime. It was 3-3 after 60 minutes of play. Shots were 11-8 Penticton.
Overtime: The Vipers started OT on the PP that was carried over from the final ten seconds of the 3rd. Vernon gets a couple of looks but struggles with the man advantage before allowing the Vees to break out with the odd man rush. Anselmo Rego outwaits a diving Noah Dorey before going in alone and roofing the OT winner high past Ethan David, sending the South Okanagan Events Centre into a frenzy. Rego's shorthanded goal come at 1:40 of the extra frame. Shots were 1-0 Vees.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Julain Facchinelli I thought worked hard/competed and played very well in the overtime loss. Facchinelli was hard in on the forecheck, strong on the boards, made some plays. Facchinelli come very close to getting a breakaway late in the 3rd but ran out of gas before three Vees caught up and broke up the play
Noah Dorey (1 goal) had a strong game on the Vipers blueline. Was involved in the play often, made some smart plays to get the puck out of his own end.
The line of Owen Kim (1 goal), Isaac Tremblay (1 assist) and Georgios Stavrianeas (1 assist) was Vernon's best line. This line created/generated turnovers, chances and was giving the Vees all kinds of trouble.
Carson McGinley (1 goal) Was another forward who had a heck of a game. I have said this before, McGinley started off slow when arriving in Vernon but has come on the past two months and played very well. This kid is quick, hard to contain, hard to defend, was hard in on the forecheck this evening, turning over pucks and creating some offence
Luke Bibby Played hard, competed, looked good through out Game 1. This kid comes to play and never stops skating. Battled/competed tonight
Ethan David (31 saves) Has started all six playoff games and was forced to make some big saves through out the hockey game. David was very calm, confident and sharp but I think would like back the Vees game tying goal late in the 3rd
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- This is the 24th time in franchise history Penticton & Vernon have played in the playoffs
- Including the regular season, the Snakes are 0-3-1-0 in Penticton this season
- Vernon goes 0-2 with the man advantage
- The Vipers blow a 3-1 lead
- Lots of Vipers fans in attendance this evening
- Penticton may have had more puck possession and zone time in the 1st period but the Snakes held their own in the opening period. Vernon didn't get a lot of pucks to the net or generate a lot of quality chances but not only scored on their opportunities, had a 2-1 lead heading into the 2nd period
- Defenceman Connor Elliott played 4 games with the 2019-20 Penticton Vees
- The Vipers are 1-2 on the road in the Playoffs
- I liked the Vipers 2nd period and thought they had a slight edge in play. Vernon had more zone time, puck possession and were getting more pucks to the net in the middle frame. The Snakes had a 3-1 lead at one point, gave up a late PP goal took a 3-2 lead into the 3rd
- The last time the Vipers & Vees played in the playoffs was during the 2016-17 season. Penticton won the best of seven series in 7 games to advance to the BCHL league finals
- Will see what this Viper team is made of, heading into Game 2
- The Vipers allowed Penticton to hang around and allow them back in the hockey game
- Game 2 goes Saturday in Penticton
- The Vipers have struggled in their own end for most of this season, either turning over pucks, making mistakes, having trouble clearing the zone etc but tonight I thought did a much better job defensively and limiting their mistakes/turnovers
- The Snakes went 1-4-0-0 vs Penticton during the regular season
- I really liked Vernon's 3rd period and thought the Vipers were the better of the two teams. Vernon carried the better of the play for most of the period until the final four minutes, had a ton of zone time, puck possession and had some good looks/chances. The Vipers held their own vs a very good Penticton team were unable to get a two goal lead and ended up giving up the game tying goal late in the period that forced overtime
- The Vipers have lost eleven straight games in Penticton
- Since 2006 I have only missed one Vipers game in Penticton
- The Viper power play let them down tonight. Vernon had a great opportunity to take a two goal lead halfway through the 3rd but couldn't capitalize with the power play. Instead they give up the game tying goal late in the period forcing overtime. The Vipers then went on the PP in the final seconds of the 3rd before starting overtime on the man advantage. Vernon had a couple of looks in OT but struggled with the PP before giving up an odd man rush/shorthanded goal for the OT winner
- The Vipers last win in Penticton was a 2-1 overtime victory on October 18th 2019
- Games 3 & 4 go Tuesday and Wednesday in Vernon
- The Snakes have only one win in their last twenty games vs the Vees
- Up 3-1 the Vipers need to hold on and steal Game 1. This is the Playoffs, you can't blow a 3-1 lead and give up a late tying goal with two minutes remaining
- Including the regular season, the Vipers have won three of their last five games and seven of their last ten games
- Forward Luke Bibby was denied on a 3rd period breakaway, could have given Vernon a two goal lead
- The Vipers only win this season over the Vees was a 2-1 shootout victory in Vernon on November 25th
- Owen Kim opened the scoring at 1:03 of the 1st period as Vernon played with the lead until the Vees tied the game at 17:58 of the 3rd period
Penticton Vees Top Performers:
Nolan Stevenson I thought was one of the more better defencemen tonight. Saw a lot of minutes, played very well
Anselmo Rego (2 goals) Was one of the more skilled Vees forward this evening. Was hard to contain/defend, played very well
Zach Stringer played very well vs the Vipers during the regular season, wasn't involved much on the offensive side but did play with an edge and get under the skin of Vernon often
Thomas Pichette Is a good hockey player and played well in the victory
James Fisher played well vs the Snakes during the regular season, played well again in Game 1
Will Ingemann (21 saves) Went 1-1 vs the Vipers during the regular season, made some big saves at key times with the Snakes leading
Game Thought's: Penticton Vees
- The Vees are 3-0 at home during the Playoffs
- Vees forward Callum Arnott is the nephew of former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion Jason Arnott
- Penticton is very well structured and play very well at both ends of the rink
- The Vees have won eighteen straight home playoff games, going back to 2022
- The Snakes opened the scoring at 1:03 into the 1st period and were up 2-1 after twenty minutes of play but I thought Penticton was the better team, had more puck possession, zone time, were getting pucks to the net, had a couple of looks/chances, looked good
- The Vees go 1-2 with the power play
- Penticton trailed for most of the hockey game until Callum Arnott tied the game at 17:58 of the 3rd period to force overtime
- This team is very quick, can move the puck and dangerous in the offensive zone
- The Vees have a fan bus going to the games in Vernon this coming week
- The Vees have won twenty three of their last twenty five home playoff games
- I thought the Snakes were the better team at times during the 2nd period, had more of an edge in play and were the better team in the 3rd period. The Vees looked good at times during the 2nd period were back on their heels and saw a lot of time in their own end during the 3rd period. The Vees picked up their game in the final four minutes and took over the momentum for the remainder of the 3rd
- The Vees are looking to win three straight League Championships. The last team to win three straight League Championships was the Vernon Vipers from 2009-2011
- One of the smaller crowds I have witnessed at a Vipers game in Penticton. Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,321
- If you want a good hamburger, I recommend trying the burger/fries at a Vees game. Very delicious
- Prior to the Playoffs, the Vees had lost their last three regular season home games
- I can't count how many times I have seen Penticton either tie the game or win the game late in the 3rd period. Callum Arnott forces overtime with his game tying goal at 17:58 of the 3rd tonight
- I don't think Fred Harbinson and the Vees coaching staff with be pleased with the game tonight. Sure they battled back and won in overtime but I didn't think Penticton looked sharp or played their best game
- The Vees have won the past three playoff series over Vernon, winning the series in 2015, 2016 ad 2017
- Including the regular season, Penticton has won five straight and six of their last ten
- The Vees have a very good transition game
- Give the Vees credit, down 1-0 1:03 into Game 1 were down 2-1 after twenty minutes and 3-1 in the 2nd, get to within a goal heading into the 3rd before tying the game late and then scoring shorthanded in overtime
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Payton Struck
Ewan McPherson
Linden Burrett
Nick Mikan (Injured)
Penticton Vees:
Nate McIsaac
Daniel Buchbinder
Carson Lesiuk
Sharky Nowek
Energy Player of the Game:
Callum Arnott (1 goal)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Anselmo Rego (2 goals)
2nd Star: Billy Renfrew (1 goal)
3rd Star: Will Ingemann (21 saves)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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