Game Recap - 2nd Round Playoffs - Game 2 Penticton 3 Vernon 1

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 2 Playoff game between the Vernon Vipers & Penticton Vees as the Vees took Game 2 3-1 in front of 2,261 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon Vipers: Ethan David

Penticton Vees: Andrew Ness

1st Period: The opening period was a carbon copy of the 1st period in Game 1. The hometown Vees were the better team, carried the better of the play, had a ton of puck possession and zone time. Penticton was getting pucks to the net, creating/generating chances and outskated the Vipers most of the period. The Vees speed and skill was the difference. The Snakes were outplayed for most of the period, saw a lot of the period in their own end, had troubles defending and containing the Vees speed/skilled forwards. The Vipers gave up almost twenty shots and allowed Penticton to skate circles around them. Luke Bibby looked to open the scoring on just the Vipers third shot of the period at 7:06 but the officials went to video review and called the goal off due to a high stick. Vernon would open the scoring on a goal from Georgios Stavrianeas who's shot went off a Vees defender and then off goaltender Andrew Ness and into the back of the net. Zach Stringer tied the game 1:18 later. The Snakes struggled defensively and offensively, didn't have the puck enough times on their stick, didn't have a ton of zone time or pressure in the offensive zone and weren't getting pucks to the net. It was 1-1 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 18-8 Penticton.

2nd Period: For a second straight period, the Vees were once again the better team. Penticton carried the better of the play, had a lot of puck possession, zone time and pressure in the offensive zone. The Vees were creating/generating chances often. The Vees went 0-1 with the man advantage. The Vipers held their own at two different times within the first half but couldn't keep pace with the Vees. Vernon for a second straight period, struggled offensively, had trouble getting zone time and shots on goal. Ethan David was the difference, keeping Vernon in the hockey game. It was 1-1 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 12-6 Penticton.

3rd Period: The Vees basically put the game away early with two quick back to back goals minutes apart, had a two goal lead just over five minutes into the period. The Vipers were very upset with the officials on Penticton's third goal. The Vees should have been called with goaltender interference but with no call on the play, the goal stood. The Vipers went straight to the officials while the Viper bench erupted as Assistant Coach Colton Sparrow was livid, giving it to the officials. It was 3-1 Penticton and the game continued. This seemed to get under Vernon's skin as on the next shift, the Snakes starting hitting, taking some shots at the Vees as Vernon looked rattled and frustrated. It was all Penticton as the Vees once again were the better team and outplayed Vernon for most of the period. The Vees outskated the Vipers, had a ton of puck possession and zone time. The Vees didn't get a whole lot of opportunities in the 3rd but carried the play/had the puck on their stick often. The Snakes seemed to wake up late in the period and stepped up their play with about six minutes left. Vernon would finally gain some zone time, get pressure in the offensive zone and started getting some pucks to the goal and created a couple of looks/chances. The Vipers had just one shot on goal in the first thirteen minutes. The Vipers played their best hockey of the night, in the final five to six minutes. With Ethan David on the bench, the Vees missed at least four or five shots at the open cage as tempers heated up late in the period. The hometown Vees would take a 2-0 series lead after a 3-1 victory. Penticton outshot Vernon 14-7.

Vernon Vipers Top Performers:

Hank Cleaves was one of the lone bright spots for the Vipers in tonight's loss. I thought Cleaves played hard, was one of if not the only forward that really was skating/generating opportunities.

Ethan David (41 saves) I have said this often, Ethan David has been the Vipers MVP this season and carried this team on his back on most nights. Tonight was one of those nights where the Snakes were outplayed, outskated and heavily relied on their starting goaltender to bail them out but keep them in the hockey game. David was sharp, making several large saves from keeping this game from getting out of hand

Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers

- Games 3 & 4 go Tuesday and Wednesday in Vernon

- The Vipers went 1-4-0-0 vs the Vees during the regular season

- The Vipers were badly outplayed and outskated in the 1st period. Luke Bibby thought he scored the games first goal 7:06 into Game 2 but the goal was waived off after going to video review for a high stick. Vernon struggled in the opening frame defensively and offensively. The Vipers didn't have much puck possession or zone time, struggled to get pucks on net and the Vees were skating circles around Vernon in the offensive zone. This wasn't a good 1st period for the Snakes.

- Defenceman/Captain Connor Elliott played 4 games with the 2019-20 Penticton Vees

- Lots of Vipers fans at tonight's game

- Vernon didn't get a single power play this evening

- Was this the same Viper team I saw hold their own and almost upset Penticton in Game 1? Tonight's Vipers team wasn't the same Viper team I watched in Game 1

- The Vipers have lost twelve straight games in Penticton

- The Snakes had a couple of spurts in the 2nd period where they held their own and played not bad but were once again outplayed and outskated in the middle frame. The Vipers were very lucky to be tied heading into the 3rd as Ethan David kept his team in the hockey game during that 2nd period

- Forward Ewan McPherson made his Vipers Playoff debut tonight

- The fire alarm sounded just minutes into the hockey game. It was more like a chirping sound with these white lights flashing every so often. This went on for several minutes while staff at the hockey game were on phones. The game never stopped and shortly after the alarm was shut off

- The Vipers last win in Penticton was a 2-1 overtime victory on October 18th 2019

- Vernon struggled to get pucks to the net. The Vees blocked a ton of shots or took away time and space from the Vipers. The Snakes had one shot on goal in the first thirteen minutes of the 3rd period

- The Vipers have lost three straight road games and fall to 1-3 on the road in the Playoffs

- The Snakes struggled offensively all night. Vernon didn't get any real kind of pressure in the offensive zone until the final six minutes of the hockey game. Where was this in the first two periods?

- It was 1-1 heading into the 3rd and even though the Vipers were badly outplayed, had a chance to win it in the 3rd but Vernon gives up two quick goals just over five minutes into the frame. The Vipers get just one shot on goal in the first thirteen minutes of the period. Vernon didn't look good in any of the three periods

- Since 2006 I have missed only one Vipers game in Penticton

- The Vipers and the Viper bench were extremely heated over a non call/missed call on Penticton's third goal. The goal should have been waived off due to goaltender interference and wasn't. Assistant Coach Colton Sparrow lost it on the officials

- The Vipers were badly outplayed and outskated. Tonight's game wasn't even close

The Snakes gave the Vees way too much time and space, which allowed Penticton's forwards to skate circles and generated/create opportunities. The Vipers struggled in their own end

- The Vipers only win over Penticton this season was a 2-1 shootout victory in Vernon on November 25th

- The Snakes have lost three of their last four games

- Vernon's offensive players and veteran players were no where to be seen tonight

- After a hard fought overtime loss in Game 1 it was very disappointing to see the Vipers dominated/badly outplayed in Game 2

- Games 3 & 4 in Vernon are both must wins or the series is over. The Snakes don't want to go into Game 4 down 3-0 in the series or go back to Penticton for Game 5 down 3-1 in the series. If Vernon wants to make this a series and have any kind of a chance, they need to win the next two games on home ice

- Your not going to win many Playoff games giving up 44 shots

- You can't give a team like Penticton this much time and space. The Vipers need to use their size, play heavy, be physical but also stay disciplined. Vernon needs to finish their checks, make contact, don't make the game easy for the Vees which they did tonight

- This is the 24th time in franchise history Vernon and Penticton meet in the Playoffs

- The Vipers have only one win in their last twenty one games vs the Vees

- Ethan David was the difference and the only reason this game wasn't a blowout 

- The Vipers fall to 4-3 in the Playoffs

Penticton Vees Top Performers:

Nolan Stevenson I really liked his game for a second straight game. I thought has been very very good in both games this weekend

Billy Rendrew (1 assist) Played with speed, used his speed/skill to get past the Viper defenders and create/generate some looks/opportunities, I thought played very well in the Vees victory

Francisco Dell'Elce (1 assist) Is another d-man that played very well and looked good this evening

Thomas Pichette took a couple of hits also blocked a couple of shots, was skating on one leg at one point in the 2nd period, played a hard fought game

James Fisher (1 goal) I said it last night, this kid has played well vs Vernon this year and has played well in Games 1 & 2 of this series

Game Thought's: Penticton Vees

- The last time the Vees & Vipers met in the BCHL Playoffs was during the 2016-17 season. The Vees won the best of seven series 4 games to 3 to advance to the league finals

- I didn't think Penticton looked all that good in Game 1. The Vees quickly re-grouped and were ready to play tonight. I thought the Vees looked focused off the starting faceoff and completely outplayed the Snakes tonight

- The Vees improve to 6-0 in the Playoffs

- The hometown Vees were by far the better team in the 1st period, really took it to the Vipers early and often. Penticton was getting pucks to the net, generating some looks/chances, had a lot of puck possession, zone time and used their speed/skill to skate circles around Vernon's defenders

- The Vees are looking to win three straight BCHL Championships

- Penticton is 4-0 at home in these Playoffs

- The Vees should have been up at least a goal or two heading into the 3rd but couldn't solve Vipers starting netminder Ethan David in the 2nd period. The Vees were all over the Snakes for a second straight period couldn't buy a goal

- The Vees have won nineteen straight home Playoff games going back to 2022

- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,261 

- Penticton went 0-1 with the man advantage

- The Vees have a very quick transition game, can really move the puck/play up ice in a hurry

- The Vees have a fan bus coming to Vernon for Games 3 & 4 this coming week

- Andrew Ness (20 saves) wasn't tested much as Vernon didn't have a whole lot of scoring chances

- Penticton is very quick, has a lot of team speed and skilled forwards. This team is dangerous with and without the puck and it showed tonight

- The Vees have won twenty four of their last twenty six home Playoff games

- Where are all the Vees fans? I was very surprised to see small crowds for the first two games of this series. I can't remember the last time watching the Vipers play in Penticton with under 3000 fans

- Even though the game was 1-1 heading into the 3rd, it was still anyone's game. Penticton really stepped up their play and scored two quick goals just over five minutes into the final frame to basically put the game away

- The Vees have been rotating goaltenders every game in the Playoffs. Will Ingemann started Game 1 while Andrew Ness got the nod in goal for Game 2 tonight

- The Vees have just two players returning from last years Championship team

- Vees forward Callum Arnott is the nephew of former NHLer & Stanley Cup Champion Jason Arnott

- Penticton is very well coached, very well structured and play well at both ends of the rink

- The Vees played a team game tonight and it showed defensively as Penticton blocked a lot of shots tonight

Scratches:

Vernon Vipers:

Payton Struck

Owen King (Injured-Out for season)

Linden Burrett

Nick Mikan (Injured)

Penticton Vees:

Nate McIsaac

Daniel Buchbinder

Carson Lesiuk

Sharky Nowek

Energy Player of the Game:

Conyr Hellyer

Three Star's:

1st Star: James Fisher (1 goal)

2nd Star: Zach Stringer (1 goal)

3rd Star: Francisco Dell'Elce (1 assist)

Boxscore-Game Summary,

Vernon Vipers @ Penticton Vees Saturday, April 20, 2024 | BCHL League Site

Game Report,

Game Report (hockeytech.com)

Text Box Score,

Official statistics powered by LeagueStat.com (hockeytech.com)

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Here are some photo's I took before and during tonight's Vernon Vipers-Penticton Vees Game 2