1st Period: I thought both teams were fairly even in a very entertaining opening frame. Both teams were skating hard, moving the puck as well as creating opportunities. Both goaltenders had to be sharp, played very well. The Warriors went 0-1 with the power play. It was 2-1 West Kelowna after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 9-7 Warriors.
2nd Period: I thought the Warriors had a bit of an edge early but the Vipers responded as the period continued. Tempers heated up at times with both teams getting involved in some of the after the whistle activities. Again both goaltenders were forced to make some big stops and played well. I thought the Snakes had the better of the scoring chances but both teams did generate/create some quality chances. The Vipers went 0-1 with the man advantage, while the Tribe went 0-3 with the PP. It was 3-2 Warriors after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 12-12.
3rd Period: The Vipers pressed hard early and often, erased a 3-1 deficit after Charlie Kresl tied the game on the PP at 6:12 West Kelowna stepped up their play shortly after and had Vernon back on their heels with a ton of pressure in the offensive zone. Vipers starting goaltender Colin Reay had to be sharp, was forced to make a couple of big stops with WK pressing. The Snakes struggled in the second half in their own end while the offence had troubles getting through the neutral zone. It was 3-3 after 60 minutes of play. Shots were 10-9 for the Warriors.
Overtime: The hometown Vipers were the better team in the extra frame, carried the better of the play and had the puck on their stick most of overtime. Vernon had loads of puck possession, created/generated a couple of good looks, while the Warriors had two quality chances of their own. West Kelowna saw a lot of time in their own end. Warriors starting goaltender Dawson Labre was the busier of the two netminders, kept the Tribe in the contest. The Vipers best opportunity come on a Carson McGinley breakaway before on the following play or two, the Snakes turned over the puck in the high slot, sending Carter Oakenfold in for the odd man rush. Oakenfold kept and fired, beating Colin Reay, giving the West Kelowna Warriors a 4-3 overtime victory as the Warriors bench erupted onto the ice. Shots were 5-4 Vernon.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Georgios Stavrianeas (1 goal) Scored a huge goal shorthanded late in the 2nd period, not only was this goal huge at the time but also key because it gave the team some life/confidence heading into the intermission/3rd period. I sound like a broken record but Stavrianeas comes to play every game/every shift, this kid plays with his heart on his sleeve. Played with a lot of jump/energy tonight
Marko Stojkov Made his Vipers debut this evening after signing with the team earlier today. The veteran 20 year old didn't look out of place, was physical, saw a ton of ice time, played very well on the Snakes blueline.
Carson McGinley I thought played very well in the Vipers loss Friday in West Kelowna, had another strong game in the Vipers home opener. McGinley is quick, used his speed and skill to find open ice, move the puck up ice in a hurry and generate/create chances. McGinley was denied on a 1st period breakaway and then stopped in overtime on a breakaway
Will Schumacher (1 goal) Opened the scoring for the Vipers in the 1st period, looked very good in the loss this evening other then his blind pass in the slot in overtime, that lead to the Warriors game winning goal. Schumacher has been one of the better Vipers forwards this season and has looked very good. I like the looks of this kid. This was a good addition to the Viper lineup.
Cooper Cleaves (1 assist) Played physical, was in the face of West Kelowna, played well on the backend.
Colin Reay (31 saves) I liked Reay's game in the loss last night, other then the Warriors second goal, thought Reay played very well again this evening in the Vipers home opener. Reay was solid in goal tonight, was forced to make some big stops. Reay made at least two, maybe three big saves with the Vipers down 3-1. If West Kelowna scores on those opportunities, this may have put the game away.
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers were wearing their alternate/third jerseys tonight
- Powell River, Vernon and Blackfalds are the only teams without a win this season
- A large crowd on hand for the Vipers home opener. Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,546
- Tonight was by far Vernon's best played game of the 2024-25 regular season
- The Vipers lost to the Warriors in the preseason 4-0 September 6th
- The games don't get any easier as the Vipers play in Salmon Arm Friday before hosting the Penticton Vees on Saturday
- The Snakes have lost four of their last six home openers
- The Vipers fully deserved a win tonight with their effort/performance
- Vernon went 1-2 with the power play
- I thought both teams were fairly even in the 1st period. Both teams had good looks/chances. This was an entertaining opening period. Both goaltenders had to be sharp, looked good/played well
- Defenceman Zhenya Miles played parts of two seasons with the West Kelowna Warriors from 2022-2024 was traded to Vernon February 9th 2024
- The Vipers really needed to capitalize on a few quality chances in and around the net. Charlie Kresl missed a wide open net early into the 1st period. I think the Vipers were stopped on two if not three breakaways
- Before tonight's game, the Vipers paid tribute to the 25th anniversary of the 1999 Vernon Vipers Championship team with several former players/coaches honoured at centre ice before the hockey game
- The Vipers PK was very good tonight, didn't give up a PP goal
- The Snakes couldn't seem to get any puck luck or a bounce go there way
- Nice to see all three concessions/beer gardens up and running all at the same time. The concessions/beer gardens were closed for renovations during the preseason. Looks like some new concessions/food for this season
- Tempers heated up at different times through out tonight's contest
- Vernon went 1-4-0-0 vs the Warriors during the 2023-24 regular season
- This was a very exciting/entertaining hockey game
- I thought the Warriors had a bit more edge in play on the Snakes to start the 2nd period, but as the period continued both teams were fairly even for the remainder of the period. Both teams had some good chances but I thought Vernon had the better quality chances. Both goaltenders played very well again
- The Vipers have yet to win a game this season. The last time Vernon started 0-3 was the 2022-23 season. Vernon started the 2003-04 season with one win in their first five games and started the 2013-14 season with one win in their first six games
- For the second time this season, Vipers fans got to witness instant replay
- I really like the addition of newcomer Marko Stojkov. Stojkov made his Vipers debut tonight and didn't look out of place, was physical, made some plays, was good at both ends of the rink, played very well
- The Vipers next game is Friday in Salmon Arm
- The Snakes play seven of their next nine games on the road
- The Vipers have three wins in their last seventeen games vs the Warriors
- One thing I have noticed this season, the Vipers can't score, they don't have a proven goal scorer or someone that can put the puck in the net. This has been a huge problem for many years
- I liked Vernon's start to the 3rd period, but as the period continued it was West Kelowna who looked good and had the Vipers back on their heels. The Vipers defence struggled in their own end and clearing the zone, while the offence also struggled getting through the neutral zone, didn't get much time in the offensive zone. The Snakes played a lot of the 3rd period in their own end
- Give Vernon credit for not folding the tents, rallied down 3-1 to force overtime but also get a single point
- This was by far the Vipers most complete game of the preseason/regular season. Sure they made some mistakes etc but overall this was their best effort/performance to date
- With the overtime loss, Vernon falls to 0-3-1-0 sits 10th in the Interior Conference
West Kelowna Warriors Top Performers:
Landon Hilditch Had a physical/strong game on the WK blueline. The Warriors captain played very well in the home and home series this long weekend
Callum Hughes (1 goal) Gave the Tribe a 3-1 lead in the 2nd period, was hard to contain/defend
Dylan Krayer (2 goals) Opened the scoring for West Kelowna, scored both of the Warriors goals in the 1st period, looked very impressive in the OT win
Jackson Krykostas (1 assist) I thought played well in the win, is shifty with the puck, gave the Vipers defenders trouble, had some looks
Jack Farrell Played well on the Warriors backend
Dawson Labre (30 saves) This kid played very well in goal for the WK Warriors. Labre allowed a couple of big rebounds but otherwise was solid between the pipes. Labre made some big stops at key times in the hockey game and none bigger then Carson McGinley on a breakaway in overtime
Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors
- Including the preseason/regular season, the Warriors are 3-0 vs the Vipers this season
- I spotted a couple of Warriors fans in attendance
- West Kelowna almost blew a two goal lead. The Tribe were ahead 3-1 in the 2nd period allowing Vernon to tie the game early into the 3rd
- The Warriors went 0-3 with the man advantage
- Warriors Head Coach/GM Simon Ferguson played on the 2004 Memorial Cup Champion Kelowna Rockets
- Defenceman Roarke Gilmour started the 2024-25 season with the Vernon Vipers. The Vipers signed Gilmour August 15th 2024. Gilmour was removed from the Vipers roster earlier this week
- West Kelowna has a big team with a lot of size
- Both goaltenders played very well, made some large saves at key times
- These two teams will meet again October 11th in Vernon
- The Warriors have a good transition game, move the puck quick up ice, are hard to defend/contain
- The Warriors have won fourteen of their last seventeen games vs the Vipers
- The Warriors next game is Friday in Trail
- Forward Jack Pridham was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks
- The Tribe play with a bit of an edge, like to take shots or use their sticks after the whistle, seemed to get under the skin of several Vipers tonight
- I wish the officials would start handing out penalties to the Warriors bench for the constant complaining after every play/or non call. Head Coach/GM Simon Ferguson screams at the top of his lungs at the officials on almost every play or non call, last night and tonight was no different. Ferguson gets very animated and seems to think the Vipers should get every penalty and every call against his team is a poor call
- After starting the season on the road and coming home with no wins, the Warriors have won back to back games for the first time this season
- I thought both teams played very well as both teams were fairly even for a lot of tonight's game. Sure one team had the better of the play here and there but overall this was a fairly even game
- The Warriors play seven of their next nine games on the road
- West Kelowna had a 3-1 2nd period lead, had a couple of quality opportunities to go ahead 4-1 but couldn't
- With the overtime victory, West Kelowna improves to 2-1-1-0 sits 7th in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Jakub Galnor
Adam Csabi
Joey Mugaas
West Kelowna Warriors:
Brady Flynn
Logan Flint
Luke Schraeder
Zack Ferris
Energy Player of the Game:
Georgios Stavrianeas
Three Star's:
1st Star: Dylan Krayer (2 goals)
2nd Star: Carter Oakenfold (1 goal)
3rd Star: Cooper Cleaves (1 assist)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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Here are some photo's I took before and during tonight's Vernon Vipers-West Kelowna game.
