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 missing only 40 home games. Since 2001 I have missed 10 home games. I started and created this blog in November 2008 and have over 3 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 between the Vernon Vipers & West Kelowna Warriors as the Vipers defeated the Warriors 6-1 in front of 1,236 fans at Royal LePage Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Marko Bilic
West Kelowna Warriors: Jack Lisson
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2nd Period: After being outplayed for most of the opening period, the Tribe got off to a quick start in the middle frame. Sam LeDrew got the Warriors on the board at 0:56 as West Kelowna played much better. The Warriors were skating, moving the puck, had more puck possession, more zone time and were generating/creating some opportunities. WK was the better team, had more of the edge in play. The Vipers had a couple of good shifts, hit the post once, saw a lot of time in there own end. Marko Bilic was sharp between the pipes, played very well. It was 4-1 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 13-7 Warriors.
3rd Period: The Snakes re-grouped and played much better in the 3rd. Shea Busch gave Vernon a four goal lead at 0:47 before Cooper Cleaves basically put the game away on the power play. Vernon was the better team, carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, zone time and made smart plays with and without the puck. Instead of sitting back on a four or five goal lead, Vernon kept pressing. With the score out of hand, the Warriors top two units didn't see a shift for the remainder of the hockey game as WK had some looks/chances but looked like a team that was down and out. West Kelowna with not much of a 3rd period push got into penalty trouble with three minors. The Vipers snapped a three game losing streak with a 6-1 victory. Shots were 15-7.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
The line of Georgios Stavrianeas (1 goal & 1 assist), Simon Binkley and Lucas Brennan (1 goal) were very good and played very well through out the contest. Stavrianeas scored shorthanded late in the 1st while Brennan opened the scoring at 4:20 Binkley was winning races/battles along the boards as all three contributed
Carson McGinley (2 assists) Chipped in with two helpers, played well this evening
Cooper Cleaves (2 goals) Had a strong game at both ends of the rink. Cleaves was skating/moving the puck, made some plays at both ends of the rink to keep the puck moving
Keaton Dowhaniuk Took back to back penalties early to start the game, settled down as the game went on and played a physical/defensive game
Marko Bilic (27 saves) Earned just his second win of the season as both wins this year have come vs the West Kelowna Warriors. Bilic was very good in goal for Vernon, looked calm yet poised wasn't forced to make a ton of large saves but made the saves when called upon.
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers are 4-6-1-0 on the road this season
- The Vipers & Warriors play each other six times this season
- For a team that had 44 shots on goal Friday and lost 3-0 to Salmon Arm, managed to score six goals in the win tonight
- The Snakes are 1-1-0-0 at Royal LePage Place this season
- Vernon went 1-4 with the man advantage
- It didn't look good early as the Vipers took back to back penalties within the first five minutes, but Lucas Brennan opened the scoring at 4:20 as the Snakes score four 1st period goals in a period where they were the better team and outplayed the hometown West Kelowna Warriors. The Vipers had the edge in play, more puck possession, more zone time, more shots on goal, the better of the scoring chances, played very well.
- A good size turnout of Vipers fans in attendance tonight
- With the win, Vernon passes West Kelowna & Okotoks into 8th place in the Interior Conference
- The Vipers have outscored the Warriors 12-4 in the last two games
- The Vipers next game is Friday vs the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters
- Lukas Lomicky and Colton Sparrow are 12-10-4-0 during the regular season since taking over the Vipers bench last season after the Vipers and Jason McKee parted ways
- Since the Langley Hornets moved to West Kelowna in 2006 the Vipers are 50-43-7-3-2 vs the Warriors
- Vernon snapped it's three game losing streak with the win tonight
- I really liked the Snakes penalty kill. The Vipers kill off back to back early penalties to start the game, only allow one shot on both power plays, score once shorthanded don't give up a ton of chances on the PP
- Prior to tonight the Vipers had lost eight of there previous ten games in West Kelowna
- The Snakes play four of there next five games at home
- Up 4-0 heading into the 2nd period the Vipers give up an early goal inside the opening minute, didn't play as well as the 1st period, see a lot of action in there own end, get some saves from there goaltender, limit the Warriors opportunities, escape a period where they were slightly outplayed only give up one goal and head into the 3rd up by three goals
- The Vipers have lost three of there last five games are 5-3-2-0 in there last ten games
- At this time last season the Vipers still couldn't make a pass or break out of there own end, I have noticed a major difference in coaching this year and much much better/improved passing and a breakout are two things that have improved this year
- Defenceman Zhenya Miles played two seasons with the West Kelowna Warriors from 2022-2024 was traded to Vernon February 9th 2024
- I really liked Vernon's 3rd period. Instead of taking there foot off the gas and sitting back on a three goal lead, Shea Busch gives Vernon an early 5-1 lead at 0:47 before Cooper Cleaves with his second of the night on the PP gives the Vipers a commanding 6-1 lead. I thought the Vipers were the better team in the 3rd, had the better of the play, more puck possession, zone time, were getting pucks to the net and still thinking offence, generating/creating chances
- The Vipers & Warriors will play again January 3rd in Vernon
- The Vipers haven't been winning a ton of games this season, but I really like the way the team has been playing/improving from game to game, week to week. The Vipers could have easily won last weekend in Penticton, on Wednesday vs Victoria and should have won last night if they could have scored. This team is much better on paper then there record shows
- Prior to tonight, the Vipers had lost seven of there past ten games vs the Warriors
- For a team that can't score and has difficulties scoring this season, it's nice to see them get six tonight and maybe gain some confidence
- With the win, Vernon improves to 5-8-3-0 sits 8th in the Interior Conference
West Kelowna Warriors Top Performers:
Sam LeDrew (1 goal) Was the only real player that stood out and played well for the Tribe. LeDrew got the Warriors on the board at 0:56 of the 2nd period with a rocket of a shot. Was quick on his feet, played with a lot of jump
Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors
- Heading into tonight's game, the Vipers & Warriors only had four wins this season
- Tonight was "Parents Weekend" as the game was delayed close to fifteen minutes due to the Warriors pre-game players/parents introductions
- The Warriors home record falls to 2-4-0-0
- Forward Jack Pridham was selected in the 3rd round by the Chicago Blackhawks
- Tonight's the second game of a three game home stand
- Starting the game with back to back power plays, the Warriors couldn't capitalize with the man advantage. Instead they give up a shorthanded goal and fall behind 4-0 after the 1st period in a period where they didn't look very good, were outplayed, gave up four goals, struggled with the PP, struggled offensively and gave the Vipers way too much time and space, leaving starting goaltender Jack Lisson to hang out to dry
- The Tribe went 1-5 with the power play
- A good sized crowd on hand this evening. Tonight's attendance was announced at 1,236
- The Warriors play six of there next eight games on the road
- West Kelowna struggled defensively, had troubles containing/defending the Vipers for most of the contest
- The Warriors have lost four of there last five games and lost eight of there last ten games
- The Warriors played much better in the 2nd period, had the better of the play, had more puck possession, zone time, were finally able to create and generate some opportunities. West Kelowna did a much better job defensively, limiting the Vipers time and space, allowing less shots on goal and giving up less chances. West Kelowna needed more then one goal to have a chance in the 3rd for a come back
- The Warriors power play struggled through out the game. I think if the Warriors score on at least one of the two early PPs to start the game or even capitalize on two of the three PP's this may be a different game
- West Kelowna shortened there bench in the 3rd with the top two lines sitting out for most of the final frame
- The Warriors next game is Tuesday vs the visiting Penticton Vees
- Heading into the 3rd down 4-1 I thought I would see more of a push back from the hometown Warriors, instead it was Vernon who didn't sit back, scored inside the opening minute and put the game away on the PP. The Tribe had a couple of shifts with some good looks/opportunities but it wasn't enough as the Vipers were the better team, had the edge in play, more puck possession, looked like they wanted the game more
- The past few seasons the Warriors have been knocking on the door of the Penticton Vees as one of the top two or three teams in the Interior. With only four wins this year and near the bottom of the standings, I didn't see this coming when the season started
- With the loss, West Kelowna falls to 4-8-2-1 sit 10th in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Jakub Galnor
Joey Mugaas
West Kelowna Warriors:
Aidan Malone (Injured)
Ayo Ogini
Carter Oakenfold
Luciano Bruno (Injured)
Energy Player of the Game:
Sam LeDrew (1 goal)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Cooper Cleaves (2 goals)
2nd Star: Georgios Stavrianeas (1 goal & 1 assist)
3rd Star: Carson McGinley (2 assists)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
VernonJrAHockey.CA
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-West Kelowna game.
5 comments:
Why do you make your team sound like they are better than they are?
8th place in points but, have played two more games than Okotoks.
The PCT, points percentage, column is a better indicator as to how the teams compare to each other when there is a difference in games played.
Great game summary and was a well earned and overdue win for this group of hard working players and coaches.
The Vipers have had to make some early changes and reset, and it’s paying off. They are clearly improving, as a fan I am excited for the rest of the season.
Go Vipers Go!
Somethings got to change...... The Warriors are not playing like what the Guyz are capable of. Hopefully something will change soon.
Great come back after a tough loss the night before. Vipers could have easily been defeated mentally by the loss to Salmon Arm, but instead they regrouped and knocked out a win in West Kelowna.
At the start of the season I thought that West Kelowna would be near the top of the league with Brooks and Penticton but they've gone 2 wins and 9 losses since October 1. They look like they've tuned out their coach.
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