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 & Salmon Arm Silverbacks as the Silverbacks defeated the Vipers 4-3 in overtime in front of 3,052 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Jari Kykkanen
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Andrew Ballantyne
To continue reading, please click the "read more" button below,
2nd Period: Vernon played very well were the better team in the 2nd period. I thought the Snakes controlled most of the game in this period with a ton of possession and zone time. The Vipers capitalized on some opportunities, scoring three goals in the middle frame. The Vipers defence still having trouble coming out of there own end, has been a problem this season. The Silverbacks took some undisciplined penalties in a feisty/penalty filled period. The Gorillas weren't the same team after the 1st period, struggled offensively. Cole Cooksey's power play goal in the second half, gave the Apes some life and changed the momentum of the hockey game as SA played much better and finished the period on a strong note. It was 3-3 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 10-5 Vernon.
3rd Period: I thought the S'Backs were the better of the two teams. Salmon Arm had a lot of pressure were forcing the Vipers into turning over pucks inside there own line. The Apes didn't get a ton of pucks towards the net but did get the better of the opportunities. I thought the Silverbacks responded with a much better push back after a lousy 2nd period. Vernon went in a different direction, didn't look as sharp, struggled defensively and in there own end with lots of turnovers. Jari Kykkanen had to be sharp, was forced to make a couple of big stops. The Vipers did get a couple of chances but couldn't take the lead. Both goaltenders played well. It was 3-3 after 60 minutes of play. Shots were 11-7 Vernon.
Overtime: Just thirty five seconds into the extra period, the hometown Vipers would get an early PP but struggled with the man advantage. Vernon moved the puck around too slow, had nobody parked in front of the crease and waisted away a good opportunity to put the game away. The Snakes shifts were way too long leaving players out for two or three whistles. The Gorillas would get a look with the man advantage on an undisciplined penalty from Luke Bibby. Late in the PP Riley Ashe found the back of the net at 5:57, giving the visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks a 4-3 overtime win. Shots were 4-2 Vipers.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Edvin Nilsson (1 assist) was the lone Viper defender that played well. Nilsson carried the puck a lot this evening, moved the puck up ice on several occasions, played well at both ends of the rink.
Landon MacDonald (2 goals) Opened the scoring for the Vipers and gave Vernon the lead minutes later on the man advantage. MacDonald has been one of the few bright spots this season, has been consistent
Nathaniel Harvey Made his Vipers debut after signing with the Snakes on December 26th. I thought Harvey added a lot of jump/energy to the forecheck, plays with pace/speed, worked hard and competed. Won some battles down low and along the wall, played very well and looked good in his home debut
Will Schumacher (1 assist) I thought played well but looked his best in the 3rd with some smart plays that lead to quality chances. Schumacher leads the Vipers in points has been the Vipers most offensive forward and been one of there better players since joining the team before the start of the regular season
Talan Blanck (1 goal & 1 assist) Made his Snakes debut in the OT loss, signed with the hockey team December 23rd. Blanck made an impression with two points. I thought Blanck played with a lot of jump. played with pace/speed is quick on his feet, has good hands, seemed to fit in nicely and added some offence the Vipers are in desperate need of
Jari Kykkanen (19 saves) Didn't see a lot of rubber this evening but had to be sharp at times and played well in the loss.
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers are 2-2-1-0 vs Salmon Arm this season
- I do not like the Vipers 3rd jerseys or logo
- Tonight was the final game of a four game home stand
- The Snakes are 1-5 in overtime
- This was one of the Vipers better games this season and a game they should have won
- With a large crowd, lineups at the concessions were lined up for miles. The Vipers or Kal Tire Place need to bring in some people to walk up and down the isles with trays of drinks/snacks to take the weight off the super long lineups at the concessions
- The Vipers next game is Sunday afternoon in Salmon Arm
- I liked Vernon's 1st period. I thought both teams were fairly even with the Snakes getting three or four quality chances. The Vipers were down 1-0 really needed to capitalize on one of the three power play's they were given. Jari Kykkanen made a big stop off Riley Ashe on a penalty shot
- Vernon is 4-5-4-0 at Kal Tire Place
- The Vipers have lost four of there last five games and lost six of there last ten games
- Jason Armstrong does an amazing job at trying to get the crowd going and to make some noise, otherwise Kal Tire Place is like a morgue until the Vipers score
- Forward Nathaniel Harvey made his Vipers debut tonight
- The Snakes offensive struggles continue. Vernon has no legit proven goal scorer and it showed again tonight
- The Snakes went 1-6 with the man advantage
- Vernon will play three of there next five games on the road
- That was a pretty entertaining/exciting game
- I really liked the Vipers 2nd period. I thought Vernon was the better team and controlled most of the middle frame. The hometown Vipers scored three times, had a ton of pressure in the offensive zone, had some good looks/opportunities, other then some turnovers in there own end, played a very strong period. Cole Cooksey tied the game in the second half, that seemed to change the momentum as Salmon Arm finished the period with a strong performance
- Forward Talan Blanck made his Snakes debut this evening
- Tonight was a feisty game with loads of penalties. When was the last time you saw a fight at a hockey game? Dennis Lominac dropped the gloves with Sawyer Prokopetz in the 2nd period
- Rumors going around the arena tonight, former Edmonton Oilers Head Coach Jay Woodcroft was seen walking around the arena with Vipers owner John Glen
- The Vipers & Silverbacks play each other twice more with both games played in Salmon Arm
- The Snakes struggled with the man advantage going 1-6. I didn't like Vernon's power play and haven't on most nights. The Vipers are way too slow on the PP, have nobody anywhere close to the front of the net, and either shoot way too high or miss the net
- The Vipers were wearing there yellow third set/alternate jerseys tonight
- The Vipers blew 2nd period leads of 2-1 and 3-2
- Vernon has five wins in there last sixteen games
- I thought the Vipers went with a lot of the same players in OT and those players stayed out way too long in overtime, keep your shifts short and change them up
- For whatever reason, the Snakes seem to play well vs Salmon Arm this year
- Forward Georgios Stavrianeas wasn't listed on the Vipers lineup sheet tonight but is still listed on the Vipers roster on the league website. Stavrianeas's #7 is now worn by newcomer Nathaniel Harvey
- After a great 2nd period I didn't like Vernon's 3rd period. I thought the Apes were the better team. The Vipers had some looks/chances but were terrible defensively, turning over pucks, throwing pucks up the middle, looked slow/sluggish
- The Snakes outshot Salmon Arm 35-23 but a lot of Vernon's shots were from well out and nobody in front. The Silverbacks goaltender was seeing everything, Vernon needs to get some traffic/bodies in front of Andrew Ballantyne and make his night a little more difficult
- Tonight was the biggest crowd of the 2024-25 season. Tonight's attendance was announced at 3,052
- The Vipers defence is not good and has struggled this season. Were half way through the season and still the amount of turnovers or pucks thrown up the middle is brutal. The Vipers struggle to clear the zone and get the puck out on a nightly basis
- With the overtime loss, Vernon falls to 9-14-5-0 sit 9th in the Interior Conference and 17th overall in league standings
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Performers:
Sawyer Prokopetz saw a ton of ice time, played with an edge, was under the skin of the Vipers the entire game. Prokopetz dropped the gloves with Dennis Lominac in the 2nd period
Patrick Raftery (2 assists) Was hard to defend, chipped in with two helpers in the victory.
Here are some photo's I took before and during tonight's Vernon Vipers-Salmon Arm Silverbacks game.
Scott Miner (2 assists) Played well on the blueline
Liam Bursaw (1 goal) I thought played well in the OT win
Andrew Ballantyne (32 saves) The former Merritt Centennials goaltender has played well vs Vernon this season. Was seeing pucks, didn't give up any rebounds or second/third opportunities, has some size/covers a lot of the cage
Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- Prior to tonight, the Silverbacks were shutout in there last three games and had scored twice in there last five games
- Tonight's overtime victory snapped the Backs five game losing skid
- Salmon Arm is 9-4-2-0 on the road this season
- Lot's of Silverbacks fans in attendance
- Tonight was the final game of a three game road trip
- The Apes are 2-0-1-0 at Kal Tire Place this season
- I thought the Silverbacks and Vipers were fairly even in the 1st period even with Payton Nelson opening the scoring on the power play. SA had a couple of looks/opportunities, were forced to kill off three penalties. Riley Ashe couldn't capitalize on a penalty shot.
- The Silverbacks next game is Sunday vs the visiting Vernon Vipers
- Salmon Arm has lost four of there last five games and lost six of there last ten games
- The Gorillas PK was very good, was forced to kill off three minors in the opening frame and then a big kill in overtime
- The Backs play four of there next five games on the road
- Tonight was the Silverbacks final regular season game in Vernon
- SA didn't have a great 2nd period, as the hometown Vipers were the better team. The S'Backs had a 1-0 lead after the 1st but gave up three goals in a penalty filled middle period. Andrew Ballantyne faced ten shots in the 2nd period as the Silverbacks struggled offensively but a goal in the second half to tie the game, changed the momentum and Salmon Arm finished the period on a strong note
- The Silverbacks went 3-4 with the power play
- The Vipers & Silverbacks have gone to overtime twice this season
- Riley Ashe was denied on a 1st period penalty shot
- I thought the Apes responded with a big push back in the 3rd after a not great middle frame. SA had the better of the opportunities, had more pressure/zone time in the final twenty minutes. I liked the Silverbacks game in the 3rd, they didn't get a whole lot of pucks to the net but created some quality chances
- Give the Silverbacks credit for coming from behind down 2-1 and 3-2 to snap there five game losing streak
- With the overtime win, Salmon Arm improves to 17-8-4-0 sit 4th in the Interior Conference and 6th overall in league standings
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Jakub Galnor
Simon Binkley
Keeghan Dunn
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
Ryan Philbrick
Caleb Mahar
Chase Bambrick
Trigg Pimm
Energy Player of the Game:
Will Schumacher (1 assist)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Landon MacDonald (2 goals)
2nd Star: Talan Blanck (1 goal & 1 assist)
3rd Star: Riley Ashe (overtime winning 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.
8 comments:
Were you at tonight's game? What did you think of tonight's Vipers/Silverbacks game? What are your comments/opinion on the game?
It was a entertaining evening with lots of fan support. The vipers got a point out of the game but should have won. I think the head coach needs to have a better balance as to the giving out of minutes to his players. I noticed some players get more minutes than others and it showed as our captain in the third period was sluggish and could barely stand up much less move his feet on the ice and this applied to other players who really where given way to many minutes on the ice and I believe in the end it cost us the game. Should Lomicky our head coach continue this practice he needs to include a more intense conditioning practice with his players. GO,VIPERS,GO
What a crazy Vipers game. There was quite a few missed calls during overtime.
I disagree with Bingo, I think that all season the coaches have rolled the lines...its junior hockey and the only goal is winning. I think that playing your best offensive players more, especially on a team that has been inconsistent offensively is precisely the way to coach. Should have won that game, special teams made the difference.
Great hockey game last night between 2 teams that despise one another. The difference in the game was the extremely poor passing and execution around the net and we don't have a D man that can blast the puck from the point. What happened to our PK? My opinion anyway
No one has mentioned the celebrity appearance of Jay Woodcroft at the game
Are we to actually presume or speculate the owner is actually considering hiring a recent NHL coach to coach the Vernon Vipers ?
If you would have read the entire RECAP, it was mentioned!
Post a Comment