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 5-3 in front of a sellout crowd (standing room only) of 1,820 fans at Rogers Rink.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Jari Kykkanen
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Andrew Ballantyne
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2nd Period: It was all Gorillas as Salmon Arm outplayed and dominate the visiting Vernon Vipers in the middle frame. Former Kelowna Rockets netminder Jari Kykkanen was the difference, keeping Vernon in the hockey game. The Silverbacks played with a ton of jump/energy were skating circles around the Snakes. Salmon Arm had a ton of quality looks/chances couldn't solve Jari Kykkanen. The Vipers struggled offensively, didn't get any pressure or zone time, played most of the period in there own end. Kyren Gronick hit the crossbar on a breakaway. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 16-5 Silverbacks.
3rd Period: Salmon Arm scored twice within the first five minutes to take there first lead of the evening and never looked back. The Apes were the better of the two teams in the first half, had several good looks/opportunities before the Vipers played better in the second half, had some pressure/zone time in the offensive zone, couldn't capitalize on some chances. The physical play picked up as both teams played with an edge as the game got a little feisty. Ben MacBeath put the game away shorthanded with an empty netter at 19:25 to give the Silverbacks the 5-3 victory and to sweep the home & home series. Shots were 13-10 Salmon Arm.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Simon Binkley (1 goal) I thought played very well in the 1st period, but didn't stand out in the final two periods.
Erik Pastro The Vipers captain played one of his best games in a very long time. Pastro was skating and played hard the entire hockey game. The second year Viper forward played with pace, was going to the net, making plays and generating some offence
Talan Blanck Was another player that had a strong 1st period but then didn't notice him in the 2nd and 3rd periods much. Blanck setup a couple of great chances in the 1st, was skating and moving the puck
Kyren Gronick I thought was one of the more consistent forwards in tonight's loss. Gronick hit the crossbar on a 2nd period breakaway, played well at both ends of the rink and was involved in the play often
Sam Ward Played a strong game on Vernon's blueline. I thought played with an edge, was physical, involved in the play and made some smart plays with and without the puck
Jari Kykkanen (40 saves) The former Kelowna Rockets goaltender was the difference, kept the Snakes in the contest. The veteran netminder had to make some big stops in the opening frame and had to stand on his head in the 2nd period with the S'Backs pressing. Kykkanen made two highlight reel glove saves in the 2nd period on what looked like two sure goals
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- Teams switch jerseys after the holidays, so Vernon was wearing their home white jerseys this evening
- The Vipers next game is Friday at home vs the West Kelowna Warriors
- The Snakes are 2-3-1-0 vs Salmon Arm this season
- It seems like we see a trade or a new player every week. Will we see more roster moves this week?
- The Vipers have lost four of there last five games and seven of there last ten
- I liked Vernon's 1st period. I thought both teams were fairly even played but the Snakes could have easily been up by three or four goals if they capitalized on at least three or four quality chances within the first few minutes of the hockey game. I thought Vernon was generating on offence, had several good opportunities, were skating, moving the puck, playing with pace, making plays but also got some big saves from there goaltender. Up 2-0 the Vipers had back to back power play's, can't capitalize and then allow Salmon Arm to score inside the final minute of play, and get to within a goal and back into the hockey game
- The Vipers & Silverbacks play once more, February 17th in Salmon Arm
- The Vipers fall to 5-9-1-0 on the road this season
- The Vipers with three bad turnovers tonight, that lead to goals
- Kari Kykkanen (40 saves) Was the difference, kept Vernon in the hockey game
- The Vipers had several opportunities in the 1st period to jump out to a three or goal lead and couldn't
- The Snakes went 0-3 with the power play
- After a great 1st period, the Vipers didn't show up to play in the 2nd period as it was all Silverbacks. The Snakes played most of the period in there own end, struggled offensively with only five shots on goal and one scoring attempt. Jari Kykkanen kept the Vipers in the hockey game, making several large saves, having to stand on his head the entire period. Not a good period for Vernon
- Vernon blows a 2-0 in a game where they could have easily gone up 4 or 5-0 in the 1st period if they capitalized on their opportunities
- The Vipers have lost twelve of there last seventeen games
- Vernon plays four of there next six games at home
- The Vipers have been inconsistent all season and again tonight
- Vernon doesn't have that killer instinct to put teams away when they have the opportunities and tonight was one of those games
- Giving up a goal to start a period or at the end of a period is never good. Salmon Arm scored three goals in the final two minutes and twice within the first five minutes
- Vernon's power play struggled going 0-3. Leading 2-0 in the 1st period, the Vipers would get back to back power plays, could have gone ahead by three or four goals, instead don't score allowing the Silverbacks to get one inside the final minute of play to get within a goal
- The Vipers had too many players that looked good/played well for one period and not the entire game
- 2-2 heading into the 3rd the Vipers give up an early goal 2:59 into the period. Vernon with a good push back, ties the game 3-3 less then two minutes later, then gives up the game winning goal on a bad turnover ten seconds later
- Both goaltenders played very well
- How many times have I seen the Vipers with a two or three goal lead, can't put the game away instead allow the other team back into the game and then lose the game
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 9-15-5-0 sits 10th in the Interior Conference and 19th overall in league standings
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Performers:
Easton Walos (1 assist) I thought had a strong game for the Backs, was finishing his checks and played hard through out the game, was involved in the play often
Scott Miner (1 goal) Tied the game on the power play, had a strong game in the OT win Saturday in Vernon, played well again this evening
Liam Bursaw (1 goal) Got the Apes on the board late in the 1st period, played well in both games vs Vernon over the weekend
Roenick Jodoin I thought played with some speed/pace, worked hard, played hard, had some jump in his game
Andrew Ballantyne (25 saves) Both goaltenders played well. The former Merritt Centennials goaltender made a couple of large saves within the opening minutes of the hockey game, played well through the night
Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- The Silverbacks next game is Wednesday in Brooks
- The Silverbacks 50/50 is always split into three jackpots
- Salmon Arm and Vernon were pretty evenly matched in the 1st period. The Apes gave up three or four quality chances within the first few minutes, got some big saves from Andrew Ballantyne before getting some goal mouth scrambles/opportunities of there own. The Silverbacks didn't get any bounces or pucks go there way in the period. The S'Backs with two big penalty kills late in the period, kept the game at 2-0 before Liam Bursaw inside the final minute, got SA back into the game and within a goal
- Salmon Arm went 1-3 with the man advantage
- The Silverbacks have lost three of there last five games and lost six of there last ten games
- A sellout crowd/standing room only tonight. Tonight's attendance was announced at 1,820
- The Gorillas seemed to get better as the game continued and the momentum seemed to go SA's way
- I thought the S'Backs PK was very good
- Salmon Arm was going to the net, driving hard to the net, getting in and around the blue paint and making Vernon's goaltender aware. The Silverbacks did a good job at getting pucks to the net, hunting for pucks/rebounds and getting in the face of Jari Kykkanen
- The S'Backs looked good, were the better team and played close to sixty minutes
- The hometown Silverbacks completely dominated the 2nd period as it was all Salmon Arm. The Apes outplayed and outskated Vernon with most of the play in the offensive zone. The Silverbacks were getting pucks to the net, created/generated a ton of quality opportunities, could have easily blown the game wide open if it wasn't for the strong goaltending of Jari Kykkanen. The Backs with sixteen shots in the frame, couldn't buy a goal, were finally able to tie the game late in the period on the PP
- Salmon Arm is 9-4-2-0 at home this season
- The Silverbacks play their next four games on the road, play five of there next six games away from home
- I thought the Backs used there speed and skill to generate/create lots of quality opportunities
- Prior to beating Vernon this weekend, Salmon Arm had lost five straight and been shutout there previous three games
- A great crowd and a great atmosphere inside Rogers Rink tonight
- Tanner Walos's goal at 2:59 of the 3rd gave Salmon Arm there first lead of the night. I thought the Apes were the better team in the first half as the Vipers pushed in the second half. SA's defence did a good job at blocking shots, taking away time and space and keeping the Snakes to the outside. Salmon Arm with some key goals earned the win and the sweep of the home & home series
- The Silverbacks played with an edge and got under the skin of several Vernon players as it got a little feisty at times through out the evening
- With the win, Salmon Arm improves to 18-8-4-0 sits 4th in the Interior Conference and 5th overall in league standings
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Dennis Lominac
Jakub Galnor
Noah Grolnic
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
Ryan Philbrick
Caleb Mahar
Chase Bambrick
Grant Dillard
Energy Player of the Game:
Tanner Walos (1 goal)
Three Star's:
1st Star: Aidan Willis (1 goal & 1 assist)
2nd Star: Scott Miner (1 goal)
3rd Star: Jari Kykkanen (40 saves)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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2 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?
9W, 20L to end the year, WOW!
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