I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon my entire life. My family watched senior men's hockey in Vernon in the 1950's and has been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon since 1961. I have two family members that played junior hockey in Vernon. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing only 40 home games. I started and created this blog in 2008 and have over 5 million viewers.
I was at tonight's Vernon Viers-Salmon Arm Silverbacks exhibition game as the Silverbacks picked up their first preseason win with a 5-2 victory in front of 300 fans at Kal Tire Place North.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Oliver Kanat
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Kasey Fuson
1st Period: The visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks completely dominated the opening frame. The Apes were by far the better team, outskated, outworked, outshot, outscored and outplayed the hometown Vipers the entire period. The Silverbacks were strong on pucks, moved the puck well, generated lot's of offence and had a ton of pressure in the offensive zone. The Vipers struggled at both ends of the rink, were outworked and outplayed the entire period. The Snakes defence struggled and left goaltender Oliver Kanat out to dry. Vernon was running around in circles, making mistakes, coughing up the puck, getting beat to the puck and needed sixteen minutes to get their first shot on goal. It was 2-0 Salmon Arm after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 15-3 for the Silverbacks.
2nd Period: The Silverbacks were the better team. SA carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, zone time and simply outskated the Vipers. The Silverbacks switched goaltenders about halfway through this period. Vernon did manage to get some zone time and generate a few scoring chances but again struggled at both ends of the rink. It was 4-1 Salmon Arm after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 11-6 for the Silverbacks.
3rd Period: Salmon Arm was the better team but the Vipers played a little better as the period went on. I thought the Gorillas carried the better of the play often didn't get nearly as many opportunities as they did in the first two periods. The S'Backs were still beating the Snakes to the puck and winning the battles down low. The Vipers did finally seem to get the offence going and get some time in the offensive zone. The Vipers had at least two scrambles in and around the goal but somehow couldn't bury the loose puck into the open netting. The Silverbacks would pick up their first win of the preseason with a 5-2 victory. Shots were 9-7 Silverbacks.
Vernon Vipers Top Players:
Nickolas Kovich I thought was one of Vernon's better players in the loss. Kovich was one of very few players that were skating and played hard all night. Kovich seemed to never stop skating, had a couple of hard working shifts and was involved in the play on a few shifts
Deagan McMillan (1 goal) Recently signing with his hometown Vipers, McMillan got the Vipers on the scoreboard on a 2nd period breakaway. Another kid who worked hard, didn't stop skating and competed
Oliver Kanat (30 saves) Was hung out to dry in the first two periods, didn't get much help from his defence. This kid was forced to make several big stops in the first two periods, kept the game from getting away
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers & Silverbacks will meet six times during the regular season
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 300
- The Snakes didn't look good for a second straight game
- Vernon gave up a ton of breakaways/odd man rushes
- The Vipers were badly outplayed in the 1st period. Vernon struggled at both ends of the rink, weren't skating, were being beat to the puck, losing battles, turning over pucks, making lot's of mistakes, saw a lot of time in their own end. The Vipers didn't record a shot on goal until the final four minutes of the period
- The Snakes didn't get a single power play
- Tonight was the third of four preseason games
- Someone was wearing #25 but wasn't on the lineup sheet
- The Vipers final exhibition game is Friday vs the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters
- The Snakes would eventually get on the scoreboard but didn't have a great 2nd period. Vernon again struggled at both ends of the rink. The Vipers would finally get some zone time and create some opportunities in the middle frame but were still outplayed in the 2nd period
- The Vipers went 2-3-1-0 vs Salmon Arm last season
- The Snakes weren't skating, didn't show much compete, were making mistakes most of the game
- Vernon dressed four regulars from last season
- The Vipers played a little better in the 3rd as the period went on, were finally able to get some zone time, create some chances and limited the amount of shots/opportunities given up but still outplayed at times
- The Vipers haven't looked good or played good in back to back games
- Kal Tire Place North is very uncomfortable and not meant for junior hockey. Poor sight lines, uncomfortable seating, no room to walk around during intermissions and only one concession with long lineups
- The Vipers & Silverbacks don't play again until October 17th in Salmon Arm
- The Vipers defence struggled tonight
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 0-3-0-0 in the preseason
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Players:
Luke Sinclair I thought looked good/played well for the visiting Silverbacks. Quick on his feet, drives to the net and was always involved in the play
Tanner Walos dropped the gloves in the 3rd period, was another forward to played well in the victory. Seemed to always be in and around the goal, was engaged in the play and hard to defend
Anthony Cardilli (1 goal) Was another forward who seemed to give the Snakes defenders trouble. Was shifty with and without the puck, was always in and around the net, was hard to defend/contain
Keifer Miller (1 goal & 2 assists) This kid can skate, move the puck, was all over the ice this evening. Gave the hometown Vipers difficulties, was in and around the goal, used his speed to his advantage
Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- The Gorillas went 1-4 with the man advantage
- Tonight's the third of four preseason games
- The Silverbacks went with a more veteran lineup this evening
- I spotted a small handful of Salmon Arm fans in attendance
- SA was by far the better team in the 1st period, dominated the Snakes from start to finish. The Apes were basically skating circles around the Vipers, had a ton of zone time, were forcing the Vipers into turning over pucks and making mistakes. Salmon Arm had lot's of quality chances, were getting pucks to the net, had the Vipers back on their heels for most of the period. It was all Salmon Arm.
- Tonight was the Silverbacks lone road preseason game
- The Silverbacks have a ton of speed and skill and can pass the puck
- The Gorillas switched goaltenders halfway through the 2nd period. Kasey Fuson started tonight's contest allowed one goal on seven shots, while Jake Shingles played the remainder of the game, allowed one goal on eleven shots
- The S'Backs were again the better team in the 2nd period, carried a lot of the play, had more zone time and puck possession. Salmon Arm didn't get nearly as many shots or opportunities as the opening frame, still played a very good 2nd period
- The Silverbacks had lot's of breakaways/odd man rushes tonight
- Salmon Arm was hard on pucks, winning the battles, winning the races, were outskating Vernon, were by far the better team tonight
- Salmon Arm capitalized on the Vipers turnovers/mistakes
- Leading 4-1 heading into the 3rd I thought the Apes were the better team early and played well at both ends of the rink. SA didn't panic when the Vipers had a couple of close calls on a goal mouth scramble, defended well and fended over a late Viper push
- The Silverbacks were disciplined, only taking three penalties
- The Silverbacks next game is Friday in Cranbrook
- With the win, Salmon Arm improves to 1-1-1-0
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Antoine Demers 06
Deacon Drummond 06
Nathaniel Harvey 06
Neka Jean 06
Finn Kallay 07
Brendan Russell 08
Lane Sim 07
Edvin Nilsson 05
Emils Skeltins 05
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
None
Three Star's:
1st Star: Adam Straka
2nd Star: Jaden Johnson (1 goal & 2 assists)
3rd Star: Luke Lepper (1 goal & 1 assist)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Salmon Arm Silverbacks @ Vernon Vipers Tuesday, September 09, 2025 | BCHL League Site
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Official statistics powered by LeagueStat.com
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
4 comments:
Long season ahead?
Could be “anonymous”, but there are so many positives compared to previous years that we still are very optimistic. Preseason means very little!!! The rosters aren’t close to being set, players are playing with different line mates, no systems are fully in place and everyone is squeezing their sticks too tightly. Players who have been given commitments are still figuring out Vernon & their billet families, etc. Wins would be nice but I would rather see real good evaluations and player decisions made. Cooke & his assistants are hard at it and results will come. We just have to think how far this once respected franchise has fallen and realize the amount of work required to bring it back to respectability. Better times are coming, we just need to be patient & supportive. It feels good to have a GM & coaching team that know what they are doing.
Go Vipers Go!!!
Well the Vipers coaching staff have lots of work to do with these guys, they aren't very good and I'm not to sure how good our goalies are, there have been lots of shots I think they could have saved. I wonder what cuts they will make before the regular season starts? I can't wait to get Friday's game over with I hate watching games in the smaller arena, you can't see the coaches or players on the bench and what's going on in the corners.
That game was pathetic!
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