I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon most of my life. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing 46 home games since. I worked with the Vipers as color commentator for a few games during the 2003-04 season, In 2011 I helped design and create the Vipers website and was in charge of running the site for five seasons. I started and created this blog in 2008 and have over 5.8 million viewers. My family watched senior men's hockey in Vernon during the 1950's and has been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon since Vernon got a team in 1961. I have two family members that played junior hockey in Vernon.
I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-Cranbrook Bucks game as the Vipers won 6-3 in front of 2,337 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Oliver Kanat
Cranbrook Bucks: Jason Tremblay
1st Period: Both teams were pretty even at the start before the visiting Cranbrook Bucks slowly started to take over the edge in play. The Bucks were the better team in the second half, had more puck possession, more time in the offensive zone, were getting more shots on goal and creating chances. The Vipers opened the scoring, with Samuel Charko scoring on "Teddy Bear Toss" night. The Snakes looked a little sluggish, saw a lot of time in their own end, especially in the second half, were giving up too many opportunities and shots. Oliver Kanat was the busier of the two goaltenders. It was 2-2 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 17-9 Cranbrook.
2nd Period: I thought both teams were pretty even through out the middle frame. I thought Vernon had lots of time in the offensive zone but couldn't get pucks towards the net or on net as the Bucks defensive coverage was very good, keeping the Snakes to the outside, limiting their chances. I thought Cranbrook had the better of the scoring chances. The period really opened up late in the period with both teams going back and fourth with the Bucks getting three or four very good looks/opportunities but Oliver Kanat made some large saves late. Vipers tie the game in the second half but then score late to take the lead heading into the 3rd. It was 4-3 Vernon after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 11-9 Vipers.
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3rd Period: I really liked Vernon in the final twenty minutes of play. Not only did the Vipers put the game away with two quick back to back goals but come up with a strong PK killing off a five minute major. The Vipers were the better team, had more of an edge in play at times but when the Cranbrook Bucks pushed back, the Snakes defence was very good, limiting their chances. The hometown Vipers played well at both ends of the rink. The Bucks never quit, pressed at times but struggled offensively. Cranbrook struggled to get pucks to the net, only managed four shots on goal. Down three goals, the Bucks could have easily got back into the game with a five minute PP but with only two shots and not a whole lot of quality opportunities, couldn't capitalize with the man advantage. The Vipers come away with the 6-3 win. Shots were 6-4 Vernon.
Vernon Vipers Top Players:
Edvin Nilsson returned to the lineup after being out with an illness on Friday in Trail. Nilsson has really come a long way since last season and been one of the more consistent players this season. Nilsson played very well at both ends of the rink, moved the puck up ice and generate some offence
Liam Magnuson Made his Vipers home debut after signing with the team on Friday, looked very comfortable on the blueline. I watched the Vipers game in Trail on Friday on FloHockey and thought Magnuson played very well in the Vipers debut. This kid is a good skater, can move the puck, and gets pucks to the net, sees and reads the ice well
Sebastian Bradshaw (1 assist) I haven't been overly impressed with Bradshaw. He was taking lots of penalties after the trade and making way too many mistakes. Tonight was by far his best game with the Vipers. He was all over the rink this evening, played with a ton of jump/energy, was skating, played hards at both ends of the rink, competed for pucks and ice, was making plays and finishing his checks. If this kid can continue to play like he did tonight, he will bring a lot to the lineup and the team
Samuel Charko (1 goal) Opened the scoring/scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal, played well in the victory. I like this kid as he has played well on most nights since joining the Snakes. Was skating, going to the net and making plays happen
The line of Toms Trockis (1 assist), Evan Sundar (1 goal) and Dmitrii Kubantsev (1 goal & 1 assist) was the Vipers best unit. This line has really come on as of late and been the Vipers most dangerous line. This line plays with a lot of chemistry, seem to know where each other are on the ice, seem to click and make things happen
Jack Bousquet I thought played very well on the Vipers blueline
Oliver Kanat (27 saves) Was the busier of the two goaltenders, faced more shots and was tested more, having to make some key saves at different times in the hockey game. With the Bucks pressing in the 1st and late in the 2nd, Kanat make some big stops, keeping Vernon in the contest
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- Tonight was just the Vipers fourth home game in sixty four days
- The Vipers next game is Wednesday vs the visiting Brooks Bandits
- I thought both teams were pretty even in the 1st period but as the period went on, the Snakes looked a little sluggish as Cranbrook was the better team in the second half, carried the better of the play in the second half, was getting lots of pucks to the net, generating some offence, controlling the play. Oliver Kanat made some key saves
- With the win, Vernon passes Cranbrook from 5th into 4th in the Interior West Division
- Vernon is 2-1 vs Cranbrook
- Due to the weather/road conditions, the Vipers were forced to spend the night in Trail before bussing home early this morning. For a team that would have got home sometime late this morning or early afternoon, had to play at 6pm they played very well in the 2nd and 3rd periods
- I liked the Snakes penalty kill. A huge PK in the 3rd were able to only give up two shots, killed off a five minute major
- Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,337
- The Vipers have lost three of their last five games and lost eight of their last ten
- Vernon is 3-4-4-0 at home this season
- I thought for the first time this season, the Vipers got some breaks, got some bounces go there way
- The Snakes defence played very well in the 2nd and 3rd periods
- The Vipers play Friday in Cranbrook
- A pretty even 2nd period that wasn't very exciting for most of it. The Vipers had lots of time in the offensive zone, but struggled to get pucks towards the net and to the net. Vernon went a very lengthy time with only two shots on goal. The hometown Vipers would tie the game in the second half, before getting a big goal inside the final minute of play, to take a 4-3 lead heading into the 3rd. Both teams really opened up late in the period with chances at both ends. Oliver Kanat made several big stops
- The Snakes need to be a little more disciplined, took way too many penalties tonight
- This was a big game as both teams are fighting it out for the final playoff spot
- Vernon went 0-3 with the power play
- This wasn't a very entertaining or exciting game
- Tonight's the first game of a two game homestand
- The Vipers & Bucks play each other seven times this season
- What a terrible schedule. I can't ever recall going this long in between home games
- I wish whoever is running the new scoreboard to show more replays. I wish they would show replays of when a play is under video review as well as show the replay of goals more then just once. Watching the Vipers road games on FloHockey, other teams around the league show way more replays after goals and penalties/video review calls
- Only Surrey and Powell Rive have fewer wins then the Snakes
- I really liked Vernon's 3rd period. The Vipers played very well at both ends of the rink. The Snakes would get two quick back to back goals to put the game away but then were forced to kill off a five minute major. If the Bucks score a goal or two with the man advantage, this may have been a different outcome. Vernon's defence played very well in the 3rd limiting the Bucks offence to only four shots
- This is the second time this season, the Vipers have scored six goals vs the Bucks
- The Vipers have just two wins in their last thirteen games
- With the win, Vernon improves to 5-13-5-0 sit 4th in the Interior West Division
Cranbrook Bucks Top Players:
Matthew Gilmore I thought was one of the better Cranbrook players this evening. Played with some jump, was skating, involved in the play, seemed to always be in and around the puck/play
Teo Pisani (1 assist) Was denied on a 2nd period breakaway, was one of the more dangerous Bucks in the loss. Pisani was involved in the play through out the hockey game, is quick on his feet, was making plays, hard to defend, hard to contain
Grant Denuccio (1 goal & 1 assist) Was another forward that played very well for the Cranbrook Bucks. Picked up two points in the loss
Game Thought's: Cranbrook Bucks
- The Bucks are 1-2-0-0 in Vernon this season
- The Bucks lone win in Vernon was a 6-1 victory September 20th 2025
- Cranbrook is 3-10-2-1 on the road
- I thought the visiting Bucks were the better team in the 1st. Both teams were even a lot of the first eight to ten minutes, before Cranbrook took over the edge in play in the second half. Cranbrook carried the better of the play, had more zone time, more puck possession, were getting pucks to the net and getting opportunities
- The Bucks next game is Friday vs the visiting Vernon Vipers
- Cranbrook went 1-7 with the man advantage
- Tonight was the fourth and final game of a four game road trip
- Both teams were pretty even in the 2nd period in a period that didn't see a whole lot of excitement until both teams opened up towards the end of the period. The Bucks had three or four very good looks/quality chances to take the lead but couldn't solve Oliver Kanat. Cranbrook's defence played well, holding Vernon to two shots for a very lengthy time
- The Bucks played a very disciplined game, taking only four penalties
- The Bucks have lost four of their last five games and lost seven of their last ten games
- Cranbrook's PK was good
- The Bucks are the second lowest scoring team with 60 goals, Surrey is last in scoring with 57
- Down a goal heading into the 3rd, the Bucks give up two quick back to back goals that cost them the hockey game. Vernon scores two goals in thirty seconds to fall behind 6-3. The Bucks get a chance to get back into the contest with a five minute major but with only two shots on goal, can't capitalize with the PP The Bucks didn't quit, pressed at different times in the 3rd but managed only four shots on goal
- With the loss, Cranbrook falls to 5-16-3-1 sit 5th in the Interior West Division
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Dome Szongoth
Koji Gibson (Injured)
Deagan McMillan (Suspended)
Oscar Bjork (Injured)
Assistant Coach Ryan Hollweg
Cranbrook Bucks:
Malachi Freh
Sammy Hynes
Konstantin Hutzinger
Konnor Bissell
Richard Rajaj
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Cranbrook Bucks @ Vernon Vipers Saturday, December 06, 2025 | BCHL League Site
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Official statistics powered by LeagueStat.com
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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