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 Vernon got a team in 1961. I have two family members that played junior hockey in Vernon. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing 46 home games since. I have every program & ticket stub from every game I have gone too since 1988. I worked with the Vipers as colour commentator for a couple of home games during the 2002-03 season. In 2011 I helped create and design the Vipers website and was in charge of running the website for five seasons. I started and created this blog in 2008 and have over 5.9 million viewers.
I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-Cranbrook Bucks game as the Bucks won 4-1 in front of 2,481 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Colton Jugnauth
Cranbrook Bucks: Josh Scully
1st Period: Toms Trockis opened the scoring for the hometown Vipers at 1:32 but it was the visiting Cranbrook Bucks who were the better team for most of the opening frame. After the Snakes opened the scoring, the Bucks looked hungrier, were winning the races/battles, played with lots of jump/energy, were moving the puck, had loads of time in the offensive zone, were getting pucks to the net and getting some good looks. Cranbrook saw the puck on their stick a lot this period, controlled and carried the better of the play. The Vipers were outplayed for a lot of the period, saw a lot of the period in their own end, didn't get a whole lot of chances offensively. Colton Jugnauth was good between the pipes, keeping Vernon in the game. The Vipers would get two shots on goal on a lengthy two man advantage, did play a little better in the final four minutes or so. It was 1-1 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 12-11 Cranbrook.
2nd Period: It was all Bucks as Cranbrook was by far the better team in the middle frame. The Bucks carried the majority of the play, were skating circles around Vernon. The Bucks played with a lot of energy, were strong in on the forecheck, winning the races/battles, had the puck on their stick most of the 2nd period. Cranbrook generated/created lots of opportunities in a period where they spent most of the game in the offensive zone. The Vipers struggled at both ends of the rink. The Snakes struggled defensively and offensively. Vernon was turning over pucks, had troubles clearing the zone and couldn't get anything going offensively, had one shot in the first twelve minutes of play. The Vipers played with very little energy, were getting beat to the puck, to the boards, losing the battles and just weren't in the hockey game. Once again Colton Jugnauth had to be sharp, keeping the Snakes in the contest. It was 3-1 Cranbrook after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 11-3 Bucks.
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3rd Period: The Vipers played with a little more jump in their game, were finally able to generate some offensive opportunities for the first time tonight. Vernon had a bit more play with the puck but not for lengthy periods of time. At times the play was even and other times, the Bucks had some edge in play. For the first time tonight, the Snakes were getting some looks, creating some chances but still didn't play or look that great. The Bucks had a 4-1 lead may have taken their foot off the gas, played well defensively, not giving Vernon any second or third looks/opportunities. Cranbrook won 4-1. Shots were 13-7 Vernon.
Vernon Vipers Top Players:
Cole Bieksa made his Vipers debut this evening, I thought played with a bit of an edge, was physical, finishing his checks, showed some jump/energy, stood out for myself
Colton Jugnauth (26 saves) Kept this game close as the Bucks were the better team tonight, had lots of chances in the 1st and 2nd periods to blow this game wide open but Jugnauth did his best at keeping the score close
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers are 4-9-4-0 at home
- Tonight's attendance 2,481
- The Vipers were playing their best hockey before the Christmas break, haven't played anywhere near close to sixty minutes in the three home games after the holidays
- Tonight was the fifth and final game of a five game homestand
- Vernon went 0-4 with the power play
- The Vipers didn't show up tonight, were no where near close to sixty minutes, didn't compete hard enough, didn't play with much jump/energy, weren't skating, making way too many mistakes, lost to the better team
- The Snakes are 3-2 vs Cranbrook
- The Vipers opened the scoring, otherwise Cranbrook was the better team in the 1st period. Vernon did play better to end the period
- The Vipers defence has struggled since returning from the holidays. The last three home games, Vernon's defence has been tuning over pucks, had trouble clearing the zone and poor defensive coverage
- Former Vipers Assistant Coach-Head Coach Joe Oliver was in attendance
- The Vipers have lost four of their last five games and lost six of their last ten games
- Word around the arena tonight is goaltender Oliver Kanat is injured
- Vernon struggled with the man advantage. The Vipers PP is way too slow, doesn't get enough pucks or bodies to the net, pass the puck way too much, don't shoot and don't get a whole lot of opportunities
- A very poor 2nd period in a period where it was all Cranbrook. The Bucks were by far the better team, carried and controlled most of the period. Vernon spent a lot of time in their own end, chasing the puck, turning over pucks, losing races/battles, had one shot on goal in the first twelve minutes
- The Vipers & Bucks play again March 6th in Cranbrook
- Former Vipers forward & Assistant Coach Colton Sparrow was in attendance
- The Vipers struggled offensively tonight. Didn't get a whole lot of pucks to the net and didn't generate or create a whole lot of opportunities. The Snakes had maybe three good looks/chances in the first two periods
- The Vipers next game is Saturday in West Kelowna
- You have to wonder, are all these roster moves affecting the team? Taking away team chemistry etc? Having new players in and out of the lineup this often has to be hard on these kids adjusting to new linemates game after game
- Former NHLer Kevin Bieksa was in attendance watching his son Cole make his Vipers debut
- Down 4-1 in the 3rd, the Snakes were finally able to get some looks/opportunities. Vernon did manage to finally get some play and puck possession in the offensive zone now and again
- The Vipers haven't won many games this season but before the Christmas break, the Vipers played hard, were in most games, competed and the games were entertaining. Since returning from the holidays, the Vipers haven't played a good game in 2026. The Vipers haven't looked good or played good in the three games since the holidays. The team just doesn't have the same jump/energy, are struggling at both ends of the rink and not looking like the same team we saw before the holidays
- I saw too many mistakes tonight, not enough jump/energy, way too many turnovers and losing a lot of puck battles/races to the puck
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 8-18-5-0 sit 4th in the Interior West Division
Cranbrook Bucks Top Players:
Matthew Gilmore seems to play well vs the Vipers, looked good and played well in the Bucks win. A good skater, seems to find the open ice, makes plays and plays hard at both ends of the rink
Adam Csabi (1 goal & 1 assist) The former Vipers forward scored on a 3rd period penalty shot, had a good game. Is quick on his feet, makes good plays, sees the ice, hard to defend, hard to contain
Samuel Lyne (2 goals) Has some size, scored twice, gave the Snakes troubles this evening
Konstantin Hutzinger (1 goal) Was another forward who played well in the victory
Jack McMinn played a solid game on Cranbrook's blueline. Played well at both ends of the rink
Game Thought's: Cranbrook Bucks
- The Bucks pick up their second win in Vernon this season
- Spotted a few Bucks fans in attendance
- Cranbrook went 0-3 with the man advantage
- The Bucks give up the games first goal just 1:32 into the 1st period but respond with a good push back in a period where they were the better team. The Bucks carried and controlled a lot of the opening frame, saw a lot of time in the offensive zone, could have had a couple of goals if it wasn't for Vernon's goaltender
- The Bucks are 5-10-2-1 on the road
- The Bucks next game is Saturday in Salmon Arm
- Cranbrook played a very well defensive game. The Bucks gave up little to no opportunities in the first two periods, kept the Vipers to the outside and away from the front of the blue paint
- Tonight's the first game of a two game road trip
- Adam Csabi played with the 2023-24 Vernon Vipers and started the 2024-25 season with the Vipers was traded to Cranbrook in December 2024
- The Bucks have won three of their last five games and lost six of their last ten games
- The Cranbrook Bucks were by far the better team, they showed up to play, played hard, battled, competed and fully deserved the victory
- With the win, Cranbrook is now just one point back of Vernon for 4th place
- I really liked the Bucks 2nd period, a period where they were by far the better team. Cranbrook carried the better of the play, had the puck on their stick for most of the period, saw most of the period in the offensive zone, were outskating Vernon, winning the races, winning the battles, played with a lot more jump/energy, seemed to be more hungry
- Tonight was the Bucks final regular season visit to Vernon
- The Bucks play nine of their next eleven games at home
- Give Cranbrook credit, they come into Vernon and played a very solid road game. This team played well at both ends of the rink, capitalized on their opportunities, competed, played hard, took advantage of some of the Vipers mistakes, played well defensively
- Josh Scully (26 saves) Wasn't tested much in the first two periods, faced thirteen Vernon shots in the 3rd wasn't overly busy
- With a 4-1 lead in the 3rd it looked like the Bucks may have taken their foot off the gas a little, but did play well defensively, kept the Vipers to the outside, didn't give up any second or third chances and didn't allow the Snakes to have the puck on their stick for lengthy periods of time
- The Bucks wanted tonight's game more then the Vipers
- With the win, Cranbrook improves to 8-20-3-1 sit 5th in the Interior West Division
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Sebastian Bradshaw
Koji Gibson (Injured)
Deagan McMillan (Injured)
Oscar Bjork (Injured)
Oliver Kanat (Injured)
Cranbrook Bucks:
Konnor Bissell
Roman Maudie
Sammy Hynes
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Cranbrook Bucks @ Vernon Vipers Friday, January 09, 2026 | BCHL League Site
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Official statistics powered by LeagueStat.com
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
3 comments:
The word STRUCTURE and the word Vipers. I wish these two words had meaning. I look on the ice and see neither of a team I would call Vipers and the word structure I would not use this word either. Again our powerplay is always the same and the other teams know it and in that knowledge prevent us from scoring goals. I give praise to cranbrook as they wanted this game as a win . Cranbrook played well defensively and offensively and I believe deserved to win. My only hope that after Feb. 10 we can settle down with all these trades and develop a that has the ability to gel and play as a team with structure. If not it will mean no playoffs and if playoffs short exit and see you next year. Hope is the only word we have . GO,VIPERS,GO.
The boys didn't compete like they wanted the 2 points tonight
Another terrible game by the Vipers. It is hard to believe that Cranbrook is still behind Vernon in the standings, they look like a good team. The obvious difference between these two teams is that Cranbrook plays a team game, 5 guys supporting each other. The Bucks move the puck quickly, make crisp passes and hustle every shift. The Vipers continue to look disorganized and do not exhibit those qualities plain and simple.
One positive from the game was the officiating, they were not noticeable or a factor in the game. They deserve credit for a job well done. Anyone else notice we have not had an annoying, time consuming video reviews since the last time one particular referee officiated a game?
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