Game Recap - Okotoks Oilers 4 Vernon Vipers 3

I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following junior hockey in Vernon my entire life. I started and created this blog in 2008 and have over 6 million viewers. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing 46 home games since. 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 programs and ticket stubs going back to 1988 and have every ticket stub and program from every game since 1989. I worked with the Vipers as colour commentator for a few home games during the 2002-03 season and in 2011 helped create and design the Vipers website that I was in charge of running for five seasons.

I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-Okotoks Oilers game as the Oilers won 4-3 in front of 2,235 fans at Kal Tire Place.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon Vipers: Jesse Sanche
Okotoks Oilers: Eric Young

1st Period: The Vipers got into penalty trouble early but had the edge in play at different times in the first half as both teams were also even at different times. Vernon had some good looks/opportunities but couldn't find the back of the net. Eric Young was lucky on a couple of plays but was good between the pipes for the Oilers. The visiting Okotoks Oilers took over the edge in play in the second half and were the better team in the second half. The Oilers hit one post, had a lot more puck possession, zone time and opportunities. Jesse Sanche kept the Snakes in the game, was forced to make several key saves to end the period. It was 0-0 after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 11-8 Okotoks.

2nd Period: The Oilers jumped on the Snakes early and often. Vernon come out flat, stopped skating, struggled in their own end and getting out of their own end. Okotoks forced several turnovers with a strong forecheck and simply hard work to carry the early edge in play. The Oilers were by far the better team in the first half for a good seven to eight minutes, simply outskated and out worked the hometown Vipers, would score back to back goals nine seconds apart to take an early 2-0 lead. Jamie Hlkida took a hit and didn't get up off the ice, needed some attention from the team trainer, was eventually helped off the ice and didn't return for the remainder of the period. The Vernon Vipers responded with a good push back and played very well to end the period as the Snakes were the better team towards the middle of the period and in the second half of the period. Vernon had loads of zone time with a lot of puck possession, were skating, moving the puck and creating/generating lots of quality chances. The Vipers would eventually get two goals of their own, but could have easily had three or four goals with the amount of opportunities they had. Eric Young was the difference making several big stops, keeping this game tied at two. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 14-6 Vipers.

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3rd Period: Oliver Kanat come out to start the final frame in goal as starting goaltender Jesse Sanche didn't come out for the period or to the bench. Sanche would eventually join his team on the bench several minutes after the period started. The Snakes were by far the better team in the period, carried the better of the play, had the puck on their stick more, loads of zone time, created/generated a ton of opportunities but unable to capitalize. Vernon was moving the puck well, hit the crossbar, missed what looked like a couple of open nets. The Oilers who didn't see a whole lot of time in the offensive zone, did manage to get three or four odd man rushes in the opening minute of the period, one that resulted in taking an early one goal lead. Other wise Okotoks played a lot of the period in their own end, were chasing the game had to rely on their goaltender to bail them out. With just over five minutes remaining, Liam Magnuson losses his footing allowed Jamie Hlkida to snap a quick shot along the ice, beating Oliver Kanat five hole and giving Okotoks a 4-3 lead late. How big of a goal was this? Hlkida was hurt and left the 2nd period, returned to the Oilers bench midway through the 3rd period. The Oilers would hang on for the 4-3 victory. Shots were 17-9 Vernon.

Vernon Vipers Top Performers:

Dario Lass (1 assist) Played with a lot of jump/energy, was really skating, setup Cole Bieksa for the Snakes opening goal

The line of Christian Maro (1 goal), Evan Sundar & Dmitrii Kubantsev (1 assist) Was the Vipers best unit in the loss. I thought all three had strong games and all three played very very well in the loss. Maro was really skating, using his speed and strength to open the ice and create some plays, rang a shot off the crossbar late in the 3rd period. Sundar was Vernon's best player, played very very well at both ends of the rink. This was one of Sundar's more complete games of the season. Sundar was hard to contain, hard to defend and dangerous with and without the puck. Kubantsev is very skilled, looked good but also turned over the puck on a couple of occassions

Oscar Bjork returned to the lineup after being out with an injury for the past few months, played well on the Vipers backend

Jesse Sanche (17 saves) Didn't come out to start the 3rd period, didn't come out to the bench until a couple of minutes into the final period, was very solid between the pipes in the first two periods, made some key saves at different times in the hockey game and some big stops in the 1st with the Oilers pressing

Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers

- The Vipers have lost eight straight games for a second time this season

- The Snakes have trouble with consistency and playing close to sixty minutes. Don't get me wrong, they played one of their better games in a while tonight, but not only mistakes cost them tonight, it was mistakes at costly times during the hockey game

- The Vipers next game is Wednesday in Spruce Grove

- Oscar Bjork returned to the lineup after missing several months due to injury

- Tonight's game was very exciting/entertaining

- Tonight was the final regular season meeting vs the Okotoks Oilers

- The Snakes went 0-3 on the power play

- When Matt Cooke was hired, I was expecting a much better team then what we have seen so far this season. With Cooke joining the Vipers late in July, I wasn't expecting the Vipers to be anywhere near the top of the division but I was expecting much more then 8 wins and not anywhere near the bottom of the standings. The team has played hard, been in a lot of close games but at the end of the day, are still losing and losing most nights. The team roster has been changed over lots with players coming and going and still hasn't improved or gotten better. Very very disappointed 

- Vernon took some careless penalties early in the 1st period

- The Snakes have five wins since October 18th 

- The Vipers are 4-11-5-0 at home this season

- Other then taking a couple of early penalties to start the 1st period, I thought the Snakes had a bit of an edge in the first half, had some good looks/quality chances but couldn't find the back of the net. The Oilers goaltender made a couple of big stops to keep the game scoreless. Jesse Sanche had to be sharp, made some key saves, keeping the Vipers in the contest with the Oilers pressing in the second half

- The Snakes have seven home games remaining in the regular season

- Tonight's attendance was 2,235

- The Vipers are 1-3-0-0 vs the Okotoks Oilers

- Rumors around the rink were that Maverick Hayes left the team and Edvin Nilsson asked for a trade

- Vernon struggled to start the 2nd period, come out flat, weren't skating, struggled in their own end and getting the puck out of their own end, were outskated and out played early to start the period, would give up back to back goals just nine seconds apart just minutes into the middle frame. The hometown Vipers didn't look or play good in the first seven to eight minutes, responded with a much better effort/performance towards the middle half and into the second half of the period, where the Snakes were the better team in the second half. The Vipers carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, zone time and a ton of quality chances. The Vipers would get two goals of their own to tie the game but could have had a few more if it wasn't for the play of goaltender Eric Young

- The Vipers have lost eight straight games and lost nine of their last ten games

- When the opponents score first, the Vipers are 2-15 

- With the loss and Cranbrook's 3-0 win over Spruce Grove, the Vipers are now six points back of the Bucks for the final playoff spot

- The Vipers are 2-14 in one goal games

- Starting goaltender Jesse Sanche didn't come out to start the 3rd, instead Oliver Kanat started the 3rd and finished the hockey game. Sanche wasn't on the bench to start the period, joined the team a couple of minutes into the period

- This was one of the Vipers better games in 2026

- Vernon's defence struggled keeping the puck in at the blueline

- The Snakes are 0-2-0-0 at home vs the Oilers 

- 2-2 going into the 3rd the Snakes were by far the better team for most of the final twenty minutes. Vernon did give up three or four early odd man rushes but carried the better of the play, played a lot of the period in the offensive zone, had lots of zone time, created/generated a ton of good looks/opportunities couldn't capitalize on their chances. Liam Magnuson losses his footing late in the period that allowed Jamie Hlkida to score the game winning goal

- Former Vipers captain David Robinson was at tonight's game

- Vernon is 2-8-2-0 vs Alberta teams this season

- The Vipers played from behind and give them credit for rallying down 2-0 and then 3-2 in the 3rd but just can't give up that winning goal late in the period in a period where they were by far the better team

- With the loss, Vernon falls to 8-22-6-0 sit 5th in the Interior West Division are six points back of Cranbrook for the final playoff spot

Okotoks Oilers Top Performers:

Gabriel Simpson (1 assist) Played a strong game on the Oilers blueline

Josh Wiebe (1 assist) Looked good through out the hockey game, played with pace, moved the puck and generated a couple of opportunities

Holden Pajor (1 goal) A big body opened the scoring for the visiting Oilers, looked very good in the Oilers win

Brady Engelkes (1 goal) Was another forward who played with a lot of speed, pace, energy, created/generated some offence, was hard to contain/defend

Jordan Murray (2 assists) Was another defenceman that saw a lot of minutes, was very good with and without the puck

Jamie Hlkida (1 goal & 1 assist) Took a hit during the 2nd period and needed help off the ice, didn't return for the remainder of the period. Hlkida joined the Oilers bench during the 3rd period, scored the game winning goal late in the 3rd period. Not the biggest kid but isn't afraid to get in the mix, played with an edge, was under the skin of a couple of Vipers during the 1st period

Eric Young (36 saves) Was solid in goal for the Oilers. Made a couple of big saves in the first half of the 1st period, kept Okotoks in the contest in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Was lucky at times, got some bounces go his way

Game Thought's: Okotoks Oilers

- The Oilers are 2-0-0-0 in Vernon this season

- Okotoks had a couple of 1st period power plays, couldn't capitalize with the man advantage in a period where they looked and played their best in the second half. Okotoks carried the better of the play in the second half, were getting some good looks/opportunities, ended the period on a high

- Okotoks is 9-9-1-0 on the road this season

- Tonight's the third game of a four game road trip

- The Oilers went 0-3 with the man advantage

- The Oilers play five of their next seven games at home

- The visiting Oilers jumped on Vernon early and often to start the 2nd period. Just over two minutes into the period, Okotoks would score two goals nine seconds apart to grab a 2-0 lead. The Oilers strong forecheck, hard work paid off. The Oilers were the better team early but couldn't continue the same pace through out the entire period as the Snakes responded with a good push back and were the better team in the second half, that allowed Vernon to score twice to even the score. Eric Young was sharp, played very well between the pipes, keeping the Oilers in the hockey game

- The Oilers next game is Saturday in Salmon Arm

- With a Spruce Grove loss in Cranbrook and an Oilers victory tonight, Okotoks is now only three points back of Spruce Grove for the final playoff spot

- The Oilers have won three of their last five games are 5-5 in their last ten games

- Okotoks has a very lively bench. Lots of chatter coming from the Oilers bench as well as the players slapping their sticks against the boards often

- The Oilers had three or four odd man rushes early to start the 3rd couldn't capitalize were outplayed for a lot of the final period. Okotoks played a lot of the period in their own end, got some big defensive plays from their defence as well as some blocked shots and Eric Young was solid in goal, keeping his team in the contest. In a period where they were outplayed and outshot, somehow the visitors found a way to gut out a greasy win on the road

- The Oilers played with the lead and never trailed tonight

- In a game where maybe they didn't deserve to win, give credit to Okotoks for playing hard, competing, playing as a team and scoring some big goals. A gutsy road win

- With the win, Okotoks improves to 16-17-1-1 sit 5th in the Interior East Division are three points back of Spruce Grove for the final playoff spot

Scratches:

Vernon Vipers:

Sebastian Bradshaw (Injured)
Seth Tansem
Koji Gibson (Injured)
Taylor Curtis
Deagan McMillan (Injured)

Okotoks Oilers:

Ryder de Nys
Kash Crawford
Michael Mikan
Jeff Niehaus
Dane Gillis

Boxscore-Game Summary,

Okotoks Oilers @ Vernon Vipers Friday, January 30, 2026 | BCHL League Site

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