Game Recap: Salmon Arm Silverbacks 7 Vernon Vipers 5

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 worked with the Vipers as colour commentator for a few 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 years. I started and created this blog in November 2008 and have over 5.9 million viewers.

I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-Salmon Arm Silverbacks as the Silverbacks won 7-5 in front of 2,646 fans at Kal Tire Place.

Starting Goaltenders:

Vernon Vipers: Colton Jugnauth
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Daniel Dirracolo

1st Period: The Silverbacks were the better team for most of the opening frame. I thought the Vipers got off to a good start, had the early edge in play, played well and looked good in the first four to five minutes before the Apes opened the scoring at 6:20 and never really looked back. SA carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, more zone time, more shots on goal, more quality chances. The S'Backs played with pace, moved the puck well up ice. Vernon couldn't seem to recover after giving up the opening goal, then struggled for most of the remainder of the period. The Snakes had troubles getting pucks to the net and creating/generating quality opportunities. Sebastian Bradshaw hit the crossbar but otherwise the Vipers didn't get a whole lot of good looks/chances. It was 1-0 Salmon Arm after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 18-11 Silverbacks.

2nd Period: The visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks were the better team. The Vipers tied the game 1:38 into the middle frame but couldn't keep the puck out of their net. Salmon Arm capitalized on several Vernon mistakes. The Silverbacks looked like the better team for most of the period. The Gorillas speed to win puck battles and force the Snakes to turn over pucks was a big difference. SA scored four goals on just eight shots. SA kept Vernon to the outside, blocked shots and played well defensively. The Vipers scored a couple of goals to get back into the game but couldn't hold off the goals against. Vernon struggled defensively and in their own end. The hometown Vipers had troubles getting out of their own end, on the break out and clearing the zone. It was 5-2 Silverbacks after 40 minutes of play. Shots on goal were 9-8 Vipers.

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3rd Period: The Vipers made a goaltender change to start the period. Colton Jugnauth was on the bench to start the period, after giving up five goals on twenty six Salmon Arm shots. Oliver Kanat started the 3rd and finished the hockey game. The Vipers were the better team for most of the period. The Apes looked to put the game away early taking a 6-2 lead at 1:12 into the final frame. With the game to be out of reach, the Silverbacks looked to take their foot off the gas as the Vipers didn't quit and got to within two goals but simply ran out of time. The Snakes carried the better of the play, had loads of zone time, started putting together some good looks/chances and were capitalizing on some chances. The Vipers cranked up the intensity level and played with some jump/energy, something they didn't show much of in the first two periods. The S'Backs had a four goal lead, saw a lot of play in their own end, were back on their heels at times but were able to hold on for the 7-5 victory. Shots were 15-10 Vipers.

Vernon Vipers Top Players:

Christian Maro (1 goal & 1 assist) I thought played his best game as a Viper. Maro played with a ton of jump, was flying all night, created/generated some good looks/quality opportunities

Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers

- The Vipers are 1-1-1-0 vs Salmon Arm

- The Vipers have won three of their last five games and lost six of their last ten games

- The Vipers got off to a good start, didn't get many shots or pucks towards the net but were the better team in the first four or five minutes. Once Salmon Arm opened the scoring, the Silverbacks took over the better of the play for most of the remainder of the 1st period. The Gorillas speed and compete was better then the Snakes, the S'Backs were getting pucks to the net, creating looks/opportunities, while the Vipers struggled to get much of anything going

- Tonight's attendance 2,646

- Vernon is twelve points back of 3rd place Salmon Arm

- Tonight's the third game of a five game home stand

- Vernon's defence struggled all evening, turning over pucks, trouble clearing the zone, trouble breaking out of their own end and trouble defending 

- The Snakes haven't won many hockey games this season but have been in almost every game this season other then a couple of games. Tonight was the worst game I have seen this team play this season

- Vernon went 2-3 with the man advantage

- The Vipers are 4-7-4-0 at home

- These new Vipers 3rd jerseys remind me of the Victoria Grizzlies jerseys

- This was not one of the Vipers best games. The Snakes didn't play their best or look their best and it cost them the hockey game

- The Vipers next game is Saturday vs the visiting Okotoks Oilers

- Vernon would get a couple of early 2nd period goals to get back into the hockey game but couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. The hometown Vipers struggled defensively and in their own end, turning over pucks, losing battles, poor defensive coverage and had troubles getting out of their own end-clearing the zone, that ended up costing them a couple of goals

- Tonight's 50/50 was over $4000 I don't ever recall in all my years seeing the 50/50 that big before?

- I liked Vernon's compete and no quit effort in the 3rd but where was this effort and performance in the first two periods?

- Both Vipers goaltenders didn't have a great night

- Why would the Vipers announce the Canada score tonight? Don't they know most fans at the game are probably recording it at home? 

- The Snakes need a much better effort and consistency then they showed tonight

- The Vipers switched goaltenders to start the 3rd, yet the Silverbacks would score early on their first shot of the period. Down 6-2 early, Vernon didn't quit, played with a lot of jump/energy, were the better team in the 3rd were able to get to within two goals before running out of time. The Vipers had some good looks and quality chances but where was this effort in the first two periods?

- Rumors going around the rink tonight, newly acquired Connor Paronuzzi didn't report to the Vipers

- Oliver Kanat started the 3rd period. Colton Jugnauth gave up five goals on twenty six Salmon Arm shots

- Since the 2003-04 season, the Vipers are 76-57-16-1-4 vs Salmon Arm

- The Snakes played no where near sixty minutes, looked good at times in short periods of times but otherwise made way too many mistakes, didn't play with much jump/or energy, turned over way too many pucks, poor defensive play, poor defensive coverage, didn't generate or create much in the first two periods, were outskated and lost a lot of battles/races 

- The Vipers and Silverbacks play again January 23rd in Salmon Arm

- With the loss, Vernon falls to 8-16-5-0 sit 4th in the Interior West Division

Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Players:

Wyatt Dreger played well on the Silverbacks blueline

Luke Lepper (1 assist) Was another defender that played well in the victory

Luke Sinclair (4 goals & 1 assist) I can't remember the last time a visitor had five points against the Vipers? This kid had a heck of a hockey game, was basically unstoppable 

Tanner Walos (2 assists) Usually plays well vs the Snakes, picked up two helpers in the win this evening, played well 

Koen Senft (1 goal) Opened the scoring for the Gorillas, I thought played very well

Anthony Preskar (1 goal & 4 assists) Was another Salmon Arm forward the Vipers had troubles stopping

Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks

- Including the preseason, Salmon Arm is 3-0 in Vernon

- Lots of Silverbacks fans in attendance 

- I thought Salmon Arm played a good road game in the first two periods, then did they take their foot off the gas? or have a collapse in the 3rd? Not a great 3rd period but were up by four goals and able to hold on for the win

- Salmon Arm's next game is Saturday in Trail

- The Silverbacks have won three of their last five games and lost six of their last ten games

- SA opened the scoring, was the better team in the 1st period. The Apes carried the better of the play, were getting lots of pucks to the net, created some chances, had the puck more then the home team

- Salmon Arm went 0-2 with the power play

- The Silverbacks are quick and used their speed tonight to get behind the Vipers defence and force Vernon into turnovers 

- The Silverbacks are 9-6-2-0 on the road

- Luke Sinclair and Anthony Preskar combined for ten points

- The Silverbacks capitalized on several Vipers turnovers and mistakes in the 2nd period, would score four goals to take a 5-2 lead into the 3rd. SA was the better team in the middle frame, seemed to respond with a goal of their own after the Vipers scored. Salmon Arm played well defensively, blocked shots, kept Vernon to the outside, didn't give up a whole lot

- Salmon Arm's defence played well, especially in the first two periods. The Backs kept the Snakes to the outside, limiting Vernon's chances

- Tonight's the second game of a three game road trip

- The Silverbacks capitalized on the Vipers mistakes/turnovers

- Salmon Arm played with a lot of jump/energy, won the races, won the battles and just seemed to want the puck more

- With an early 6-2 lead, did the Silverbacks take their foot off the gas? The Vipers played their best period of the evening would get to within a couple of goals to give Salmon Arm a bit of a scare. The S'Backs were back on their heels at times, saw a lot of time in their own end, allowed the Snakes back into the hockey game in a game that should have never been close

- It seemed like anytime Vernon scored, the Silverbacks were quick to reply with a goal of their own shortly after

- With the win, Salmon Arm improves to 14-11-3-2 sits 3rd in the Interior West Division

Scratches:

Vernon Vipers:

Koji Gibson (Injured)
Deagan McMillan
Oscar Bjork (Injured)

Salmon Arm Silverbacks:

Donny Sisson
Tate O'Brien
Mateu Spath
Aidan Fisher

Boxscore-Game Summary,

Salmon Arm Silverbacks @ Vernon Vipers Friday, January 02, 2026 | BCHL League Site

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Vernon Junior Hockey History website,

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