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 program and ticket stub 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 today's Vernon Vipers-Nanaimo Clippers game as the Vipers won 8-7 in overtime in front of 2,340 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Lane Maarhuis
Nanaimo Clippers: Ekiot Seguin-Lescarbeau
1st Period: The Nanaimo Clippers were the better team in the first half even though the Snakes had a 3-1 lead. The Clippers had a little more puck possession, a little more time in the offensive zone and carried a bit more of an edge in play. The Shipmen are very quick and their overall speed and quickness showed early in the contest. I thought Clippers starting netminder Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau didn't look very sharp, which showed in the score at the time. The hometown Vipers improved and were the better team in the second half. Vernon seemed to get their legs going, had a little more puck possession, zone time and played with some jump. It got a little chippy now and again as a couple of scrums broke out after the stoppage in play. It was 3-2 Vernon after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 15-10 Clippers.
2nd Period: The visiting Clippers were by far the better team and controlled most of the entire period, outplayed Vernon for most of the period. The Shipmen carried the edge in play, played most of the period in the offensive zone, had the puck on their stick often, outskated and outplayed the Vipers, capitalizing on their chances. Nanaimo looked very good and played a very good 2nd period on the road. This period got carried away with a ton of penalties as tempers heated up in a hurry. The Snakes took way too many penalties, spent a lot of time on the penalty kill and a lot of time in their own end. The Vipers didn't see a whole lot of time with the puck or in the offensive zone, didn't look good or play good. The Snakes with some undisciplined penalties, didn't play a very smart 2nd period. Lane Maarhuis was pulled from the crease after the 6th goal, as Oliver Kanat would finish the remainder of the hockey game. It was 6-3 Nanaimo after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 21-8 Clippers.
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3rd Period: The Vipers would score early to get within two goals but it was the Clippers who carried a lot of the play early. I thought Nanaimo had the edge in play, had a lot more time with the puck, more zone time and were the better team. The Snakes didn't spend much time in the offensive zone, but when they did, they were able to find the back of the net and capitalize on their looks/opportunities. Nanaimo held a 7-5 lead late and looked to come away with the win, but the Clippers would get into penalty trouble late, sending Vernon to a two man advantage. The hometown Vipers would capitalize with back to back powerplay goals to force overtime and get at least a point. It was 7-7 after 60 minutes of play. Shots were 14-13 Vipers.
Overtime: The Snakes carried most of the play in the extra frame. Vernon didn't get many shots on goal but did hold onto the puck and get loads of puck possession and zone time but unable to really create or generate much for offence. Nanaimo did get a couple of shifts with the puck but couldn't really muster much for offence. Vernon product and Vipers captain Deagan McMillan scored at 4:57 of overtime giving the Vipers a 8-7 come from behind victory. Shots were 4-2 Vernon.
Vernon Vipers Top Players:
Dmitrii Kubantsev (2 goals & 3 assists) Was the Vipers forward who stood out the most, recording five points in the OT win.
Oliver Kanat (22 saves) Kanat replaced Lane Maarhuis after the Clippers sixth goal and was very good between the pipes, kept Vernon in the game and allowed a Vipers comeback
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- Today is the second game of a three game home stand
- The Vipers are 3-7 in overtime
- The Vipers have won three of their last five games and lost seven of their last ten games
- I liked the Snakes 1st period. Vernon opened the scoring sixteen seconds in and were up 3-1 in a period where the Clippers were the better team in the first half and the Vipers were the better team in the second half
- Today's attendance was 2,340
- The Vipers next game is Friday vs the visiting Blackfalds Bulldogs
- Vernon took way too many penalties and lots of undisciplined penalties
- The Snakes were very lucky to win this afternoon in a game where Nanaimo was the better team in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Give the Vipers credit for not quiting and capitalizing on their opportunities in the 3rd
- The Vipers were outplayed in the 2nd period. The Shipmen carried and controlled the middle frame, played most of the period in the offensive zone. In a very chippy and heated period, Vernon took some very undisciplined penalties, played a lot of the period in their own end
- Vernon went 4-7 with the man advantage
- The Snakes are 5-12-5-0 at home
- Defenceman Garin Ludwig played parts of two seasons with the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Nanaimo Clippers
- The Vipers have lost ten of their last thirteen games
- This was a very long drawn out hockey game with lots of chippy play and after the whistle activities
- I thought the Clippers were the better team in the 3rd as Nanaimo had more edge in play, more puck possession and zone time. The Snakes didn't see a whole lot of time in the offensive zone but give the Vipers credit, they didn't quit and capitalized on their chances to force overtime
- The Vipers have five regular season home games remaining
- Vernon's defence didn't look all that great, were being beat one on one, beat to the puck and made several mistakes
- Since the 2003-04 regular season, the Vipers are 23-10-5-0 vs the Nanaimo Clippers
- For a team fighting for a playoff spot, the Vipers have been very inconsistent in 2026
- The time keepers were having trouble with the scoreboard, with a couple of delays that really dragged the game on
- Oliver Kanat was very good in relief and gave Vernon a chance to stay in the hockey game and a chance to get back into the hockey game
- The Vipers aren't a come from behind team this season, so down 6-3 heading into the 3rd I didn't give them much of a chance but they proved me wrong. Good on them for not quiting and getting the huge win in OT
- The Snakes have thirteen regular season games remaining
- If the Vipers want to get into the playoffs they need to starting winning more then a game or two and need to go on a decent run
- With the overtime win, Vernon improves to 11-23-7-0 are three points back of Cranbrook for the final playoff spot
Nanaimo Clippers Top Players:
Will Subject I thought played well on the blueline
Patrick Fortune (1 goal & 1 assist) Was one of the Clippers more dangerous forwards. Not the biggest kid, but very quick on his feet, has some skill and generate opportunities
Miller Kay Played with an edge, was very physical, got under the skin of several Vernon players, had a strong game
Caden Okovita (1 assist) Was another forward who I thought stood out, was involved in the play
Jack Rimmer (2 goals & 2 assists) Played very well, collected four points, was involved in the play often
Game Thought's: Nanaimo Clippers
- This is just the Clippers third visit to Vernon since 2020
- The Clippers are 13-6-4-0 on the road
- Nanaimo fell behind 3-1 early in the 1st period, in a period where they were the better team in the first half. I thought the Shipmen had a bit of an edge in play, more puck possession and zone time, were able to get within a goal heading into the 2nd period
- The Clippers have won three of their last five games and won six of their past ten games
- Defenceman Landon Pappas played with the 2024-25 Vernon Vipers
- The Clippers are physical, play with an edge, get under your skin and create a lot of havoc
- The Clippers are very fast and one of the quickest teams I have seen play this season. Nanaimo with a very good transition game, moves the puck very quick up ice and creates a lot of open space in the offensive zone due to their speed and quickness
- The Clippers last regular season win in Vernon was a 3-2 victory on February 7th 2020
- Forward Finn Kallay played with the 2024-25 Vernon Vipers
- Nanaimo was by far the better team and the better team in the 2nd and 3rd periods. The Clippers should have never let this one slip away with a 6-3 lead heading into the 3rd
- The Nanaimo Clippers went 3-7 with the powerplay
- I found it very odd the Clippers would travel to Vernon for one game before heading back to Nanaimo
- I thought starting goaltender Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau didn't look very sharp, especially in the 1st period. He seemed to settle down as the game went on but didn't look very comfortable between the pipes
- The Clippers next game is Friday vs the visiting Chilliwack Chiefs
- The Shipmen looked to have this game in the bag after the 2nd period. Nanaimo blew a 6-3 3rd period lead and were up 7-5 with three minutes remaining but two undisciplined penalties cost them the lead and the hockey game
- With the overtime loss, Nanaimo falls to 23-13-5-0 sits 2nd in the Coastal West Division
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Sebastian Bradshaw (Injured)
Seth Tansem (Injured)
Jack Bousquet
London Taylor
Jesse Sanche (Injured)
Nanaimo Clippers:
Nicholas Morin
Hudson Gill
Justin Collins
Drew Roelofs
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Nanaimo Clippers @ Vernon Vipers Monday, February 16, 2026 | BCHL League Site
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Official statistics powered by LeagueStat.com
Vernon Junior Hockey History,
2 comments:
Wow I am surprised the Vipers come back to win. Fairly good attendance
The Vipers were the better team in the 3rd for a great comeback. Kanat was also great. The refs missed a lot of calls on Nanaimo, as they should have been a little more even on the penalty calls. But anyway a great 3rd period comeback. Huge win
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