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 November 2008 and have over 10 million viewers. I have had season tickets since 1990 and missed 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 from every game since 1988. I worked with the Vipers as colour commentator for a few home games during the 2002-03 season and in 2011 I helped create/design the Vipers website that I was in charge of for five seasons.
I was at tonight's Vernon Vipers-Salmon Arm Silverbacks game as the Silverbacks won 5-2 in front of a very small crowd at Kal Tire Place. (No attendance was announced)
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Lane Maarhuis
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Noah Mavin
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2nd Period: The Vipers had the early jump before the S'Backs would score two quick back to back goals taking an early 3-1 lead. Two goals I think Vipers starting goaltender Lane Maarhuis would like back. For a second straight period, the Snakes were the better team, even though down two goals. Vernon would carry the better of the play, had more puck possession, more zone time and several quality chances. Vernon was able to get to within a goal but didn't get a save when needed putting them back down by two. The Silverbacks made a goaltender change at the midway mark. Noah Mavin would be replaced by Kasey Fuson. Mavin played very well, allowing one goal on fourteen Vipers shots. The Vipers also made a goaltender change but several minutes after the halfway mark. Lane Maarhuis allowed three goals on just ten Salmon Arm shots, was replaced by Leandro Djuric. The Apes had trouble getting sustained pressure, were chasing the play, saw a lot of play in their own end, did however score on their chances. It was 4-2 Salmon Arm after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 9-6 Vernon.
3rd Period: The hometown Vipers were the better of the two teams, carried the better of the play for most of the period. Vernon was really moving the puck up ice in a hurry, was generating and creating opportunities but didn't get any bounces or puck luck. The Snakes carried the better of the play, had lots of quality chances, played very well. Salmon Arm was again chasing the play and the Snakes, couldn't seem to keep the puck on their stick, saw a lot of time in their own end. The S'Backs were able to generate a little pressure and get some time in the offensive zone just past the midway mark. SA really struggled offensively couldn't do much with the puck. Kasey Fuson made a couple of large saves, that held a two goal lead before Luca DeCubellis put the game away with a late empty netter. Salmon Arm would improve to 3-0 in the preseason after a 5-2 victory. Shots were 11-5 Silverbacks.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Evan Schulha Really impressed me this evening. Schulha stood out amongst the Vernon defence, moved the puck up ice a lot, played with a lot of confidence
Henry Colbert isn't the biggest kid but stood out. Very shifty with the puck, reads the play well, can make plays and make things happen. Was one of the Vipers more skilled forwards. The Vipers signed Colbert in February for the 2026-27 season but wasn't at training camp. Colbert was added to the Vipers preseason roster on Tuesday.
Mason Kim (1 assist) Stood out in the loss Monday in West Kelowna, stood out again tonight in the loss to Salmon Arm. Not the biggest kid but very quick, very shifty, has lots of skill and a real play maker. Made a couple of nice plays tonight
Luca Pura Didn't do anything flashy but played well and looked good often
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- Tonight was the Vipers third of four exhibition games
- This was a much different Viper team then I saw play Monday & Tuesday in West Kelowna & Salmon Arm. The Vipers didn't play good or look good in either game but come to play tonight in front of the hometown fans. Vernon played with some jump/energy, competed, skated hard, battled, fought for pucks and space and played very close to a sixty minute effort as you can ask for in an exhibition game
- The Vipers are 0-2 vs Salmon Arm in the preseason
- The Snakes were wearing their black/yellow third jerseys from last season
- I liked the Vipers transition game, thought they moved the puck well and broke out of their own end well with not a whole lot of turnovers
- I really liked Vernon's penalty kill. I thought the Vipers PK looked very good, didn't give up a whole lot of shots or opportunities
- The Silverbacks got off to a good start, opened the scoring less then two minutes into the 1st period but the Vipers were the better of the two teams. The Snakes carried the better of the play for most of the opening frame. The Vipers had way more puck possession, more zone time, lots of sustained pressure, were a head in shots 8-3 at one point, had several quality chances
- The Vipers have six players returning from last season
- Vernon went 0-4 on the power play
- The Vipers and Silverbacks will meet seven times during the regular season
- A very small crowd tonight. No attendance was announced but I would guess 400 people max
- The Vipers next preseason game is Saturday vs the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters
- The team played more like a team then they showed or played in the first two exhibition games
- The Snakes were by far the better team in the 2nd period. Vernon carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, more zone time, created/generated quality opportunities but goaltending let them down. Lane Maarhuis allowed two soft goals early to start the middle frame. The Vipers would kill off a penalty, quickly score to get within a goal but shortly after give up a soft goal to fall behind two goals again
- I really liked Vernon's effort and compete tonight. I didn't see enough effort or compete in the two losses in West Kelowna & Salmon Arm
- This was by far the Vipers best game of the preseason
- The Vipers open the 2026-27 regular season September 18th in Salmon Arm
- Will the Vipers make any cuts tonight or wait until after Saturday's game?
- Nice to see the boys respond with a much better effort and performance compared to the first two exhibition games
- Vernon didn't get any bounces or puck luck tonight
- Down 4-2 heading into the 3rd I really liked the Snakes compete/effort. The Vipers were the better of the two teams and carried the better of the play. Vernon had more puck possession, more zone time, had lots of sustained pressure, couldn't solve Kasey Fuson who played very well in goal for Salmon Arm
- The Vipers went 3-3-1-0 vs Salmon Arm last season
- The Snakes deserved a better outcome as they were by far the better of the two teams. Vernon carried the better of the play for most of the game
- Only one out of the three concessions were open tonight. I understand it's only exhibition and they were expecting a small crowd but for fans who wanted to grab something to eat, the only concession open was selling hotdogs, otherwise your eating junk food for dinner
- If you take away the two soft goals Maarhuis allowed, instead of down 4-2 heading into the 3rd, it's 2-2
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 0-3-0-0 in the preseason
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Performers:
Luca DeCubellis (1 goal) I thought was one of the Apes better d-men
Romain Lellouche Played with a ton of jump/energy was a firecracker on the ice, played with a lot of speed and showed a lot of hustle. At one point, I think the 2nd period he was down on the ice in discomfort and couldn't get back on his feet, before slowly making his way to the bench, I didn't see him out for another shift again but thought he played well
Jack Toogood (1 assist) Was one of the better Silverbacks
Richard Wonyeneh (1 assist) Played with an edge, was in the face and under the skin of the Vipers often
Noah Mavin (13 saves) Got the start in goal for the Gorillas, played very well before being replaced halfway through the 2nd period. Mavin made a couple of large saves in the 2nd period keeping the S'Backs in the contest
Kasey Fuson (13 saves) Replaced Noah Mavin at the halfway mark of the 2nd period and played very well for the remainder of the hockey game. Fuson played the entire game Tuesday in a 8-4 victory over Vernon and played well. Fuson made a couple of highlight reel saves in the 3rd, keeping the Backs in the game
Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- Salmon Arm went 1-5 with the man advantage
- The Apes got off to a strong start, had the early jump on Vernon in the 1st period, opened the scoring less then two minutes into the contest but couldn't continue the same play for the rest of the period. The Silverbacks were chasing the puck and the play, saw a lot of action in their own end, looked like a much different team that I saw play in Salmon Arm vs the Vipers on Tuesday. The Silverbacks looked good in the first few minutes and the last few minutes. SA couldn't keep the puck on their stick as the Vipers were the better team
- A small crowd of Salmon Arm fans in attendance
- Tonight's the Silverbacks third and final exhibition game
- The Apes capitalized on their chances
- Salmon Arm has eleven players returning from the 2025-26 season
- Both goaltenders played very well, made some large saves, keeping the Backs in the game
- The Snakes were the better team in the 2nd period but in a 1-1 tie, the Silverbacks were able to jump out to a early 3-1 lead after two soft goals back to back early into the middle frame. The Gorillas once again played a lot of the period in their own end, were chasing the puck and play
- The Silverbacks next game is the teams home opener September 18th vs the Vernon Vipers
- The S'Backs caught some breaks, had some of the bounces or puck luck go there way
- SA relied on some big saves from Kasey Fuson in the 3rd, keeping them in the game. It was all Vernon as the hometown Vipers were again the better team.
- This wasn't the same team I saw beat the Vipers 8-4 on Tuesday. Salmon Arm didn't play with the same amount of speed, work ethic or compete
- With the win, Salmon Arm finishes the preseason at 3-0-0-0
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
No scratches announced
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
No scratches were announced
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
2 comments:
no puck luck, if they had this could have been a different game. Liked the vipers hustle and playmaking thru out all three periods. good game . go vipers go.
I think this was the Vipers best exhibition game so far. The Vipers didn't come out with the results they wanted but the Salmon Arm goalies were out standing.
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