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-West Kelowna Warriors game as the Vipers won 3-2 in overtime in front of 1,902 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Samuel DiBlasi
West Kelowna Warriors: Ethan Sawyer
Before tonight's game, the Vipers announced their leadership group, naming defenceman Brayden Pankey captain for the 2026-27 season.
2nd Period: The Snakes were the better team to start. Josh Denes with his first BCHL goal on the man advantage opens the scoring at 2:49 before Cole Bieksa was given a five minute major/game misconduct for boarding, which resulted in a scrum before everyone gets involved. Van Martin drops the gloves with Carter Rebman. The Warriors did get a couple of looks on the man advantage but mustered only three shots on goal as Vernon killed off the major. Mason Kim was awarded a shorthanded penalty shot, hit the post. About three minutes later West Kelowna goes back to the PP and capitalizes. After all said and done I thought the Vipers were the better team, even with the Warriors on the power play for seven minutes in the second half of the period. The Snakes hit two goal posts. How good was Vernon's PK? It was 1-1 after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 9-7 West Kelowna.
To continue reading, please click the "read more" button below,
3rd Period: The Warriors were by far the better of the two teams for most of the period. I thought the Tribe got their legs going, something they didn't have going in the first two periods and they carried and controlled most of the play for a lot of the period. WK was strong on the forecheck, hard on pucks, winning the battles, forcing the Snakes into making mistakes. West Kelowna had some very good looks and several quality chances, could have easily gone up by a couple of goals but Samuel DiBlasi made some large saves, keeping Vernon in a one goal game. The hometown Vipers didn't have a great period, were outplayed, looked very slow, disorganized, were making poor passes, mistakes, weren't playing with any urgency or pace, struggled offensively, only had one shot on goal in the first fifteen minutes. This was not the same Vipers team from the first two periods. The Snakes would get two late PP's and struggled as the Tribe killed off both. With the goaltender on the bench, Luca Pura forces overtime, tying the game at 19:06 It was 2-2 after 60 minutes of play. Shots were 9-9.
Overtime: West Kelowna would win the opening draw but unable do much with the opportunity. Veteran defenceman Oscar Bjork would be denied on a breakaway before scoring the overtime winner at 1:33 giving the hometown Vipers a 3-2 overtime victory. Shots were 3-1 Vernon.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Mason Kim Played with a lot of jump/energy, hit the post on a 2nd period penalty shot
Martin Cerny I thought played well on Vernon's blueline, jumped into the rush often
Will Johnson Has really played well the past couple of games, I thought played hard this evening
Ben Trebicky (1 assist) Was another forward that stood out, played hard, was involved in the play
Luca Pura (1 goal & 1 assist) Was one of the Snakes better players tonight. I really like this kid, has played very well so far this season. Uses his body, goes to the net and in the grey area, battles and competes every shift
Samuel DiBlasi (20 saves) Wasn't tested much at all in the 1st period and in the first half of the 2nd period, was forced to make a couple of saves in the middle frame but had to be sharp and on his toes in the 3rd, keeping the Snakes in the contest and a one goal game. DiBlasi didn't impress me during the preseason but has proved me wrong, playing very very well so far in the regular season
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers next game is Monday at the BCHL Showcase in Nisku, Alberta vs the Surrey Eagles
- Tonight's attendnace was announced at 1,902
- How big is recruiting and coaching? Look at the previous coaches/recruiting we had under Tom/John Glen compared to now under Matt Cooke
- Before tonight's game, the Vipers named defenceman Brayden Pankey captain
- Vernon was the better team in the 1st period, played very well, looked very good, carried and controlled the better of the play, had lots of zone time, more puck possession, were getting pucks to the net, had several looks/opportunities. The Vipers thought they opened the scoring three minutes into the period but after video review, the goal was waived off due to goaltender interference. Vipers defence played very well
- The Snakes are 2-0-0-0 vs West Kelowna
- Tonight was the fourth and final game of a four game home stand
- The Snakes did a good job at shutting down the Chan/Dinneen line
- The Vipers went 1-3 with the power play
- The Snakes were the better team for most of the 2nd period. The game/momentum changed after Cole Bieksa's major for boarding, that resulted in a scrum/fight as Vernon's PK was solid, giving up just three shots and killing off the major. The Vipers were shorthanded for seven minutes in the second half. Mason Kim hit the post on a shorthanded penalty shot as Vernon hit two goal posts. The Snakes give up a late PP goal but played very well, especially on the PK
- Another small crowd tonight. With the team in 1st place for the first time in over seven years, where are all the Vipers fans?
- The Vipers play eight of their next nine games on the road
- The Vipers & Warriors play each other seven times during the regular season
- I didn't like Vernon's 3rd period as the Warriors were by far the better team. The hometown Vipers looked flat, weren't skating, were making mistakes, poor passes, losing the battles, didn't play with any emotion or urgency, had one shot on goal in the first fifteen minutes. The Snakes struggled offensively, couldn't generate much, struggled with back to back power plays late in the period. Luca Pura forced overtime tying the game with the goaltender on the bench at 19:06 Vipers were lucky to get an extra point and get to overtime
- What happened to forward Cohen Handby? He was never listed on the Vipers roster but was announced in the player introductions at the home opener and on the lineup sheet ever since, until tonight
- Since the Langley Hornets moved to West Kelowna in 2006, Vernon is 54-49-7-3-2 vs the Warriors
- I think the Vipers let West Kelowna hang around for way too long in a game where they could have been up by a couple of goals in the 1st period. Instead the opening goal gets waived off and Ethan Swayer made a couple of big saves, instead of 1 or 2-0 going into the 2nd it's 0-0 Mason Kim could have also changed the game/momentum if he scores on the penalty shot
- The Snakes have won six straight games for the first time since winning seven straight games in 2023
- Give Vernon credit for tying the game late, forcing overtime and then pulling out the come from behind win in overtime
- How fun and exciting is this team to watch? It's fun coming to the rink again after so many losing seasons
- The Vipers are 4-0-0-0 at home
- I think the Vipers were the better team in the first two periods and overtime but also got lucky to even get to overtime and come away with the two points. Vipers were lucky the Warriors didn't put the game away in the 3rd and for a team that didn't have many shots on goal early, were able to tie the game late, to force overtime
- With the overtime victory, Vernon improves to 6-1-0-0 sits 1st in the Interior West Division
West Kelowna Warriors Top Performers:
CJ Watson (1 goal) Impressed me, played very well on the blueline
Chaz Lentz Played a strong game up front for West Kelowna
Joe Marchi (1 assist) Was one of the better Warriors in the OT loss this evening. Not the biggest kid but played with a lot of spark, was involved in the play
Ethan Swayer (27 saves) Was very good in the 1st period, keeping the Tribe in the hockey game. Sawyer made a couple of highlight reel saves this evening. Got lucky and some help from his goal post in the 2nd period after a Mason Kim penalty shot. Vipers with two goal posts in the 2nd period and then made a breakaway save off Oscar Bjork in overtime
Game Thought's: West Kelowna Warriors
- Tonight's the first game of a three game road trip
- I didn't think the Tribe had a great 1st period as it was all Vernon who was the better team. The hometown Vipers carried and controlled a lot of the play. West Kelowna struggled offensively just couldn't seem to do much of anything. The Warriors needed eighteen and a half minutes to get their first shot on goal, were very lucky to head to the 2nd period in a 0-0 game. Ethan Swayer made a couple of big stops, kept the Tribe in the period
- Several Warriors fans in attendance tonight
- The Warriors beat the Vipers 5-2 during the preseason in West Kelowna September 7th
- West Kelowna went 2-4 with the man advantage
- The Warriors started the 2nd period, kind of where they left off the 1st period. Vernon was the better team to start before WK would get a lengthy five minute PP but struggled with only three shots. The Tribe spent a lot of the second half of the middle frame with the man advantage, were finally able to capitalize on the PP late in the period. I thought the Vipers were still the better team and played very well on the PK. Vernon would hit two posts and get denied on a penalty shot
- The Warriors next game is Monday at the BCHL Showcase in Nisku, Alberta vs the Langley Rivermen
- Give WK credit for not folding and hanging in there when it was all Vipers in the 1st period. The Warriors may have not been the better team in the first two periods but had a lead in the 3rd and were able to get a point in overtime
- The Warriors are 2-2-1-0 on the road
- West Kelowna was by far the better team in the 3rd period, a period where they outplayed Vernon, had more puck possession, more zone time, were aggressive on the forecheck, played with a lot of jump/energy, were really skating, had their legs going, something they didn't have in the first two periods, took a 2-1 lead, their first lead of the night, could have easily been up by a couple but Samuel DiBlasi played very well in goal for the Snakes. The Tribe's PK was very good, killing off back to back minors towards the end of the period, couldn't hold on for the win, give up the game tying goal at 19:06
- The Warriors have won three of their last five games
- WK had a great opportunity to not only tie the hockey game but jump ahead by a couple of goals with the five minute power play in the 2nd period, but with only three shots on goal, can't get the offence going
- The Tribe won't be happy blowing the lead late and then losing in overtime
- The Warriors played their best hockey in the 3rd period but couldn't hold onto the lead
- With the overtime loss, West Kelowna falls to 5-2-1-0 sits 2nd in the Interior West Division
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Aaron Zulinick
Roman Lavery
West Kelowna Warriors:
Brock Fairbanks
Bor Glavic
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History,
2 comments:
1900+, is not a small crowd!
The Vipers had the better edge of the play in the 1st period and as the game went on WK came on strong and had the better of the play over us. As soon as the fight broke out and the boarding penalty happened it took the momentum out of the game for the Vipers but the Vipers kept fighting back and stuck with it, pulled the goalie for the tying goal to bring it to OT and for the win. A huge huge comeback win. We have a very talented team and winning team for the first time in many years and are getting smaller crowds this year.
Post a Comment