I was born and raised in Vernon, BC and been watching/following Junior hockey in Vernon my whole life. My family watched Senior men's hockey in Vernon in the 1950's and has been watching Junior hockey in Vernon since it started in 1961. I have two family members that played Junior hockey in Vernon. I have had season tickets since 1990 missing only 40 home games. Since 2001 I have missed 10 home games. I started and created this blog in November 2008 and have over 3 million viewers. For anyone who couldn't watch or attend tonight's Vipers game, here are my thoughts and views from tonight's hockey game. You may agree or disagree, but we all have our own opinion on the hockey game and see things differently. I try to be professional and give a fare game recap from both sides. Thank you for visiting my blog.
I was at tonight's game between the Vernon Vipers & Salmon Arm Silverbacks as the Silverbacks defeated the Vipers 3-0 in front of 2,553 fans at Kal Tire Place.
Starting Goaltenders:
Vernon Vipers: Colin Reay
Salmon Arm Silverbacks: Andrew Ballantyne
2nd Period: The Vipers were again the better team and carried the play and outplayed SA for most of the period. Vernon for a second straight period had more puck possession, more zone time and more shots on goal, had several good quality looks/chances, couldn't solve Andrew Ballantyne. Late in the period Patrick Raftery opened the scoring on a goal mouth scramble, giving Salmon Arm a 1-0 lead at 14:17 Colin Reay and the Vipers were upset with the call on the ice and went straight to the officials. The Viper bench was upset as well as the officials watched the instant replay and deemed it a good goal. The Viper bench was livid giving it to the officials. From my view there was a pile of players all in and around the Viper crease and with Colin Reay down, it looked like the Vipers goaltender was pushed back into the net with the back official calling it a goal. I wondered why there wasn't a whistle blown and was the Vipers goaltender pushed into the net? This play/goal was huge as the Gorillas flipped the momentum and used that to there advantage. For a team that was outplayed the entire game, now had the lead, the energy and the momentum and took over the play and held onto the play for the remainder of the period. The Silverbacks playing with lots of jump, speed, carried the play for the remainder of the period. The Vipers couldn't get there mojo back before the period ended. It was 1-0 Salmon Arm after 40 minutes of play. Shots were 18-11 Vernon.
3rd Period: The Apes had the better start to the period and were the better team for most of the final frame. Other then maybe a couple of shifts here or there, SA carried the better of the play, had more puck possession, zone time, were generating some looks/chances. Vernon couldn't seem to do much of anything, struggled at both ends of the rink. The Snakes went a lengthy time without a shot on goal, struggled offensively. The Vipers did get a couple of good looks/quality chances but couldn't find the back of the net. With time winding down, Liam Beamish basically put the game away, giving Salmon Arm a two goal lead before Liam Bursaw added an empty netter to seal the win for the Gorillas. Salmon Arm would come away with the 3-0 win. Shots were 19-7 Silverbacks.
Vernon Vipers Top Performers:
Erik Pastro The Vipers captain played well, had a couple of looks/chances.
Charlie Kresl Has really started to improve from the start of the season and is getting better from game to game. I thought the Vipers forward played well in the loss
Lukas McCloskey Had a good game on the backend, was moving the puck, getting pucks to the net, played well at both ends of the rink
Shea Busch Played a heck of a game. Was stopped on two breakaways, had several good looks/opportunities, couldn't find the back of the net
Game Thought's: Vernon Vipers
- The Vipers have scored one goal in there last two games
- The Vipers & Silverbacks play again November 24th in Vernon
- Tonight's the second game of a two game home stand
- This was a game the Vipers should have won. They played very good for almost two periods and with the amount of quality opportunities, they should have been up by five or six goals. The Snakes need to capitalize on games like tonight and not allow Salmon Arm into the hockey game
- Forward Adam Csabi is still listed on the Vipers lineup sheet in the program
- The Vipers were wearing there yellow third jerseys this evening
- It's hard to believe were fifteen games into the season and the Vipers only have four wins
- Vernon went 0-2 on the power play
- I have been saying this all season, the Snakes can't score, desperately need a goal scorer
- Tonight was the biggest crowd of the season. Tonight's attendance was announced at 2,553
- The Vipers are 1-2 vs Salmon Arm this season
- I thought both teams were a little slow to start the game as both teams had troubles getting going before Vernon took over the edge in play and outplayed the Apes in the 1st period. The Snakes had lots of good looks/quality opportunities, had a lot of puck possession, zone time and were getting lots of pucks to the net. The Snakes didn't get any puck luck or bounces go there way, couldn't solve Silverbacks goaltender Andrew Ballantyne
- The Vipers are 1-2-2-0 at Kal Tire Place this year
- I noticed a lot of Vernon's shots were from well out or from the outside, I think the Vipers needed to get more in the grey area and get a little more traffic in front of Salmon Arm's net, take away Andrew Ballantyne's eyes, get into his kitchen and make his game a little more difficult
- This Viper team needs some confidence
- The Snakes hit two 1st period goal posts. The second one I thought went in the top right corner under the bar as I didn't hear that clank sound off the iron
- I thought the Vipers were again the better team in the 2nd period, well for most of the 2nd period. I thought up until the Apes opened the scoring, Vernon was the better team and outplayed Salmon Arm until the games first goal. The Vipers had the better of the play, more puck possession, zone time and again had some looks/chances but couldn't find the back of the net. The game/momentum changed after Patrick Raftery opened the scoring on a goal/play I thought should have been blown dead. On a goal mouth scramble, it looked like the puck was covered by the goaltender and then Colin Reay looked to be pushed into the net before the goal was signaled from the back official. The Silverbacks turned the game around, gained all the momentum were the better team to end the period
- The Vipers have lost three straight games, four of there last five games and lost six of there last ten games
- Since the 2003-04 regular season Vernon is 74-54-14-1-4 vs Salmon Arm
- The Vipers next game is Saturday in West Kelowna
- Vernon couldn't capitalize on there chances and it cost them the game/win
- After playing so well and outplaying the Silverbacks for most of the first two periods, the Vipers didn't look so good or play that well in the 3rd. Vernon struggled at both ends of the rink, couldn't get much of anything going. The Vipers went a lengthy time without a shot on goal to start the period. The Snakes did have a couple of good shifts and get a couple of looks/opportunities but other wise the S'Backs were the better team in the 3rd
- After how Lukas Lomicky and Colton Sparrow finished the regular season last year, I was expecting more of the same thing this season. I never ever expected the Vipers would only have four wins two months into the 2024-25 season
- The Vipers and Silverbacks have played each other four times this season (preseason & regular season). The team that has won, has shut the other team out in all four games.
September 10th Vernon won 3-0
October 4th Salmon Arm won 4-0
October 25th Vernon won 4-0
November 1st Salmon Arm won 3-0
- I have said this many times before, I like the look of the Vipers and think the team has been playing very well as of late. I think the Vipers are a much better team then there record shows. This team needs some confidence and a boost to get them on a bit of a streak
- The Snakes play four of there next six games at home
- The Vipers had many times not only in the 1st period but in the 2nd period to open the scoring and then go ahead by two or more goals
- Since the 2003-04 regular season the Vipers are 40-27-5-1-1 at home vs the Silverbacks
- For a second straight game, the Vipers didn't get any puck luck or bounces go there way
- With the loss, Vernon falls to 4-8-3-0 sit 9th in the Interior Conference
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Top Performers:
Andrew Ballantyne (44 saves-shutout) The former Merritt Centennials netminder stood tall, making some highlight reel saves through out tonight's contest. Ballantyne is a big boy, that covers a lot of net, played very very well between the pipes, was obviously the difference. This kid was seeing the puck all evening
Game Thought's: Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- The Silverbacks are 5-2-1-0 on the road this season
- A good size crowd of Silverbacks fans made the trip for tonight's game
- The Silverbacks and Vipers play each other seven times this season
- I thought the Silverbacks adjusted very well after opening the scoring and changing the momentum of the game. I thought SA played much better defensively in the 3rd, limited Vernon's opportunities and kept the Vipers to the outside/blocked a lot of shots
- The Silverbacks next game is Saturday vs the visiting Blackfalds Bulldogs
- The Apes went 0-1 with the man advantage
- The Silverbacks didn't look good or play very good in a 1st period where they were badly outshot, outplayed and out chanced. The Vipers outplayed Salmon Arm in the 1st period. The Apes weren't skating, looked sluggish, gave up a ton of ice, shots and chances
- The Gorillas have won three of there last five games and won seven of there last ten games
- Prior to tonight's game, Salmon Arm had lost eight of there last ten games in Vernon
- The Silverbacks with another slow start, once again were outplayed in the 2nd period. The Vipers were just the better team. SA for a second straight period, couldn't muster any offence, didn't look good or play good until Patrick Raftery opened the scoring on a goal mouth scramble, that changed the momentum and the tables turned instantly. This was the break the Gorillas needed as the S'Backs played with a lot more jump/energy, were able to gain some puck possession and were the better team for the remainder of the 2nd period
- The Silverbacks play eight of there next twelve games at home
- Give the Backs defence credit, they were able to keep Vernon to the outside and limiting there shots on goal/opportunities on the PK
- For a team that was not really in tonight's game until the last few minutes of the 2nd period, Salmon Arm was the better team in the 3rd, had more puck possession, more shots on goal, more opportunities, played very well in the final frame. The Backs added two goals for some insurance to seal the victory. The Silverbacks were blocking shots, keeping the Snakes to the outside, limiting chances, played very well in there own end
- The Silverbacks were very fortunate/lucky they weren't down a handful of goals after one period. This game could have easily been 3 or 4-0 after one period in favor of the Vipers
- Goaltender Andrew Ballantyne was the difference and kept Salmon Arm in the game and gave them a chance to win
- With the win, Salmon Arm improves to 9-3-2-0 sit 3rd in the Interior Conference
Scratches:
Vernon Vipers:
Joey Mugaas
Keeghan Dunn
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
Ryan Philbrick (Injured)
Aaron Van Wie
Nate Crashley
Energy Player of the Game:
Lukas McCloskey
Three Star's:
1st Star: Andrew Ballantyne (44 saves-shutout)
2nd Star: Liam Bursaw (1 goal)
3rd Star: Patrick Raftery (1 goal)
Boxscore-Game Summary,
Game Report,
Text Box Score,
Vernon Junior Hockey History website,
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