Vernon, BC: Three days. Countless battles. Endless compete.
The Vernon Vipers training camp delivered everything fans love about hockey—speed, grit, and determination—as players fought for their chance to wear the Vipers jersey this season.
From Friday to Sunday, the intensity only grew. Assistant Coach Ryan Hollweg said the coaching staff couldn’t have asked for more:
“The intensity of the practices and games has elevated every day. Players know that there are jobs to be had and that there is a lot of opportunity here. On behalf of the coaching staff we have been extremely pleased with the level of battle and compete.”
Camp featured short, demanding practices followed by two rounds of scrimmages. Assistant Coach Mike Sommers said the group impressed with their drive from start to finish:
“We were really impressed with how competitive the scrimmages were. The pace was strong, the battles were hard and players showed they were willing to compete for a spot. It all came together in a great final game for the Wayne Dye Trophy that needed overtime. It was a great way to wrap up the weekend.”
That overtime moment came courtesy of returning Viper Edvin Nilsson, who scored the winner to give Team Yellow the inaugural Wayne Dye Cup.
Head Coach and GM Matt Cooke said the group exceeded expectations:
“Coming into camp, we had high expectations but little knowledge of what camp would look like. We have been very impressed with the competitiveness, the skill and the pace of play in our scrimmages. We have had some real nice surprises at camp that will be nice additions to our group moving forward. The group have pushed each other on and off the ice and gotten better every day. I am excited to see how we continue to grow through this week and into Friday’s preseason game.”
With camp wrapped and the roster trimmed, attention now turns to preseason action:
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Friday, Sept. 6 – Home vs. Cranbrook Bucks at Kal Tire Place North
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Saturday, Sept. 7 – Road vs. West Kelowna Warriors
🎟️ Tickets for Friday’s home game are just $7 and will be available starting Tuesday at the Vipers office, at the box office on game day, or at the door two hours before puck drop. Rush seating only.
The compete is high, the excitement is building… and hockey is back in Vernon.
#TimeToStrike
