Image Credit: Contributed/West Kelowna Warriors
April 17, 2016 - 9:46 AM
CHILLIWACK - The West Kelowna Warriors return to Royal LePage Place with a 2-0 lead in the BCHL Fred Page Cup Final after a 6-3 win over the Chiefs in Chilliwack last night, April 16.
Chilliwack opened the scoring in the first period on an early power play, as Jordan Kawaguchi snapped one over the glove of Matthew Greenfield.
There weren’t many more opportunities in the first period, as the shot clock finished 5-2 for the Warriors.
West Kelowna would tie the game up in the second period as Nick Rutigliano’s shot fooled Aidan Pelino right after a double minor penalty to Connor Sodergren. It was Sodergren coming out of the box that laid the check to get the puck into the zone, as Rutigliano finished the play off.
The Warriors would go ahead 2-1 on the power play when Jonathan Desbiens banked one off of Pelino from the goal line.
Aaron O’Neill tied the game back up at two on a delayed penalty, which upon video review during the intermission by Warriors staff, was actually offside at the line. With no video review — like there is in the NHL — the goal stood.
It would continue to go back and forth with the Warriors scoring the next goal, as Jake LeBrun capitalized on a one-timer chance in the slot with 6:21 remaining in the middle frame.
The Chiefs scored a somewhat controversial goal in the final minute, as the play in front of the goal happened so fast that a puck off the skate of Ryan Forbes was deemed a good goal by the officials, without much complaint from the Warriors bench.
In the third period, it was another man advantage that put the Warriors up 4-3, as Desbien’s second goal of the night got past Pelino.
The Chiefs had a couple of chances in the middle parts of the frame, and pulled the netminder with 2:33 to go, but that only allowed Brett Mennear and Kyle Marino to score into the empty net to make it 6-3.
The final moments of the big victory were marred by Liam Blackburn taking a hit to the head with less than five seconds remaining in the game. Linden Hora was given a five minute major for checking to the head and a game misconduct.
The Warriors return home to Royal LePage Place for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday. Puck drops at 7 p.m. each night, with ticket sales for both games beginning Monday morning at 9 a.m. Visit the Warriors office at the arena to grab your tickets, or Call 250-769-7051 to reserve with Visa or Mastercard. A $1 service charge applies to phone sales.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016