PHOTO: Julie Pringle/Snap Photography
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 13th, 2017
WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors had a four-game winning streak come to an end as they fell to the Wenatchee Wild by a 4-2 score on Friday night at Royal LePage Place.
The Warriors scored the only goal of the opening period as Willie Reim provided the offense that put the home side up by a goal. The Air Force commit took a loose puck at the Wenatchee bench and drove wide on the right wing, cutting to the front of the net and sliding a backhand past Wild goaltender Austin Park for his 3rd goal of the season for a 1-0 lead at the 16:53 mark of the 1st period.
Reim’s goal stood up as the lone marker in a fast paced first frame that saw the Warriors outshot the Wild by an 8-7 margin. Park was good in the Wenatchee net, making 7 saves on the 8 shots he faced while Nik Amundrud stopped all 7 shots he faced in the opening period.
Wenatchee scored the lone 2nd period goal as early in the frame, Dennis Chladek finished off a rebound on a shot from the left wing by August Von Ungern to tie the game at one at the 3:38 mark of the middle stanza.
Wenatchee poured on the pressure in the 2nd period as they fired 19 shots toward Amundrud with the Warrior netminder stopping 18 of those 19 shots. Austin Park turned aside all of the 9 shots he faced in the middle stanza.
The third period saw most of the scoring in the game between these two fast-paced teams as just 14 seconds into the final frame, Chad Sasaki threw a puck to the front of the goal that deflected off a body in front of the goal and past Amundrud’s glove to push the Wild ahead to their first lead of the night at 2-1.
The Warriors had an answer at the 9:04 mark of the 3rd period, RJ Murphy collected a rebound at the top of the crease on the power play and slid the loose puck through Park for his 4th goal of the season and tied the game at two.
The Wild took back their lead at the 15:02 mark of the 3rd period on a delayed penalty as Jared Marino was dealt a high sticking penalty as Wenatchee cleared the zone and found Von Ungern in on a shorthanded break, firing a wrist shot glove side on Amundrud to give the Wild a 3-2 lead.
West Kelowna worked feverishly to try and tie the game back up, including a late-game power play that could not convert with Jasper Weatherby burying into an empty net at the 19:38 mark of the 3rd period to seal a 4-2 win for Wenatchee.
Nik Amundrud was solid on the night, stopping 33 of the 36 shots he faced and losing his 4th game of the season while Austin Park turned aside 25 of the 27 shots he faced in the game for his 2nd victory of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 4-2 Wild
FINAL SHOTS ON GOAL: 37-27 Wild
Warriors PP: 1/6
Warriors PK: 3/3
3 Stars:
1) Chad Sasaki (1-0-1)
2) Nik Amundrud (33 saves on 36 shots)
3) Willie Reim (1-0-1)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Jake Harrison (0-0-0)
ATTENDANCE: 1,306
The Warriors (8-4-0-0) return to action on Sunday afternoon as they take on the Nanaimo Clippers (5-5-1-0) for a 2:30 PM face-off with a Skate With The Warriors happening immediately after the game. Tickets are available at the Warriors office or by calling (250) 769-7051.
The Warriors have introduced a new Fan’tatstic Five ticket package that gives fans a chance to experience five of the most highly anticipated games of the season for just $55.55 with games against the Wenatchee Wild, Penticton Vees, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Vernon Vipers and Victoria Grizzlies. For more information on these packs and all ticket info, visit the Warriors office or call (250) 769-7051.
