The West Kelowna Warriors return to Royal LePage Place Saturday night to play host to their Interior Division rival, the Vernon Vipers.
The Warriors will look to get back into the win column after suffering an 8-5 loss to the hands of the Trail Smoke Eaters last Saturday at Cominco Arena in Trail. Jared Marino scored twice for the Warriors while getting singles from Connor Sodergren, Marshall Wilton and Quin Foreman. Shane Farkas stopped 25 of 33 shots in the loss to the Smokies.
West Kelowna and Vernon play their first of seven meetings this year, a series in which the Warriors will want to duplicate what they did last year, going 6-1 versus Vernon one season ago in their season series. The Warriors outscored the Vipers 29-18 over the course of seven games head-to-head last season.
Two players in particular that will be looking to continue their success against the Snakes from a season ago will be Quin Foreman and Nick Rutigliano. Foreman had 3 goals and 5 points in the seven meetings with the Vipers last season while Rutigliano also garnered 5 points against Vernon with 2 goals and 3 assists.
A new face will be in the Warrior lineup tonight as 19 year-old goaltender Xavier Burghardt will take to the crease for his first start as a member of the Warriors. West Kelowna acquired Burghardt on Thursday from the Kindersley Klippers of the SJHL.
The Vipers come into tonight’s contest red hot, winners of their first three games of the new season and in impressive fashion. Vernon started their season with back-to-back victories over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in a home-and-home and completed two third period comebacks to take the opening two games of their season before winning last night by a 4-1 score against the Coquitlam Express.
The Vipers have scored at a rapid pace to start the season with 14 goals through just three games so far this season including a combined six goals in the third period alone in their three games this season.
Vernon has 11 players returning from the 2015/16 season including captain Riley Brandt while going in a younger direction when it comes to goaltending as both Cole Demers and Ty Taylor enter their first BCHL season as 17 year-olds.
The game can be seen live on FASTHockey.com for your pay-per-view pleasure or listen live on the Warriors Internet Network starting at 6:50 pm.
