PHOTO: Damon James/BCHL
The West Kelowna Warriors scored a season-high six goals including a four-point night from Matthew Campese for a 6-3 victory over the Surrey Eagles.
The Eagles opened the scoring in period number one coming just 56 seconds into the game as Jordan Robert got Surrey on the board by banking in a rebound on the glove side of Warriors netminder Nik Amundrud and gave Surrey a 1-0 lead.
The Warriors started their comeback at the 13:38 mark of the 1st period as hometown boy Parm Dhaliwal tied the game. Matt Campese’s pass found Dhaliwal behind the defense and the Surrey native went forehand-backhand for a gorgeous goal and his 2nd goal of the season tied the game at one goal a piece.
The Warriors took the lead at the 15:10 mark of the frame and it came courtesy of a power play as Stephen Kleysen’s mid-point shot found it’s way in through traffic for his first BCHL goal and a 2-1 West Kelowna lead.
Campese was back at it later in the period, capping off a span of three goals in a 3:41 as his low glove shot beat Eagles goaltender Michael Botiz for his 4th goal of the season, and third in as many games, to give the visitors a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes of play.
The 2nd period saw no scoring between the two sides as the Warriors fired eight shots on goal to the Eagles five as both goaltenders stood tall in the crease.
The 3rd period started with a bang as Darius Davidson got the Eagles within a goal just 14 seconds into the period, banging in a loose puck off a rebound and cutting the Warrior lead to 3-2.
The Warriors had a great response off the goal as at the 1:34 mark of the 3rd period, Nicholas Rutigliano scored a strange one. The puck bounded off the end boards where Botiz mishandled it to the blocker side and kicked it in his own goal. Rutigliano is given credit for his 2nd goal of the season and a 4-2 Warrior lead.
The lead was extended to 5-2 as Cavin Tilsley buried his 1st as a Warrior and his 3rd on the season overall as he banged home a loose rebound to the blocker side of Botiz for the three-goal lead at the 8:35 mark.
The Warriors got a season-high sixth goal at the 14:12 mark of the 3rd period as Matthew Campese would tally his second goal of the game and his fourth point on the night with a wicked wrist shot from the top of the right face-off circle for his 5th of the season and a 6-2 lead.
Surrey got a late goal courtesy of Dario Piva at the 18:31 mark of the 3rd frame but it would be all but a talking point as the Warriors picked up their 12th victory of the season, a 6-3 final over the Surrey Eagles.
Nik Amundrud made 33 saves on 36 shots for his 2nd victory as a member of the Warriors while Michael Botiz stopped 21 of 27 shots for the loss.
FINAL SCORE: 6-3 Warriors
SHOTS: 36-27 Eagles
PP: Warriors (1/4) Eagles (0/5)
3 STARS: 1) Matthew Campese (2-2-4)
2) Jordan Robert (1-1-2)
3) Parm Dhaliwal (1-2-3)
Attendance: 540
The Warriors (12-12-0-1) will continue on the three-game Mainland swing with a visit to “The Lodge” to face-off against the Langley Rivermen (8-12-2-3). Puck drop is slated for 7:15 PM with pre-game starting at 7:05 PM on the Warriors Internet Network and hockeytv.com.
