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GAME PREVIEW: Warriors Host Smoke Eaters In Exhibition Wind Up

PHOTO: Julie Pringle/Snap Photography

The West Kelowna Warriors begin the final weekend of the preseason in the exact same way they will begin the regular season: pitted with a home-and-home against the Trail Smoke Eaters beginning at Royal LePage Place on Friday night.

Warriors Exhibition Schedule:

Wednesday, August 22nd @ Royal LePage Place vs. Penticton Vees (3-1 Vees)

Friday, August 24th @ Royal LePage Place vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks (8-2 Warriors)

Saturday, August 25th @ Shaw Centre vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks (3-2 Warriors/OT)

Wednesday, August 29th @ South Okanagan Events Centre vs. Penticton Vees (6-3 Vees)

Friday, August 31st @ Royal LePage Place vs. Trail Smoke Eaters (7:00 PM)

Saturday, September 1st @ Cominco Arena vs. Trail Smoke Eaters (7:00 PM)\

 

Warriors vs. Smoke Eaters 2018/19 Regular Season Schedule:

Friday, September 7th @ Cominco Arena (7:00 PM)

Saturday, September 8th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)

Saturday, October 20th @ Cominco Arena (7:00 PM)

Saturday, January 5th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)

Friday, February 22nd @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)

Saturday, February 23rd @ Cominco Arena (7:00 PM)

The Warriors come into the weekend after a 6-3 setback to the Penticton Vees on Wednesday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre in their fourth preseason game. Playing behind for the majority of the game, the Warriors were able to get within a goal after a power play marker from Ryan Doolin but the Vees would add two goals to take a 4-1 lead before, guess who, Matt Kowalski added his fifth goal of the preseason to get within a pair of goals. Penticton added two more goals before Mike Hardman rounded out the scoring in the game on the power play, his first goal of the exhibition. Cole Demers got the start in goal for West Kelowna, turning aside 29 of the 35 shots thrown his way in the defeat.

Fans can expect to see close to a full lineup for the Warriors tonight, one that will likely resemble the one to take the ice next Saturday when West Kelowna hosts Trail in their home opener at Royal LePage Place. The Warriors dressed all 12 of their returning players in Wednesday night’s preseason showdown in Penticton and can expect the roster will be similar tonight at RLP with some minor tweaks, such as defensemen James Philpott and Declan Douthart likely getting into action after missing out in the midweek competition while Connor Hopkins gets the start in goal.

The Smoke Eaters haven’t had much in the way of preseason action up to this weekend, just four “mini-games” in Wenatchee against the Wild one week ago. The four games consisted of two twenty minute halves as the team’s played four periods on Saturday and four on Sunday. Trail and Wenatchee split the four games, with the Smoke Eaters collecting shutouts in each of their two victories. Returning goaltender Adam Marcoux collected both the shutouts in the team’s victories while veteran forwards Braeden Tuck and Mack Byers each scored twice in the triumphs.

Trail’s roster for their final road preseason game sees four of the team’s ten returnees not dressed for tonight’s action. Veterans players such as Levi Glasman, Carter Jones and Mack Byers will be in the lineup for the Smoke Eaters up front while Trevor Zins and Kyle Chernenkoff draw in on the back end. Second year Smoke Eater Tanner Marshall gets the start in goal for Trail tonight.

Tickets for tonight’s game are $10 with admission free for children in the final tune up at RLP for the Warriors until the season opens next Friday in Trail. Tickets for the game can be purchased at the door ahead of the 7:00 PM face-off with the final preseason game for West Kelowna coming on Saturday night against the Smoke Eaters as the scene shifts to Cominco Arena in Trail.

Season tickets are now on sale for the upcoming 2018/19 season, which is set to begin Friday, September 7th before heading to Royal LePage Place to host the Trail Smoke Eaters in their home opener on Saturday, September 8th. Head to the Warriors newly renovated office to check in on ticket details.