PHOTO: Cherie Morgan/Cherie Morgan Photography
WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors begin the 2017/18 exhibition schedule against a familiar foe as Highway 97 rivals, the Penticton Vees, make their way to Royal LePage Place on Wednesday night.
Warriors Preseason Schedule:
Wednesday, August 23rd vs. Penticton Vees @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
Friday, August 25th vs. Merritt Centennials @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
Saturday, August 26th vs. Merritt Centennials @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena (7:00 PM)
Wednesday, August 30th vs. Penticton Vees @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)
Friday, September 1st vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks @ Shaw Centre (7:00 PM)
Saturday, September 2nd vs. Salmon Arm Silverbacks @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
Warriors vs. Vees Regular Season Schedule:
Friday, September 29th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)
Friday, November 3rd @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
Friday, November 17th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
Wednesday, November 29th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)
Friday, December 8th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)
Friday, December 15th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
The Warriors and Vees saw each other twice during the 2016 exhibition schedule, two games in which Penticton came away on the winning end. The Vees shutout the Warriors in the opening game of the preseason by a 3-0 score at the SOEC in Penticton on Wednesday, August 24th while when the preseason series shifted to RLP on Wednesday, August 31st, it remained a similar result for the Vees in the way of a 4-2 victory.
The Warriors have had their struggles with their closest geographical counterpart as the Vees have won the last nine meetings (including exhibition) over the last season or so. The last time the Warriors defeated the Vees was in Game #6 of the Interior Division Final in 2016 at Royal LePage Place on Saturday, March 26th as West Kelowna won their first ever division crown with a 4-3 victory.
In the first game of the preseason, the roster usually consists of younger players but in this game tonight, the Warriors are slated to have a pair of committed players in their lineup for the first exhibition game of the season. Defenseman Wyatt Head, a Kelowna, B.C. native, will suit up for the Warriors tonight and a face that may be somewhat familiar to fans. The 18-year-old played in eight games last season for the Warriors as an affiliate player and not missing a beat, registering two penalty minutes. With his major midget team, the Okanagan Rockets, Head led all defensemen in scoring with 12 goals and 39 points in 37 games.
The second Warriors commit to see action tonight will be 16-year-old forward Max Bulawka, who the Warriors committed to early in the summer. The Kelowna, B.C. native scored 13 goals and tallied 31 points in 30 games with the Pursuit of Excellence Midget Prep team in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League (CSSHL).
It will be split duties in the crease tonight for the Warriors as 17-year-old Reilly Morgan and 16-year-old Carlos Siso will man the crease for West Kelowna tonight. Morgan currently plays for the Midget AAA Arizona Bobcats, a team run by former Warriors assistant coach and general manager Brent Gough, while Siso spent last season with the Calgary Buffaloes Hockey Association (CBHA) Rangers Minor Midget team based out of Calgary, Alberta.
The Warriors and Vees drop the puck at 7:00 PM for tonight’s game at Royal LePage Place with tickets for the game, and all Warriors preseason contests just $5.00! Tonight’s game will not be streamed on HockeyTV.com or broadcasted on the Warriors Internet Network.
West Kelowna continues their exhibition schedule with a home-and-home against the Merritt Centennials, beginning Friday night at Royal LePage Place. Puck drop is 7:00 PM with $5.00 tickets available with the game being streamed on HockeyTV.com and the Warriors Internet Network beginning at 6:55 PM with the voice of the Warriors, Trevor Miller.
2017/18 Warriors season tickets are now available, along with news of the brand-new Booster Club! For more information, head down to the Warriors office or contact Kim or Alex at (250) 769-7051.
The Warriors are also looking for food and beverage servers to enhance our in-game experience at Royal LePage Place! To learn more information and on how to apply, please call Director of Business Operations Alex Draper at (250) 575-2400 or email him at alex@westkelownawarriors.ca.
