PHOTO: Tami Quan
WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors fought from behind but never had a lead in Game #2 of their best-of-seven Interior Conference Quarter Final series and dropped a 5-4 score to the Vernon Vipers on Saturday night at Royal LePage Place to even the series at 1-1.
The Vipers jumped ahead in a penalty-filled opening period, scoring three goals including a power play marker but the scoring kicked off with Thomas Tien at the 4:48 mark to give the Vipers a 1-0 lead. Tien deflected in a shot from the right point off the stick of Connor Elliot to give the visitors a one-goal lead.
The first of two goals in 15 seconds took place for the Vipers at the 17:44 mark of the opening period as Connor Welsh gave his group a two-goal lead on the power play. Welsh found an opening past the glove side of Warriors goaltender Cayden Hamming from the right face-off circle to give Vernon a 2-0 lead.
Seconds after that, Anthony Cliché had a point shot from the right side redirected by Tien in front for his second goal of the period and gave the Vipers a 3-0 lead just 15 seconds after jumping ahead by two goals.
Brennan Nelson was able to help the Warriors to get on the scoreboard with just 6 seconds remaining in the period, one-timing a pass from Chris Duclair in the right face-off circle for his second goal of the playoffs and gave the Warriors some life heading into the 2nd period down by a 3-1 score.
The Vipers took a 4-1 lead, however, at the 7:08 mark of the middle frame as Lee Parks continued his strong series with his second in as many games on the power play, taking a Warriors turnover and firing a shot over the blocker side of Hamming to give Vernon a three-goal lead once more.
Just as they have done throughout the regular season, the Warriors forced their way back into the game and it came on the strings of the power play as Chris Duclair snapped a shot off the glove side post of Vipers netminder Ethan David and in for his 2nd playoff goal and cut the deficit to two markers at 4-2 at the 10:44 mark of the 2nd period.
Isaiah Norlin forged the Warriors within a goal just under three minutes later at the 13:01 mark with his 1st playoff goal and the third power play goal of the night for the Warriors. Norlin took a pass at the top of the point before sending a shot through traffic and past David on the glove side to make it a 4-3 game heading into the 3rd period.
It was Parks once again in the opening part of the 3rd period who was able to give Vernon a two-goal lead as he deflected in an Elliott shot for his second goal of the night at the 3:57 mark of the final period as Vernon jumped ahead to a 5-3 advantage.
For the second straight game, it was Jaiden Moriello finding the back of the net with a shot from the slot at the 9:21 mark and got the Warriors within a goal after circling to the slot and wristing a shot through traffic past the glove side of David.
The Warriors pulled their goaltender with just under two minutes remaining in the game but the Vipers defense and David held strong as they picked up the Game #2 victory and even the series at one game apiece.
Cayden Hamming turned aside 24 of the 29 shots thrown his way in his 1st loss of the playoffs while Ethan David made 24 saves on 28 shots in his 1st playoff victory.
FINAL SCORE: 5-4 Vipers
SHOTS ON GOAL: 29-28 Vipers
WARRIORS PP: 3/5
WARRIORS PK: 5/7
3 STARS:
1) Chris Duclair (1-2-3)
2) Lee Parks (2-0-2)
3) Thomas Tien (2-0-2)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Riley Sharun (0-3-3)
ATTENDANCE: 1,072
The series shifts to the North Okanagan for the next two games as the Warriors travel to Kal Tire Place to battle the Vipers in Game #3 of their Interior Conference Quarter Final series on Tuesday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with the game being broadcasted live on AM 1150 as well as streamed online on BCHLTV.ca.
