PHOTO: Tami Quan
SALMON ARM, BC. – The West Kelowna Warriors saw 41 saves from Justin Katz on Saturday night but could not contain the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, falling by a 4-1 score at the Shaw Centre.
Despite being shorthanded a few bodies coming into the game, the Warriors were first to hit the scoresheet as Ben MacDonald notched his 15th goal of the season to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. Jaiden Moriello got to his backhand behind the net and attempted to wrap the puck around the goal on the blocker side of Silverbacks netminder Matthew Tovell before MacDonald found the loose puck and beat Tovell at the 4:54 mark of the opening period to push the Warriors to a 1-0 lead.
Warriors goaltender Justin Katz was a big key in the opening period for the Warriors, who made saves on each of the 20 shots thrown his way in the 1st period and a couple of highlight reel stops, including a huge save on Raoul Boilard at the side of the net to keep the Warriors lead at 1-0.
A shot came from the right point that Katz handled before the rebound was kicked to the slot where Boilard sent a shot to the front of the goal and Katz got his left pad on the shot and kicked it aside as one of his 20 1st period saves to help West Kelowna to a 1-0 lead heading into the 2nd period.
Salmon Arm brought just too much pressure and despite more terrific saves from Katz, the Silverbacks got on the scoresheet at the 9:54 mark of the 2nd period as CJ Foley tied the game. Ethan Ullrick got the puck in the slot as he brushed a pass to the right wing where Foley collected and snapped a shot from the right face-off circle and beating Katz with a bar-down shot on the blocker side to level the score at 1-1.
The Silverbacks used their power play to generate a lead at the 13:04 mark of the middle frame as Hayden Stavroff converted at the tail end of a man advantage. Reid Varkonyi came down the left wing side and put a shot off the left pad of Katz with the rebound finding the stick of Stavroff, who finished past the blocker side of the Warriors goaltender to give Salmon Arm a 2-1 lead.
Ullrick added a goal of his own to give the home side a 3-1 lead with just over a minute left in the 2nd period and came on another power play marker. Tristan Allen sent a puck to the left side as Ullrick pounded a puck to the blocker side of a screened Katz as the Silverbacks took a 3-1 lead into the 3rd period of play.
West Kelowna had an early power play in the 3rd period, beginning the frame with almost two full minutes on the man advantage but were unable to convert to get within a goal. The teams each had opportunities to score in the final 20 minutes before the Silverbacks iced the game with an empty net tally from Brandon Santa Juana with just under a minute remaining in regulation to seal the win for Salmon Arm at 4-1.
Justin Katz was outstanding in the game, making 41 saves on 44 shots in his 6th loss of the season while Matthew Tovell turned aside 29 of the 30 shots thrown his way in his 15th win of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 4-1 Silverbacks
SHOTS ON GOAL: 45-30 Silverbacks
WARRIORS PP: 0/2
WARRIORS PK: 3/5
3 STARS:
1) Ethan Ullrick (1-1-2)
2) CJ Foley (1-1-2)
3) Justin Katz (41 saves on 44 shots)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Nathan Mackie (0-0-0)
ATTENDANCE: 1,575
The Warriors (21-12-4-0) will continue a stretch of seven consecutive games away from home as they make a trip to the Lower Mainland, beginning with a contest against the Langley Rivermen (11-23-1-2) on Friday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:15 PM from the George Preston Arena with the game being broadcasted on AM 1150 as well as streamed online at BCHLTV.ca.
