The West Kelowna Warriors continue on with their Island Division road trip with a visit to the “Big Stick” and the Island Savings Centre to face-off against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Season Series:
Saturday, October 29th @ Island Savings Centre (7:00 PM)
Sunday, January 15th @ Royal LePage Place (2:30 PM)
The Warriors enter tonight after another tough loss, this one coming against the Nanaimo Clippers last night at Frank Crane Arena by a 3-2 score, pushing the Warriors winless stretch to seven games. Jon Russell and Chase Dubois scored for the Warriors in the defeat while Trevor Martin made 29 saves on 32 shots in his debut with the club in the losing cause.
The Warriors and Capitals played each other twice last season with each team picking up a road victory in each other team’s building. The Caps beat the Warriors by a 6-4 score in December while the Warriors returned the favour, beating Cowichan Valley in Duncan by a 7-1 score in January.
The Warriors look to avoid going winless in eight straight games and are hoping a trip to Duncan will remedy them of their current funk. West Kelowna is 4-0-1-0 in their last five games when visiting the Island Savings Centre and a 7-1-1-0 record against the Caps overall in the last five seasons. A matchup with the Capitals is maybe just what the Warriors need to rid them of this losing skid.
Special teams could be a big factor in tonight’s festivities and the Warriors penalty killing will have to be on alert tonight as the Caps own the league’s 3rd best power play, sitting at 28.6% compared to West Kelowna, whose power play sits 16th in the BCHL at 14.3%. Both teams have struggled in the penalty killing regard as the Warriors own the 16th PK in the league at 74.6% while the Capitals sit 13th in the BCHL at 76.3%.
Cowichan Valley enters tonight in the midst of an eight-game home stand that has seen them go 1-2 over the first three games of the stretch thus far. The latest loss for the Caps was a 9-0 defeat last night to the hands of the Powell River Kings and needless to say, the Warriors will be facing off against an angry bunch tonight after that lopsided loss. Lane Michasiw was in net for the entire game, turning aside 40 of the 49 shots thrown his way in the losing effort.
The Capitals are led in scoring by former Trail Smoke Eater Max Newton, who the Caps acquired in the offseason. The third year forward has found his scoring touch this season with 10 goals and 22 points to lead the Caps in that regard. 2nd year forwards Jared Domin (9-8-17) and Ayden MacDonald (6-10-16) will also be high on the highly watched list for the Capitals with their ability to score.
Puck drop for tonight is slated at 7:00 PM from the “Big Stick” in Duncan, pre-game show airs at 6:50 PM on the Warriors Internet Network and hockeytv.com. The Warriors finish their Island road trip with a matinee in Port Alberni against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tomorrow.
