PHOTO: Chris Fowler/Pure Life Photography
The West Kelowna Warriors return to action tonight with their fourth game in six days when they travel to the Shaw Centre to battle the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Season Series:
Friday, October 7th @ Royal LePage Place (5-3 Silverbacks)
Friday, October 14th @ Shaw Centre (5-4 OT Silverbacks)
Saturday, October 15th @ Royal LePage Place (6-4 Silverbacks)
Wednesday, November 2nd @ Shaw Centre (7:00 PM)
Tuesday, December 6th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
Wednesday, February 15th @ Shaw Centre (7:00 PM)
Saturday, February 25th @ Shaw Centre (7:00 PM)
The Warriors come into tonight’s game after a big weekend on Vancouver Island, winning two of the three games they played with the latest being a 2-1 overtime victory over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in Port Alberni on Sunday afternoon. Reed Gunville scored in regulation while Matt Campese fired home his first goal as a Warrior on the power play in extra time for the victory. Shane Farkas made an impressive 35 saves on 36 shots for his 4th win of the season.
West Kelowna will look to improve their record against their own division and more specifically, the Silverbacks, who they are winless against in three games this season. The last time these two teams met was back on the 14th and 15th of October, a home-and-home series in which the ‘Backs erased a four-goal deficit on Friday night to win 5-4 in overtime while beating the Warriors in West Kelowna the next night by a 6-4 score.
The Warriors stood tall over the weekend with two victories and their protection of their own net was a big reason as to why. West Kelowna allowed just 6 goals over the course of three games. New netminder Trevor Martin, along with 17-year old Shane Farkas, held the fort with each of them making 30+ saves over the three games they combined to play on the Island.
Reed Gunville has found himself in a tie for the goal scoring lead on the club after another good weekend. Gunville’s nine goals are tied with Quin Foreman’s, who leads the team with 22 points this season, and already has surpassed his goal total by almost double from last year’s five that he potted in his rookie season with the Warriors.
The Silverbacks enter tonight looking for consistency as they have lost their last two games with back-to-back defeats last weekend. The ‘Backs dropped a 4-2 game in Trail to the Smoke Eaters on Friday night before losing by an identical 4-2 score line the next night at home to the Victoria Grizzlies.
The ‘Backs have taken advantage of penalties in the season series as Salmon Arm is 6/20 on the power play against the Warriors in the three games played this season. Elijah Barriga knows all about that, scoring the PPG against the Warriors on October 14th in Salmon Arm. Barriga continues to lead the team with nine goals and 23 points in 19 games played this season.
Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with the pre-game show starting at 6:50 PM on the Warriors Internet Network and hockeytv.com. West Kelowna heads back home to RLP on Saturday night, facing off against the Trail Smoke Eaters.
