Photo Credit: Tami Quan Photography
February 7th, 2020
TRAIL, B.C. – A near perfect game for the West Kelowna Warriors still wasn’t enough as Kent Johnson and the Trail Smoke Eaters sneak out a 5-4 victory.
The warriors got the start that they needed with a pair of goals in the first. Kicking things off it was the Warriors speedy second line. Carter Wilkie was able to steal the puck away inside the attacking zone and would feed Elan Bar Lev Wise who would fire a puck past Logan Terness to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. The goal would be Bar Lev Wise first as a West Kelowna Warrior. Minutes later the Warriors third line would go to work. After Deegan Mofford was able to play the puck from behind the Smoke Eaters net toward Holden Kodak who placed a wrist shot on Terness and capitalized on his own rebound to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead heading into the dressing room.
Smoke Eaters came out strong in the second period. Jamison Murray would keep the puck inside the Warriors zone and find Kent Johnson who would place a sharp angle shot top corner past Riley Morgan to put the Smoke Eaters on the board. The Warriors would restore the two goal lead after Ryan Novecosky and Deegan Mofford crashed the net allowing Elan Bar Lev Wise to collect the garbage and score his second of the hockey game making it 3-1 Warriors after two periods.
The Smoke Eaters would come out strong in the third and Kent Johnson would once again go to work. After an offensive zone face off win by Smoke Eaters captain Philippe Le Point Kent Johnson would collect the puck and wire one top corner cutting the lead again and making it 3-2. The Warriors would answer back with Colby Elmer storming into the Smoke Eaters zone firing one past Logan Terness restoring the two goal lead. The remainder of the game the Smoke Eaters studs would turn on the jets from there. Kent Johnson would score one of the highlight goals of the season after he was able to pull off the lacrosse style goal for the hat trick making it 4-3. Minutes later Smoke Eaters forward Philippe Le Point tied the game up with three minutes to go. With just under a minute and a half remaining the two future Michigan Wolverines would connect with the game winning goal. Kent Johnson holding the puck in the left side corner of the Warriors zone would place a picture perfect pass towards the crease for Le Point who made no mistake giving the Smoke Eaters their first lead of the hockey game. With just under a minute remaining and the net empty the Warriors would pressure the Smoke Eaters looking for the tying goal. A quick shot from the Warriors on Logan Terness would allow an empty net rebound for Ryan Novecosky. Novecosky would fire from the right side what would look like the tying goal but Terness would come across to make a miraculous save. The Smoke Eaters would skate off stealing one 5-4.
It would be one of the most significant loses for the West Kelowna Warriors who got back on the bus feeling like a perfect game was not enough.
Final shots on goal: 35-31 in favor of the Warriors.
Three Stars:
- TRA F Kent Johnson (3G-1A)
- WKW F Elan Bar Lev Wise (2G-1A)
- TRA F Philippe Le Point (2G-1A)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game:
TRA D Trevor Isaakson
The Warriors next game is Sunday February 9th versus the Penticton Vees. Puck drop 2:00pm from the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton. This game will be streamed on Hockey TV and will be broadcast on the Warriors radio network on Mixlr.
