Photo: #17 Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero scored a pair of power play goals Friday evening.
Photo Credit: Garrett James
October 22nd, 2021
WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors get back on the win column after a 4-1 victory over the Victoria Grizzlies Friday evening.
The Warriors got off to a great start. Not only did the Warriors draw first blood but they managed to finally score on the man advantage for the first time this season. It was a quick shot from Felix Trudeau would would bounce right to the stick of Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero and in to make it 1-0 Warriors. The Grizzlies would answer right back when 16 year old Matthew Wood scored his league leading 9th of the year to tie it up at one heading into the dressing room.
Second frame was all Warriors. After forward Riley Sharun was shoved into the Grizzlies net the Warriors would go back on the powerplay with Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero scoring his 2nd of the night to restore the lead. Warriors would get some unfortunate news late in the frame when forward Nick Roukounakis would take a shot behind the net from a Grizzlies player and would leave the game with an upper body injury.
Third period the Warriors would add the dagger. Another powerplay opportunity led to Tyler Cristall scoring his second of the year to make it 3-1 Warriors. While the Grizzlies were on a powerplay with 6 minutes remaining in regulation they decided to pull their goaltender and go on a 6 on 4 man advantage. During some cycling around inside the Warriors zone the Grizzlies would attempt a pass to the blue line but it would miss the defender and go all the way back into the Grizzlies zone and into the empty net giving the Warriors a 4-1 lead which would end up being the final.
Warriors Head Coach & General Manager Simon Ferguson felt great about his clubs play, “As a team we just played our game, played well defensively not giving them a lot of opportunities and that’s the way we need to play. As for the powerplay , I like Ayrton Nikkel has done a great job on the powerplay. Things have been working there but unfortunately we haven’t been able to connect. Today just shows when you’re doing the right things eventually you’ll be rewarded”.
The Warriors close out their BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack Saturday afternoon against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Puck drop 4:00pm PST from the Chilliwack Coliseum. The game will also be broadcast live on HockeyTV and the BCHLWarriors Mixlr feed.
