Photo Credit: Endless Moments
January 5th, 2019
WEST KELOWNA B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors get bounced at home against the Trail Smoke Eaters Saturday night 8-4.
The Warriors started the game on the right foot out shooting the Smoke Eaters 5-1 in the first five minutes of the game leading to a goal by Willie Reim assisted by Parm Dhaliwal. Late in the first the Warriors would take a penalty leading to Smoke Eaters veteran Tyler Ghirardosi to score his 7th of the season to tie the game up at one. Just over one minute later the Smoke Eaters would get the go ahead goal thanks to former Warrior Chase Stevenson giving the Smoke Eaters a 2-1 lead heading into the second period.
The Trail Smoke Eaters came out strong to start the second period scoring a quick goal on the powerplay thanks to an outstanding individual effort from their 16 year old sensation Kent Johnson to make it 3-1. The Warriors would answer back with a powerplay of their own with Anthony Bishop with a soft shot from the point which went through almost everyone near the net to bring the Warriors back within one. The Smoke Eaters would restore the two goal lead only a couple minutes later with Trevor Zins firing a shot from the point which would go off a Warriors player and in to make it 4-2. The see saw battle would continue with Warriors Brandon Dent teeing off with a laser beam of a shot top corner past Smoke Eaters goaltender Adam Marcoux to once again cut the lead to one. Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson would get hauled down while on a breakaway late in the second which would prompt a penalty shot, and the 16 year old would make no mistake beating Brock Baier to restore the two goal lead heading into the third period.
The Smoke Eaters went into the third period nursing a 2 goal lead and were able to add to it quickly on the power play. After a bit of fancy puck movement, Kent Johnson was able to put one past Brock Baier to pick up the hatrick to increase the Smoke Eaters lead by 3. The Warriors would add one more power play goal from Bennett Norlin but it wasn’t enough. Penalty troubles would cost the Warriors the remainder of the game. The Trail Smoke eaters would add two more goals on the man advantage late in the game to make it 8-4. Special teams was the story of this game with the Smoke Eaters going 5 for 6 on the man advantage.
Shots on goal 34-30 in favor of the Smoke Eaters.
3 Stars
- TRA F Kent Johnson (3G-2A)
- WKW D Anthony Bishop (1G-1A)
- TRA D Trevor Zins (2G-2A)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game:
WKW F Bennett Norlin (1G-1A)
The Warriors next game is Monday night versus the Coquitlam Express. Puck drop at 7:00pm from the Poirier Leisure and Sports Complex in Coquitlam. Catch Monday’s game and every other home and away game this season on Mixlr and Hockey TV. Just head to the Warriors website and click on the “Listen Live” column to get directed to a radio feed of each game.
