Photo Credit: Tami Quan Photography
March 4th, 2020
PENTICTON, B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors and Penticton Vees go the distance in Game #5, but this time the Vees prevail and win the series by a score of 5-4.
As expected the Vees came out of the gate very strong in the first dominating in puck possession and shots on goal. After the Warriors took their second penalty of the period, the Vees would draw first blood on the power play with Connor Hutchison firing a puck through traffic to give the Vees an early 1-0 lead. The Warriors would answer back with Nick Ardanaz finding Deegan Mofford with a stretch pass. From there Mofford would connect with Carter Wilkie in the slot to tie the game up at one. The draw was short lived as the Vees stormed back with a Steve Holtz goal only 58 seconds later to restore the lead heading into the second period.
Trailing 2-1, the Warriors needed a boost to start the period similar to the start they had in game number four. When the Vees were on the man advantage, a stanchion bounce that went to Brendan Pigeon would allow Pigeon to feed John Evans on a shorthanded breakaway allowing the Warriors to tie the game up at two. Late in the period the Warriors would win a draw inside the attacking zone, Brendan Buhr would collect a Ryan Upson pass then Levi Stauber would wire a shot past Yaniv Perets and in to give the Warriors their first lead of the game.
Heading into the third the Vees would come out strong tying the game only 1:07 in. Levi Stauber would get tied up inside his own zone on the power play allowing Vees forward Tyler Ho to steal the puck and find Colton Kalezic who made a nice move to beat Johnny Derrick. With the game tied up at three, the Warriors needed momentum back on their side. The line of Wilkie-Mofford-Elmer would go to work with some excellent forechecking inside the Vees zone. Mofford would collect the puck and feed Captain Jake Harrison who beat Yaniv Perets top corner giving the Warriors a 4-3 lead with 7 minutes remaining in the third. The Vees needed a break and with 90 seconds remaining the Vees speedster Jackson Niedermayer would get the puck at the right side circle picking the top corner past Johnny Derrick sending the game to overtime for the second night in a row.
Only two minutes into the extra frame after the Warriors fail to clear the puck out of their zone leading to Carson Kosobud to wire a slap shot from the point that went through a couple bodies and past Johnny Derrick to give the Vees the 5-4 win and the 4-1 series win.
Final shots on goal: 42-18 in favour of the Vees.
Three Stars:
- PEN D Carson Kosobud (1G)
- PEN D Steve Holtz (1G-1A)
- WKW G Johnny Derrick (37 Saves)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game:
PEN F Tyler Ho (1A)
The Warriors are accepting more positions for their Spring Camp. For more information visit the West Kelowna Warriors website.
