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RECAP: VEES ESCAPE WITH 2-1 VICTORY IN EXHIBITION OPENER

 

Photo Credit: Tami Quan Photography

August 21st, 2019

WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors fell to the Penticton Vees by a score of 2-1 Wednesday night.

The Warriors were clearly the better club early in the game out shooting the Vees 13-4 after the first but it was the Vees who went to the dressing room with the 1-0 lead after a Joel Barton point shot was tipped in by Logan Gallaher past the glove of Warriors goaltender Johnny Derrick. 

The second period started with a Warriors power play but the lack of chemistry for the Warriors prospects led to a handful of ill advised passes and miss communication in the attacking zone. The Warriors would end up going 0-6 on the man advantage Wednesday night. The Vees goaltending proved to be strong throughout the hockey game, first it was Marek Pocherewny who finished the first half of the game with an 18 save shutout, then replacing Pocherewny was Cameron Milewski who made numerous key saves but the Warriors solved him early. Head Coach and General Manager of the Warriors Brandon West utilized only one 2003 born player – Riley Sharun. Sharun would score just after the midway mark of the second period beating Milewski to tie the game up at one a piece heading into the third.

The final frame saw numerous power play opportunities for the Warriors who couldn’t cash in and put the puck past the Vees goaltender Milewski. Then with under 5 minutes remaining the Warriors coughed up the puck leading to California native Thomas Stift to give the Vees a 2-1 lead. In the final minute of the third period the Warriors pulled goaltender Jayden Shull to attempt the tying goal, but Milewski was razor sharp making a key save with seconds remaining to give the Vees a 2-1 lead.

After the game the talk was about the Vieten twins. Both David and Drew made an impact wearing the Warriors colors for the first time. In the second period there was a moment where the twins managed to control the play in the attacking zone. Drew Vieten was diving around making clutch plays to keep the puck in the Vees end. David Vieten was throwing his body while maintaining puck possession. During that sequence Warriors fans started to take notice whenever the Vieten twins stepped onto the ice. 

The Warriors next Exhibition game is at home versus the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Puck drop 7:00pm from Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna. This game will also NOT be streamed on Hockey TV but it will be broadcast on the Warriors radio network on Mixlr. Tickets are only $10 each and kids under 18 get in free with a paying adult. Season ticket holders get in free for all Exhibition home games. 

The Warriors regular season opener is Friday September 6th, visit tickets.westkelownawarriors.ca for details and packages.