Photo: #33 Johnny Derrick kept his team in the game making big stops late in each period.
Photo Credit: Cherie Morgan Photography
March 25th, 2022
PENTICTON B.C. – The West Kelowna Warriors extend their winning streak to 9 after a big 4-3 overtime win over the Penticton Vees. It would be the first time the Warriors picked up a win inside the South Okanagan Events Centre since October 27th, 2018. The Warriors would win the season series 4-3 over the Vees.
The game started out well for the Warriors with John Evans opening the scoring with a powerplay goal to make it 1-0. Then the Vees would control play for the remainder of the period but Warriors goaltender Johnny Derrick would stand tall making 11 stops to keep it 1-0 Warriors heading into the second period.
Only 93 seconds into period two the Vees would get the equalizer when Elan Bar Lev Wise would lose the puck in his skates allowing Adam Eisele to steal and fire a shot past Johnny Derrick to tie it up at one a piece. Tyler Cristall would then tie it up two minutes later with a rocket from the right circle which would hit the top corner to make it 2-1 Warriors heading into the third period.
Just minutes into the 3rd period, Nick Roukounakis would throw one of the biggest hits of the season right at the Vees blue line allowing Charles Alexis Legault to find a wide open Brennan Nelson to make it 3-1. The Vees would claw back with a pair of goals to force overtime.
In the extra frame Tyler Cristall would once again fire a shot, this time, from the left side circle give the Warriors their first win in almost 4 years inside the South Okanagan Events Centre.
FINAL SHOTS: 38-29 Vees
The Warriors are back in action Saturday when they host the Merritt Centennials in the regular season finale. Puck drop 7:00pm PST from Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna. Catch broadcasts on BCHL TV (formally HockeyTV) or tune into the Warriors MixIr radio station.
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