Warriors make it eight straight at home with win over Sherwood Park
With their overall streak halted at 14 games, the West Kelowna Warriors can now focus on their winning ways on home ice.
The Warriors made it eight straight at Royal LePage Place without a regulation loss Friday, beating the visiting Sherwood Park Crusaders 3-1.
It was a game where goaltender Angelo Zol was dialed in from the opening faceoff. And, he needed to be as the Crusaders peppered him with five or six Grade A chances in the opening five minutes.
He made a pair of acrobatic saves in the opening seconds to keep the Crusaders at bay.
He only frustrated them more as the game wore on.
Sherwood Park were all over the Warriors for a majority of the opening period with only the occasional response from the home side.
Despite all that pressure it was the Warriors who struck first after Crusaders forward Quincey was assessed a double minor for high sticking.
Against the run of play, Kelson Podworney took advantage, wiring a wrist shot from the slot off a great feed from Carter Oakenfold coming off the left wing.
The Warriors were fortunate, thanks to Zol, to come out of the first with that 1-0 lead.
“We didn’t manage the puck in our zone, we didn’t manage defensively,” said head coach Simon Ferguson.
“We knew they were going to throw pucks to the middle and we didn’t pick up our guys and Zol bailed us out.
“I think Zol was the difference maker in the game and, like you said, we came on from there.”
The Warriors didn’t have to wait long to increase the lead.
Killing off the final 45 seconds of a late first period power play, Dylan Krayer used his speed to win a race to the puck behind the Crusaders net.
He threw it in front for Jace Rask who buried his fifth of the season shorthanded just 34 seconds in to make it 2-0.
Rask picked up the first two goal game in the BC Hockey League with a beautiful forehand deke from in tight after he was sprung by Kaden Kemkaren-Humble.
“He’s one of my favourite players,” Ferguson said of Rask.
“He just goes out and works. He blocks shots, he hits, he battles and he has some good offensive instincts as well.”
Zol lost his bid for a shutout midway through the third when Bode Sampair beat him on a backdoor one-timer with the Warriors down two men.
It wasn’t all good news for the Warriors who lost Oakenfold to what appeared to be a shoulder injury. He left the game and didn’t return.
Ferguson was ejected from the game midway through the third for something he said to the referee.
Friday’s win moved the Warriors four clear of Trail in the Interior West Division after the Smoke Eaters were 4-2 losers at home to Brooks.
The Warriors are back at it Saturday when they venture up Highway 97 for a date with the Vernon Vipers.
