Warriors home streak hits double digits with shutout of Vernon Saturday
The West Kelowna Warriors continue to make life difficult for teams coming into Royal LePage Place.
The Warriors made it six wins in a row on home ice Saturday in a convincing 5-0 win over the Vernon Vipers before nearly 900 fans at RLP.
The win also establishes a new franchise record for consecutive games without a regulation time defeat – a stretch that has now reached 10 games, 9-0-1-0.
The previous high water mark was eight at the conclusion of the 2015-2016 regular season.
Saturday’s game was tight until Vipers captain Deagan McMillan was sent off for a vicious hit to the head on Warriors forward Ian Alonso midway through the third period.
The Warriors made the Vipers pay, scoring three times on the five-minute advantage to salt away the victory.
Alonso lay on the ice for several minutes before being helped off to the dressing room.
“Any time your player gets hit like that you want to make them pay for it,” said head coach Simon Ferguson.
Ferguson had no update on his condition other than he was being checked out at hospital.
The Warriors power play, which went four for eight, didn’t take long to hit the scoresheet.
Carson Pavlowich scored just his second of the season with a seeing-eye wrist shot from the point that beat Oliver Kanat to the stick side.
It stayed that way until six minutes into the second when Ruslan Jamaldinov’s shot from the top of the slot deflected off Natan Ethier and past Kanat.
Bor Glavic did the rest.
He wasn’t overly busy, facing just 18 shots to earn his first shutout of the season, but when he was called upon, the 6’5” Slovenian was more than equal to the task.
Glavic was especially good on a late first period penalty kill when he threw out his left pad to somehow deny Sebastian Bradshaw who seemed to have an empty net to shoot at until the door was shut.
Jamaldinov with a rising wrist shot from the top of the right circle, Ethier on a bang-bang play from the low slot and Noah Garthe rounded out the scoring during the five-minute power play.
Dylan Krayer had three assists while Kelsen Podworney chipped in with a pair of helpers.
The penalty kill, which has successfully killed off the last 16 penalties, was again flawless Saturday.
“Great goaltending, blocking shots and you have to give Wyatt (Head) credit,” said Ferguson of the penalty kill.
“He’s taken over and done a really good job with the guys on reading pressure points and being in lanes.”
The penalty kill is now second in the BC Hockey League with an 85.9 per cent efficiency.
The power play is now tied for third in the league at 29.2 per cent.
Saturday’s win improves the Warriors overall record to 17-3-2-0. They remain two points up on the Trail Smoke Eaters who edged Cranbrook 3-2 Saturday.
The Warriors are back in action next Friday when they host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The Smoke eaters are in town for Teddy Bear Toss night next Saturday.
Wayne Moore. (2025, November 29th). Warriors Win A Thriller. https://www.castanet.net/news/BCHL/578827/West-Kelowna-wins-its-fifth-in-a-row-5-2-over-visiting-Salmon-Arm
