Trail, BC – After a disastrous start to the season in Cranbrook on Friday night, the Warriors travelled to Trail to finish off opening weekend with a Saturday night clash with the Smoke Eaters for the first of their six meetings this season.
Off the hop, the Warriors were better than they were the previous night in every single way. The two clubs went back and forth with the odd scoring chance for the first 18 minutes of the game, before Jason Stefanek opened the scoring for Trail, as he beat Dawson Labre.
A scary moment came for the Warriors in the final seconds of the opening frame, as Smoke Eaters forward Dylan Lariviere ran Warriors defensemen Brady Flynn from behind into the corner boards. Lariviere received a 5 minute major for Boarding and a Game Misconduct. Flynn did not return to the game.
In the second period, on their extended five minute powerplay, the Warriors finally struck with their first goal of the season, as Elias Callgren sent a beautiful pass across the goalmouth to a Johnny-on-the-Spot Jack Pridham, beating Teagan Kendrick to tie the game up at 1. Four minutes later, on the same Powerplay, it was Cal Hughes’ turn to light the lamp, as he ripped a shot over the left shoulder of Kendrick to give West K their first lead of the season. Later on, in this eventful second period, with Hughes in the box for goaltender interference, Jack Zilliotto would even the game up at two for Trail. West Kelowna would take their second lead of the game, late in the second stanza, when Laz Giardina connected with his first career BCHL goal to make it 3-2 at the end of the second.
The Warriors worked a great rope-a-dope style for a majority of the third period, but it was a broken play in the defensive zone that led to yet another tying goal in this one. Attila Lippai’s intended downlow pass went off a couple of skates, ricocheted into the high slot, right onto the tape of Noah Ziskie, who walked in a ripped a shot past the blocker of Labre to force overtime at Cominco Arena.
Lucas Lemieux would go on to score the game winning goal in OT for the Smokies, doing a full lap around the Warriors zone with the puck, before depositing a low, hard backhander past Labre, to the delight of the home crowd.
The Warriors now fall to 0-1-1 to start the regular season. They return home to Royal LePage Place this coming Friday, when they host the Vernon Vipers in the 2024 Home Opener. Tickets are available now at westkelownawarriors.ca
