In a word, it was Crazy. In double OT, it was Hope.
Kylar Hope scored the game winning goal 1:14 into double overtime as the Warriors won a wacky 6-5 game over the Powell River Kings that left 710 fans in the rink and numerous fans watching on Fast Hockey checking their eye-sight.
West Kelowna found themselves down in a 3-0 hole in the opening period, as Jeff Smith was solid in the Powell River net, while the Kings capitalized on their chances in the Warriors end. Tristan Mullin got the home team on the board, before Kyle Betts (PP) and Carter Turnbull both beat Matthew Greenfield to put the home side ahead.
Head Coach Rylan Ferster made a goaltender change to start the second period, as Keelan Williams entered the Warriors net, and made a solid 16 saves in the middle period.
The change sparked the Warriors as well, as their offense came alive to help out. Garrett Forster went to his backhand on a breakaway to get West Kelowna on the board, followed six minutes later by a Jonathan Desbiens snipe.
Bryan Basilico scored once again for the Warriors, tying the game at three with a minuscule deflection that slipped through Smith’s legs.
It was poor discipline that lead to West Kelowna taking the lead, as the Warriors scored twice in 1:04 on separate man-advantages, with Desbiens marking his second goal from the bottom of the circle, and Rylan Yaremko converting on a one-timer in the slot. Desbiens had a point on each of the Warriors five goals in the frame.
Powell River came back in the third period to tie the game at five, scoring two quick ones on Williams to knot it up. Like a reliever that worked a good stretch of a baseball game, Ferster decided to make another change, bring Greenfield back into the game, as he stopped the last 12 shots he faced.
With Powell River buzzing late, the Warriors got the game to overtime, setting up a couple of solid chances during 4 on 4, but couldn’t convert.
The Warriors Brett Mennear tracked down a loose puck at centre ice and found Hope with it, as he unleashed a wrister from inside the line to fool Smith over the right pad.
Greenfield finished with a win in goal, stopping 25 of 28. Williams made 17 saves in 23:24 of action.
Desbiens 5-point night moved him ahead of Liam Blackburn in team scoring, while moving up to 8th in the BCHL for points. His 34 goals are 4th in the BCHL.
West Kelowna wraps up a tough weekend of travel and games with a 5:00 pm date in Chilliwack Sunday.
