Following a trilling 4-3 shootout win on Friday night in West Kelowna, the Smoke Eaters and Warriors bring their rivalry to Cominco Arena on Saturday night.
Season Series vs. West Kelowna
September 21st @ Royal LePage Place 5-1 W (BOXSCORE)
October 25th @ Royal LePage Place 4-3 SOW (BOXSCORE)
October 26th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
December 13th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
February 7th @ Cominco Arena 7pm
February 17th @ Royal LePage Place 2:30pm
The Smoke Eaters were put to the test and faced challenge after challenge en-route to their 4-3 shootout win on Friday night. The Smoke Eaters opened the scoring with two beauties from Kent Johnson and looked to be preparing to blowout the Warriors. But a well timed timeout by Brandon West allowed the Warriors to regroup just before the halfway point of the first period, it was game on from that point. Tonight the Smoke Eaters will be hoping to stay out of the penalty box as a parade to the box late in the game Friday had the game up for grabs, and not in the Smoke Eaters favour. Two massive penalty kills helped see the game to a shootout for the Smokies who will be confident in their ability to stop the Warriors power play.
Smoke Eaters newcomer Cody Schiavon stepped into the lineup and didn’t look out of place in West Kelowna. He also got his first point as a Smokie on Philippe Lapointe’s first BCHL goal at the end of the first. Speaking of Lapointe he also looked good last night, he took a beating with the opposition not giving him much space, but Lapointe played well and getting that first goal will give him more confidence going forward. The Smoke Eaters will hope they can get the power play to produce tonight after going 0/5 last night. They had a few different looks with Schiavon and Lapointe cycling in and out of the first and second units.
Smoke Eaters leading scorers:
Johnson (11-20-31)
Colella (11-15-26)
Ozar (8-11-19)
DiMurro (4-12-16)
Schiavon (4-7-11)
The Warriors will be pleased with their effort but will be thinking of their missed opportunities to win last nights game. After dropping to 2-0 early on the Warriors were determined not to have a repeat of their 6-0 shelling from Wednesday night in Wenatchee. They quickly tied the game up 2 in the first and would tie the game again at 3-3 six minutes into the third. The Warriors though would get two “Grade A” opportunities to take all two points in regulation as Diarmad DiMurro was called for a hook with 2:01 to go in the third. The Smoke Eaters would kill it off but with the help of a no goal call after a scramble in the Smokies crease. The Warriors got another opportunity with a power play again in overtime but the Smokies defence and Logan Terness held their ground. Those are opportunities the Warriors will be hoping they can capitalize tonight as they also went 0/5 on the power play. Brock Baier also kept his side alive going perfect from the end of the first till the shootout when Owen Ozar finally beat him.
Warriors leading scorers:
Dent (9-10-19
Cullen (6-10-16)
Bulawka (5-8-13)
Stauber (6-3-9)
Adams (5-4-9)
Puck drop is set for 7pm at Cominco Arena as the Smoke Eaters look to take all four points against the Warriors. The pre-game show with Ben Phillips and Rob Squires starts at 6:50 with coaches interviews on HockeyTV and Mixlr. Tickets for tonight’s game are $14 for adults, $5 for youth and kids 12 and under get in free.
