The West Kelowna Warriors finished the month of November with a 5-5 record, leaving them in 3rd in the Interior Division, 5 points back of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
The month of November hasn't been great for the Warriors in their franchise history, as they are just a few games above .500 in the month, and it's the least productive month in the standings for the team. Good news though, December, January, and February are normally pretty good.
The Warriors hit a major franchise milestone in the month as well, with their 300th Franchise win on November 18th against the Prince George Spruce Kings. It was a great way to get their 300th win, as the long trip was made more than worthwhile with the victory.
Looking at the individual efforts of the month, it was Kylar Hope that lead the way for West Kelowna with 5 goals and 11 assists for 16 points. Keep in mind that Hope had 21 points all of last season. His production has helped the Warriors, and he is consistently West Kelowna's best player night in and night out. He's been fun to watch.
Other big months offensively were Liam Blackburn (2 G, 8 A), Rylan Yaremko (4 G, 5 A), and Connor Sodergren (3 G, 6 A).
Looking at the Leading Scorers list for the Warriors All-Time, Blackburn has moved into 3rd on the list with 151 points. Those 2, along with Trevor Bailey are the only players to put up 150 points in a Warriors uniform. Bailey has an almost unattainable 235 Points.
Current Warriors in Top 50:
T-2 - Liam Blackburn (151 points)
19th - Jonathan Desbiens (83 points)
31st - Kylar Hope (61 points)
37th - Brett Mennear (54 points)
40th - Kristian Blumenschein (52 points)
Liam Blackburn has also passed the 100 assists milestone, and sits 33 assists behind Trevor Bailey in that category. Blackburn had 51 assists last year (23 currently) so it is attainable in the final 30 games.
The Month Ahead:
December is a bit of a different month schedule-wise for the Warriors, as they will play 9 times in a 21-day period. The Warriors will play 8 games before the Christmas break that starts on December 20th, and ends when the Warriors visit Trail on December 30th.
Home - 3 (vs Trail, Cowichan Valley, Penticton)
Road - 6 (@ Merritt, 3-game Trip- @ Alberni, @ Nanaimo, @ Victoria, @ Penticton, @ Trail)
vs Division - 5 (Merritt, Penticton x2, Trail x2)
Monday, 30 November 2015
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Nov 28th @ Langley PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors take on the Langley Rivermen tonight at the Langley Events Centre in a 6 PM start. The Rivermen are ending a 5-game home stand where they have gone 4-1, dropping only last nights game to the Merritt Centennials.
The Rivermen are 16-12 on the season, sitting 3rd in the Mainland Division, while the Warriors are 16-9-0-2, 3 points back of Salmon Arm for 2nd place in the Interior, as the 'Backs visit Vernon tonight after a 5-1 win last night.
Langley and West Kelowna meet for the 2nd time this season, after a 4-1 Warriors victory at the Bauer BCHL Showcase. Expect Keelan Williams to face Bo Didur in the crease tonight, as both had the night off last night with each team playing 3 in 3.
Looking at the Special Teams battle, the Warriors have the 3rd ranked power play at 25.2%, and they are currently 3 for 4 on this road trip. The Rivermen's Penalty Kill comes in with a 76.2% ranking, which places them 15th in the 17-team BCHL.
On the flip side, the Rivermen power play is 8th at 19.4%, and the Warriors PK is 11th at 77.5%.
It should be a dandy at the Langley Events Centre, tune in at www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors or watch on Fast Hockey.
Pre-game show starts tonight at 5:40, with puck drop at 6.
The Rivermen are 16-12 on the season, sitting 3rd in the Mainland Division, while the Warriors are 16-9-0-2, 3 points back of Salmon Arm for 2nd place in the Interior, as the 'Backs visit Vernon tonight after a 5-1 win last night.
Langley and West Kelowna meet for the 2nd time this season, after a 4-1 Warriors victory at the Bauer BCHL Showcase. Expect Keelan Williams to face Bo Didur in the crease tonight, as both had the night off last night with each team playing 3 in 3.
Looking at the Special Teams battle, the Warriors have the 3rd ranked power play at 25.2%, and they are currently 3 for 4 on this road trip. The Rivermen's Penalty Kill comes in with a 76.2% ranking, which places them 15th in the 17-team BCHL.
On the flip side, the Rivermen power play is 8th at 19.4%, and the Warriors PK is 11th at 77.5%.
It should be a dandy at the Langley Events Centre, tune in at www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors or watch on Fast Hockey.
Pre-game show starts tonight at 5:40, with puck drop at 6.
Warriors 6 - Eagles 4
West Kelowna found themselves down 2-1 on Friday night in Surrey, but responded with 4 in the 2nd period as they took a 6-4 victory over the Eagles.
Aidan Doak's 1st career BCHL start maybe didn't begin the way he wanted it, but the Warriors used their skill and speed in the middle period to take over the hockey game.
Connor Sodergren picked up his 3rd goal in as many games as he tied the game at 1 in the 1st period. It was the veteran presence of West Kelowna that came to play in the 2nd period, as Kristian Blumenschein wrapped one around after a couple nice moves on the side boards.
A pair of power-play goals gave the Warriors a 4-2 lead, as Rylan Yaremko potted a rebound and Kylar Hope beat Forbes Ploszaj as well. It was Brett Mennear who made it 5-2 on a beautiful pass from Lane Gilliss, his first BCHL point.
Speaking of 1sts, it was (finally!) Reed Gunville who picked up his first BCHL goal and his 18th point of the season. Another first would happen after the Eagles scored twice more, as Doak picked up his 1st BCHL win.
Game Thoughts:
Aidan Doak's 1st career BCHL start maybe didn't begin the way he wanted it, but the Warriors used their skill and speed in the middle period to take over the hockey game.
Connor Sodergren picked up his 3rd goal in as many games as he tied the game at 1 in the 1st period. It was the veteran presence of West Kelowna that came to play in the 2nd period, as Kristian Blumenschein wrapped one around after a couple nice moves on the side boards.
A pair of power-play goals gave the Warriors a 4-2 lead, as Rylan Yaremko potted a rebound and Kylar Hope beat Forbes Ploszaj as well. It was Brett Mennear who made it 5-2 on a beautiful pass from Lane Gilliss, his first BCHL point.
Speaking of 1sts, it was (finally!) Reed Gunville who picked up his first BCHL goal and his 18th point of the season. Another first would happen after the Eagles scored twice more, as Doak picked up his 1st BCHL win.
Game Thoughts:
- West Kelowna didn't have the greatest of starts and its tough to pinpoint why. It has been a bit of a common theme in games for the Warriors this season to date, but the 2nd always seems to make sure you forget the 1st. That happened again Friday.
- The Warriors scored 4 in the 2nd period and have now out-scored their opponents by 19 goals in the 2nd this season. The shots have favoured the Warriors as well, out-shooting the opposition by 119 shots.
- Reed Gunville has finally scored, and now has a goal to go with his 17 assists. Good start to the year for the Prince Albert native, and we'll see if he can build on that moving forward. Some fun on the bench after that goal, as Gunville got the silent treatment coming back onto the bench before being mobbed.
- Aidan Doak gets his first BCHL win, as the Revelstoke Grizzlies goaltender makes 18 saves on the night.
Friday, 27 November 2015
Nov 27th @ Surrey PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors are back in Canada to take on the Surrey Eagles on the Olympic Ice of the South Surrey Arena.
The Warriors knocked off the Wenatchee Wild last night, hanging on for a 4-3 victory as the Wild pressed late.
Kylar Hope's shorthanded goal was the difference, as he made it 4-1 halfway through the 2nd period. Hope has had a stellar month of November, posting 4 goals and 10 assists in 8 games.
Keelan Williams picked up the victory in goal, while the Warriors out-shot the Wild 37-26 in the game.
Tonight's game in Surrey is the 2nd of 3 on this Mainland Division swing for the Warriors. Last season, the Warriors fell to the Eagles in this building, after a ferry delay lead to a 2.5 hour delay in the start time. West Kelowna fought back from down 3-0 early but ultimately fell by a 5-4 margin.
The Eagles are coming off a victory on Wednesday, when they defeated the Merritt Centennials 11-8 at the Nicola Valley Arena. The 11-goal outburst pushed the Eagles Goals For number to 65. Before Wednesday, they had averaged just 2.16 goals per game.
Former Warrior Forbes Ploszaj has gone 0-6 since joining the Eagles, with a 4.53 GAA and .878 SV %. Since the trade, Daniel Davidson is 1-3 with a 10.24 GAA, being pulled from 3 of his last 4 starts. It is unknown as to who is starting as of this writing.
In goal for the Warriors will be Aidan Doak from the Revelstoke Grizzlies, making his BCHL debut. Doak has had good numbers so far this season, posting a 6-4-1 record with a 1.88 GAA and .937 Sv %. The Warriors will look to play good defense in front of the 19-year-old from Newmarket, Ontario.
Puck drops at 7 pm tonight, pre-game show at 6:40 on www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors
The Warriors knocked off the Wenatchee Wild last night, hanging on for a 4-3 victory as the Wild pressed late.
Kylar Hope's shorthanded goal was the difference, as he made it 4-1 halfway through the 2nd period. Hope has had a stellar month of November, posting 4 goals and 10 assists in 8 games.
Keelan Williams picked up the victory in goal, while the Warriors out-shot the Wild 37-26 in the game.
Tonight's game in Surrey is the 2nd of 3 on this Mainland Division swing for the Warriors. Last season, the Warriors fell to the Eagles in this building, after a ferry delay lead to a 2.5 hour delay in the start time. West Kelowna fought back from down 3-0 early but ultimately fell by a 5-4 margin.
The Eagles are coming off a victory on Wednesday, when they defeated the Merritt Centennials 11-8 at the Nicola Valley Arena. The 11-goal outburst pushed the Eagles Goals For number to 65. Before Wednesday, they had averaged just 2.16 goals per game.
Former Warrior Forbes Ploszaj has gone 0-6 since joining the Eagles, with a 4.53 GAA and .878 SV %. Since the trade, Daniel Davidson is 1-3 with a 10.24 GAA, being pulled from 3 of his last 4 starts. It is unknown as to who is starting as of this writing.
In goal for the Warriors will be Aidan Doak from the Revelstoke Grizzlies, making his BCHL debut. Doak has had good numbers so far this season, posting a 6-4-1 record with a 1.88 GAA and .937 Sv %. The Warriors will look to play good defense in front of the 19-year-old from Newmarket, Ontario.
Puck drops at 7 pm tonight, pre-game show at 6:40 on www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors
Thursday, 26 November 2015
Warriors 4 - Wild 3
The West Kelowna Warriors scored twice in the first period, took a 4-1 lead with 1 each in the 2nd and 3rd, holding off a late rally for a 3-1 win over Wenatchee on Thanksgiving South of the Border.
After a lengthy pre-game in a hot building, the Warriors got goals from Tanner Campbell and Connor Sodergren to build their lead. Each goal was a product of a nice pass, as Quin Foreman set-up Campbell, and Jared Marino fooled Chase Perry by dropping a puck out front when he looked like he was going behind the goal as Sodergren finished it.
Matt Baker made it 2-1 when the puck found his stick on a scramble in front of Keelan Williams. The Warriors were on their heels a bit early in the frame, but only allowed the one goal.
The first penalty came over halfway through the 2nd, as the Warriors had a 5 on 3 advantage. With the 1st penalty just expired, Jonathan Desbiens made it 3-1 beating a diving Perry.
In the 3rd, it would be the penalty kill that extended the lead, as Brett Mennear set up Kylar Hope on a 2 on 1 Shorthanded to make it 4-1.
A redirection and a one-timer from the slot in the last few minutes made it a 1-goal game, as the Wild put up a fight to tie the game in the final minute.
Williams made a couple of big saves and a couple good Warrior blocks were the key to holding off the Wild in the final minute.
Game Thoughts:
-West Kelowna played a great road period to start the game, in less than ideal circumstances. The Town Toyota Center was very warm for tonight's game and speaking with players afterwards, there was definitely some extra swear and extra deep breaths needed. Add in the fact that te Warriors stood on the ice/bench for 11 minutes while the Wild were waiting to be introduced, were introduced, and pre-game ceremonies concluded.
-Shorthanded goals have been a recurring theme in the last month, and it's been Kylar Hope and Brett Mennear doing most of the damage. Hope put the perfect shot under the bar and it turned out to be the game winner.
-Keelan Williams made a couple big saves in the first period, and Chase Perry had a few big ones as well. I thought it was evenly goaltended throughout the night but Perry kept it close for quite awhile. Williams key saves in the final minutes stand out as the "game saver" variety.
-Getting the 2 points is a great start to the road trip, and the Warriors will need focus on the task at hand in Surrey on Friday night. West Kelowna lost last year in Surrey after a rough day of travel, so will hope for smooth roads on the way tomorrow.
Nov 26th @ Wenatchee PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors make their 1st trip south of the border today as they visit the Wild at the Town Toyota Center tonight at 7:05 PM.
The Warriors were the first team to defeat the Wild in BCHL action, with a 4-1 victory at Royal Lepage Place back on October 3rd.
It is Thanksgiving here in the "Apple Capital of the World", and the Warriors will be playing in a high energy atmosphere, where the Wild have the largest average attendance so far this season at 2850.
The Wild are lead by speedster Brendan Harris (7 G, 20 A) and goaltender Chase Perry. The numbers from Perry have actually declined from the start of the year, but he still sports a very good 2.27 GAA and a .903 Sv%. Garrett Nieto has done well as the backup, going 4-1 with a 2.01 GAA and a .919 Sv%.
The Warriors went 2-1 last week as they defeated Prince George and Vernon, before falling 10-5 to Alberni Valley on Saturday night. The Saturday defeat definitely hurt, as West Kelowna found themselves down 7-1 at one point. It was just one of those nights, and Rylan Ferster felt that his team competed from start to finish and he didn't have a problem with the effort level.
Stats Pack:
The Warriors were the first team to defeat the Wild in BCHL action, with a 4-1 victory at Royal Lepage Place back on October 3rd.
It is Thanksgiving here in the "Apple Capital of the World", and the Warriors will be playing in a high energy atmosphere, where the Wild have the largest average attendance so far this season at 2850.
The Wild are lead by speedster Brendan Harris (7 G, 20 A) and goaltender Chase Perry. The numbers from Perry have actually declined from the start of the year, but he still sports a very good 2.27 GAA and a .903 Sv%. Garrett Nieto has done well as the backup, going 4-1 with a 2.01 GAA and a .919 Sv%.
The Warriors went 2-1 last week as they defeated Prince George and Vernon, before falling 10-5 to Alberni Valley on Saturday night. The Saturday defeat definitely hurt, as West Kelowna found themselves down 7-1 at one point. It was just one of those nights, and Rylan Ferster felt that his team competed from start to finish and he didn't have a problem with the effort level.
Stats Pack:
|
Wenatchee
– 16-6-2-2
HOME – 7-1-1-1
ROAD – 9-5-1-1
Top
Scorers
Brendan
Harris (7 G, 20 A)
Mike Coyne
(6 G, 18 A)
Kyle
Stephan (10 G, 12 A)
GF – 93
GA – 59
PP – 14th
– 24 for 138 (17.4%)
PK – 2nd
– 89 for 102 (87.3%)
|
West
Kelowna – 14-9-0-2
HOME – 10-5-0-1
ROAD – 4-4-0-1
Top Scorers
Liam
Blackburn (10 G, 20 A)
Jonathan
Desbiens (15 G, 11 A)
Kylar Hope
(9 G, 14 A)
GF – 90
GA – 86 PP – 4th – 27 for 115 (23.5%)
PK – 11th
– 105 for 134 (78.4%)
Next Game
– Friday November 27th
@ Surrey –
7 PM South Surrey Arena
|
|
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna
is 1-0 All-Time vs. Wenatchee.
This is the 1st meeting in
Wenatchee for the Warriors and Wild
|
|
Saturday, 21 November 2015
Nov 21st vs Alberni PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors entertain the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 7 PM tonight, Royal Lepage Place as they look to extend their win streak to 3 games. The Bulldogs are coming off a big loss in Salmon Arm, where they fell 10-1 to the Silverbacks.
West Kelowna will look to shut down Chris Schutz and Josh Adkins who have 20 of the 63 goals this season for Alberni Valley, while Liam Blackburn looks to build on his 2 assist night last night, which pushed his point total to 30.
The Warriors did not beat the Bulldogs last season, but in Junior Hockey, those stats really don't matter. Expect a very hungry Bulldog team who is currently last in the Island Division, but they also have 5 games in hand on Victoria, so that landscape can change with a decent run.
It will be Keelan Williams in goal for the Warriors, while AP Brady Lenardon will back him up, from the Kelowna Chiefs. For the Bulldogs, Brody Claeys will get the nod. He allowed 4 goals in a relief appearance last night in Salmon Arm.
Special Teams will be interesting to watch tonight, as the Bulldogs rank #2 on the PP, and the Warriors are 4th. Both teams have similar PK numbers as well, so we may be in for some man-advantage markers.
Parent's weekend finishes up tonight, as the Warriors look to make it a 3-game week sweep with a victory.
Catch all the action at www.bchl.fasthockey.com, or tune in to the audio-only at www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors
Stats Pack:
West Kelowna will look to shut down Chris Schutz and Josh Adkins who have 20 of the 63 goals this season for Alberni Valley, while Liam Blackburn looks to build on his 2 assist night last night, which pushed his point total to 30.
The Warriors did not beat the Bulldogs last season, but in Junior Hockey, those stats really don't matter. Expect a very hungry Bulldog team who is currently last in the Island Division, but they also have 5 games in hand on Victoria, so that landscape can change with a decent run.
It will be Keelan Williams in goal for the Warriors, while AP Brady Lenardon will back him up, from the Kelowna Chiefs. For the Bulldogs, Brody Claeys will get the nod. He allowed 4 goals in a relief appearance last night in Salmon Arm.
Special Teams will be interesting to watch tonight, as the Bulldogs rank #2 on the PP, and the Warriors are 4th. Both teams have similar PK numbers as well, so we may be in for some man-advantage markers.
Parent's weekend finishes up tonight, as the Warriors look to make it a 3-game week sweep with a victory.
Catch all the action at www.bchl.fasthockey.com, or tune in to the audio-only at www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors
Stats Pack:
|
Alberni
Valley – 9-12-1-1
HOME – 6-5-0-1
ROAD – 3-7-1-0
Top
Scorers
Josh
Adkins (9 G, 12 A)
Jordan
Sandhu (3 G, 17 A)
Chris
Schutz (11 G, 7 A)
GF – 63
GA – 87
PP – 2nd
– 24.3% (27 for 111)
PK – 13th
– 76.9% (93 for 121)
|
West
Kelowna – 14-8-0-2
HOME – 10-4-0-1
ROAD – 4-4-0-1
Top Scorers
Liam
Blackburn (10 G, 20 A)
Jonathan
Desbiens (14 G, 10 A)
Kylar Hope
(9 G, 12 A)
GF – 85
GA – 76 PP – 4th – 25 for 106 (23.6%)
PK – 11th
– 103 for 129 (79.8%)
Next Game
– Thursday November 26th
@
Wenatchee – 7 PM Town Toyota Center
|
|
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna
is 5-5-3-3 All-Time vs Alberni Valley
The Warriors are 3-3-1-1 on home ice
vs the Bulldogs
Last Season Head to Head – The Warriors
went 0-2 against Alberni Valley in 2014/2015.
|
|
Warriors 4 - Vernon 1
West Kelowna took down the Vernon Vipers by a 4-1 margin on Friday night to kick off Parents Weekend.
A scoreless first period saw lots of physical play, as these two teams renewed their rivalry from last season, and from the October 23rd matchup. There were no penalties called until the last five minutes, when the Vipers were assessed the first minor. Andrew Shortridge was the story early, making key saves as West Kelowna had the better opportunities, out-shooting the Vipers 13-5.
West Kelowna continued to get shots on goal to start the 2nd, when Quin Foreman shot a loose puck past Shortridge. Then, at 11:51, Jonathan Desbiens scored his 13th with a beautiful shot underneath the crossbar over the glove. There were big saves in the period from Shortridge, including a massive glove save on Tanner Campbell in tight.
Foreman's 2nd of the game was the product of a beautiful pass down-low from Liam Blackburn, as he went across the crease onto the stick of Foreman as he hammered one past Shortridge. The Vipers didn't get on the board until a power play in the 3rd period, as Riley Brandt was able to beat Keelan Williams with a slap-shot while the Warriors were changing.
The 2nd of the night for Desbiens was also a pretty goal, as he changed the angle with a quick move in tight and went upstairs with the shot. The rest of the night was uneventful as the Warriors finished with a 45-24 margin in shots.
Game Thoughts:
A scoreless first period saw lots of physical play, as these two teams renewed their rivalry from last season, and from the October 23rd matchup. There were no penalties called until the last five minutes, when the Vipers were assessed the first minor. Andrew Shortridge was the story early, making key saves as West Kelowna had the better opportunities, out-shooting the Vipers 13-5.
West Kelowna continued to get shots on goal to start the 2nd, when Quin Foreman shot a loose puck past Shortridge. Then, at 11:51, Jonathan Desbiens scored his 13th with a beautiful shot underneath the crossbar over the glove. There were big saves in the period from Shortridge, including a massive glove save on Tanner Campbell in tight.
Foreman's 2nd of the game was the product of a beautiful pass down-low from Liam Blackburn, as he went across the crease onto the stick of Foreman as he hammered one past Shortridge. The Vipers didn't get on the board until a power play in the 3rd period, as Riley Brandt was able to beat Keelan Williams with a slap-shot while the Warriors were changing.
The 2nd of the night for Desbiens was also a pretty goal, as he changed the angle with a quick move in tight and went upstairs with the shot. The rest of the night was uneventful as the Warriors finished with a 45-24 margin in shots.
Game Thoughts:
- After the first 5 minutes I thought the Warriors took over the hockey game. The puck possession was there throughout the night, and they out-chanced Vernon 25-6 in the game. If it wasn't for Andrew Shortridge, and I referenced it on the broadcast, it could have been 7 or 8 for the Warriors. Shortridge once again played as advertised, and you cannot blame him on any of the goals.
- The Warriors only dished out 18 hits in the hockey game, but I felt they were more physical than that. It would be interesting to see what the Vipers had recorded for hits.
- Quin Foreman. He was good tonight. Liam Blackburn told me on Wednesday night that he likes playing with Foreman because of his big body and he seems to win puck battles. Warriors fans have watched Foreman blossom from a 4th line type guy early on, to a Top-6 forward after the Paul Lovsin trade. Look for Campbell-Blackburn-Foreman to continue together.
- Kylar Hope could have easily been a star last night, but picked up his 6th Fortis BC Energy Player of the Game honours last night. 2 Assists for Hope makes it his most productive BCHL season, and that is only game 24. He has 10 points in the last 5 games.
Friday, 20 November 2015
Nov 20th vs Vernon PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors will take on the Vernon Vipers on Friday night in West Kelowna, as the two teams meet for the 2nd time.
The Warriors are coming off a win in Prince George, while the Vipers won their last two, over Wenatchee and Merritt.
West Kelowna found themselves down 2-0 against Vernon on October 23rd, but came back and took a 3-2 victory at Kal Tire Place.
For the Warriors, Kylar Hope has been red-hot as of late, with 8 points in his last 4 games. He has also had a +4 rating in those contests.
Keelan Williams draws back into the crease for West Kelowna, as he will go up against Andrew Shortridge in the Vipers net. Williams will look to bounce back after 2 losses last week.
Stats Pack:
The Warriors are coming off a win in Prince George, while the Vipers won their last two, over Wenatchee and Merritt.
West Kelowna found themselves down 2-0 against Vernon on October 23rd, but came back and took a 3-2 victory at Kal Tire Place.
For the Warriors, Kylar Hope has been red-hot as of late, with 8 points in his last 4 games. He has also had a +4 rating in those contests.
Keelan Williams draws back into the crease for West Kelowna, as he will go up against Andrew Shortridge in the Vipers net. Williams will look to bounce back after 2 losses last week.
Stats Pack:
Vernon –
12-12-0-1
HOME – 7-6-0-1
ROAD – 5-6-0-0
Top Scorers
Liam
Finlay (10 G, 15 A)
Odeen
Tufto (9 G, 16 A)
Riley Brandt
(10 G, 11 A)
GF – 83
GA – 79
PP – 12th – 25 for 135 (18.5%)
PK – 9th
– 98 for 122 (80.3%)
|
West
Kelowna – 13-8-0-2
HOME – 9-4-0-1
ROAD – 3-4-0-1
Top Scorers
Liam
Blackburn (10 G, 18 A)
Jonathan
Desbiens (12 G, 10 A)
Kylar Hope
(9 G, 10 A)
GF – 81
GA – 75 PP – 2nd – 25 for 102 (24.5%)
PK – 10th
– 102 for 127 (80.3%)
Next Game
– Saturday Nov 21st – vs. Alberni Valley – 7 PM Royal Lepage Place
|
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna
is 29-24-2-6 All-Time vs Vernon
The Warriors are 18-9-0-2 on home ice
against the Vipers
This Season Head to Head: Warriors
are 1-0
October 23rd – West Kelowna
defeated Vernon 3-2 in Vernon.
|
|
Warriors 6 - PG 4 RECAP
The long road trip to Prince George is over, as the Warriors overcame a tough start and some interesting decision making to take a 6-4 victory over the Spruce Kings.
With the Warriors on the power play and down 1-0, Jake LeBrun was stopped on a partial break by Stephen Heslop. A rebound attempt knocked the puck under Heslop as the Spruce Kings tried to poke it in. With the puck laying in the crease the whistle blew, and as PG went to argue that the whistle was early, they looked up to see the referee signalling a goal. The Warriors were furious, as the goal light never came on, and the goal judge was seen shaking is head as to say that it never crossed the line. In the end it counted, and the Warriors played a frustrated period that saw them go 0 for 3 on the man advantage.
In the 2nd, the Warriors took some time to get going, but once Rylan Yaremko found the back of the net, they came to life. West Kelowna took a 3-2 lead within a 7 minute stretch, as Kyle Marino deflected a point shot on the power play, and Brett Mennear scored shorthanded. PG scored another late in the frame to tie it up.
After the Warriors took the lead on Kylar Hope's goal directly off the face off from Liam Blackburn, PG got a lucky bounce on an Adam Brubacher point shot that squeaked past Heslop's pad. Kristian Blumenschein scored on the power play to re-take the lead, before Yaremko scored into an empty net.
Game Thoughts:
With the Warriors on the power play and down 1-0, Jake LeBrun was stopped on a partial break by Stephen Heslop. A rebound attempt knocked the puck under Heslop as the Spruce Kings tried to poke it in. With the puck laying in the crease the whistle blew, and as PG went to argue that the whistle was early, they looked up to see the referee signalling a goal. The Warriors were furious, as the goal light never came on, and the goal judge was seen shaking is head as to say that it never crossed the line. In the end it counted, and the Warriors played a frustrated period that saw them go 0 for 3 on the man advantage.
In the 2nd, the Warriors took some time to get going, but once Rylan Yaremko found the back of the net, they came to life. West Kelowna took a 3-2 lead within a 7 minute stretch, as Kyle Marino deflected a point shot on the power play, and Brett Mennear scored shorthanded. PG scored another late in the frame to tie it up.
After the Warriors took the lead on Kylar Hope's goal directly off the face off from Liam Blackburn, PG got a lucky bounce on an Adam Brubacher point shot that squeaked past Heslop's pad. Kristian Blumenschein scored on the power play to re-take the lead, before Yaremko scored into an empty net.
Game Thoughts:
- In the end, its a huge character win for this hockey club. West Kelowna had not won in Prince George since December 2011, and they had tons of adversity. From a goal allowed that may have never crossed a line, to numerous stoppages and conferences between officials, the Warriors finally curbed their frustrations when Rylan Yaremko got them on the board. Hard work and a power play that finally clicked after going on an oh-for-14 stretch propelled them to victory.
- The win was Franchise Regular Season Win #300, so here's to all the former players, coaches, and staff who helped reach this milestone. It means a lot to be a Warrior, as has been proven time and time again, and it was a special feeling to pick up the victory.
Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Nov 18th @ Prince George PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors make the long trek north for tonight's game against the Prince George Spruce Kings.
The Warriors are coming off a winless weekend, dropping games to Penticton and Salmon Arm. The Warriors were happy with their efforts against Penticton, just failed to be able to beat Anthony Brodeur after period 1. Saturday in Salmon Arm, the Warriors saw a 3-1 lead evaporate as the 'Backs scored in the final minute of the 2nd and first minute of the 3rd.
West Kelowna fell 7 points back of Salmon Arm for 2nd in the Interior with the losses, and may now need to turn their focus to staying ahead of the Vernon Vipers, who trail the Warriors by 3 points for 3rd. Vernon has played 2 more games. Those two teams will square off on Friday at Royal Lepage Place as West Kelowna kicks off their Parent Weekend.
The trip to Prince George is not an easy one, and the Warriors have not had success at the Coliseum the last few years. Since PG moved to the Mainland Division, the Warriors have not won on the road there, and have only won once since 2011, when they went 1-3-0-1 in the Spruce Kings last year in the Interior.
Liam Blackburn returns to his hometown for maybe the final time as he still looks for his 50th goal as a Warrior. He has been held point less in the last two games after starting the season with points in 20 straight games.
In goal, expect Stephen Heslop to get the start tonight. Heslop has won his last two starts against Nanaimo and Vernon.
Garrett Forster will be out of the lineup again tonight after the hit on Friday from Domenic Masellis against Penticton. He is questionable for this weekend's games.
Stats Pack
The Warriors are coming off a winless weekend, dropping games to Penticton and Salmon Arm. The Warriors were happy with their efforts against Penticton, just failed to be able to beat Anthony Brodeur after period 1. Saturday in Salmon Arm, the Warriors saw a 3-1 lead evaporate as the 'Backs scored in the final minute of the 2nd and first minute of the 3rd.
West Kelowna fell 7 points back of Salmon Arm for 2nd in the Interior with the losses, and may now need to turn their focus to staying ahead of the Vernon Vipers, who trail the Warriors by 3 points for 3rd. Vernon has played 2 more games. Those two teams will square off on Friday at Royal Lepage Place as West Kelowna kicks off their Parent Weekend.
The trip to Prince George is not an easy one, and the Warriors have not had success at the Coliseum the last few years. Since PG moved to the Mainland Division, the Warriors have not won on the road there, and have only won once since 2011, when they went 1-3-0-1 in the Spruce Kings last year in the Interior.
Liam Blackburn returns to his hometown for maybe the final time as he still looks for his 50th goal as a Warrior. He has been held point less in the last two games after starting the season with points in 20 straight games.
In goal, expect Stephen Heslop to get the start tonight. Heslop has won his last two starts against Nanaimo and Vernon.
Garrett Forster will be out of the lineup again tonight after the hit on Friday from Domenic Masellis against Penticton. He is questionable for this weekend's games.
Stats Pack
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Prince
George – 6-16-0-2
HOME – 3-6-0-0
ROAD – 3-10-0-2
Top Scorers
Adam
Brubacher (6 G, 11 A)
Corey
Hoffman (6 G, 11 A)
Jake
LeBrun (10 G, 3 A)
GF – 52
GA – 98
PP – 11th – 17 for 91 (18.7%)
PK – 16th
– 80 for 108 (74.1%)
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West
Kelowna – 12-8-0-2
HOME – 9-4-0-1
ROAD – 3-4-0-1
Top Scorers
Liam
Blackburn (10 G, 17 A)
Jonathan
Desbiens (12 G, 10 A)
Garrett
Forster (8 G, 11 A)
GF – 75
GA – 71 PP – 3rd – 23 for 95 (24.2%)
PK – 10th
– 98 for 122 (80.3%)
Next Game
– Friday November 20th vs Vernon – Royal Lepage Place 7 PM
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Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna
is 23-11-2-5 All-Time vs Prince George
Warriors are 8-8-1-5 in Prince George
This Season Head to Head: Warriors
are 1-0.
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Saturday, 14 November 2015
Nov 14th @ Salmon Arm PREVIEW
The West Kelowna Warriors head to Salmon Arm tonight for a big divisional game against the Silverbacks. Salmon Arm enjoyed a nice 3rd period comeback last night against the Merritt Centennials, while the Warriors were the 21st straight victim of the Penticton Vees.
The Warriors lead the season series 2-1 over the 'Backs, thanks to back-to-back wins on Halloween Weekend. West Kelowna picked up an overtime win on October 30th, before picking up a 3-1 win on the 31st, chasing Angus Redmond.
Brandon Kegler made 21 saves in relief on Redmond in that game, but no word yet on who gets the start tonight.
Liam Blackburn saw his 20 game point streak end on Friday night, as it was only Jonathan Desbiens scoring with an assist to Tanner Campbell. Keelan Williams took the loss, although made 3 key saves early in the 3rd to give the Warriors a shot down the stretch.
West Kelowna will be without Garrett Forster after he took a shot to the head in the final two minutes in last night's game. The Vees Dominic Masellis was ejected for the check, receiving the minimum 2 game suspension.
The Warriors trail Salmon Arm by 5 points in the Interior.
Stats Pack:
The Warriors lead the season series 2-1 over the 'Backs, thanks to back-to-back wins on Halloween Weekend. West Kelowna picked up an overtime win on October 30th, before picking up a 3-1 win on the 31st, chasing Angus Redmond.
Brandon Kegler made 21 saves in relief on Redmond in that game, but no word yet on who gets the start tonight.
Liam Blackburn saw his 20 game point streak end on Friday night, as it was only Jonathan Desbiens scoring with an assist to Tanner Campbell. Keelan Williams took the loss, although made 3 key saves early in the 3rd to give the Warriors a shot down the stretch.
West Kelowna will be without Garrett Forster after he took a shot to the head in the final two minutes in last night's game. The Vees Dominic Masellis was ejected for the check, receiving the minimum 2 game suspension.
The Warriors trail Salmon Arm by 5 points in the Interior.
Stats Pack:
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Salmon Arm
– 14-5-2-1
HOME – 7-2-2-1
ROAD – 7-3-0-0
Top Scorers
Nick
Hutchison (11 G, 16 A)
Carson
Bolduc (7 G, 17 A)
Taro
Hirose (4 G, 20 A)
GF – 89
GA – 61
PP – 6th – 24 for 117 (20.5%)
PK – 4th
– 102 for 120 (85.0%)
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West
Kelowna – 12-7-0-2
HOME – 9-4-0-1
ROAD – 3-3-0-1
Top Scorers
Liam
Blackburn (10 G, 17 A)
Jonathan
Desbiens (12 G, 10 A)
Garrett
Forster (8 G, 11 A)
GF – 72
GA – 66 PP – 2nd – 23 for 90 (25.6%)
PK – 9th
– 93 for 115 (80.9%)
Next Game
– Wednesday Nov 18th -
@ Prince George – 7 PM
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Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna
is 18-46-0-8 All-Time vs Penticton
Warriors are 9-22-0-5 vs Penticton at
Home
This Season Head to Head: Warriors
are 2-1-0-0.
October 16th – Salmon Arm
wins 4-2 in West Kelowna
October 30th – West
Kelowna wins 3-2 in OT in Salmon Arm
October 31st – West
Kelowna wins 3-1 in West Kelowna
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Friday, 13 November 2015
Nov 13th vs Penticton PREVIEW
It is Friday the 13th, and the West Kelowna Warriors are taking on the Penticton Vees at Royal Lepage Place tonight at 7 PM. These two teams have been very successful early on this season, with the Warriors entering play with wins in 5 of their last 6 games, while the Vee's have won 20 straight.
Penticton has found themselves once again on Top of the CJHL National Rankings for the 2nd week in a row. The Warriors had a week as an honourable mention, but dropped out of that after a 1-1 record over the past 7 days. Games against the Vees and Silverbacks this weekend could change that, although the rankings are the last thing on the Warriors mind ahead of Friday nights game.
The Vees have all 3 wins in the season series, including 1 in overtime. West Kelowna was happy with their play in the overtime loss, although they had a lead erased early in that one. They'll be a hungry hockey team when the puck drops.
Special Teams, we talk about it constantly but you'll see the top 2 power plays go head to head in the game. The difference between these two teams is that the Warriors have the 9th best PK, while the Vees PP is the top. The Warriors will hope that the opportunities are even throughout the game, as they enter with a Special Team differential of -27 (27 more times short-handed than on the power play) and is 2nd last in that category. Penticton enters with a +18, creating 18 more opportunities for themselves so far this season. The other teams in the bottom 4 for differential are Surrey (-28), Cowichan (-18), Prince George (-13), and Chilliwack (-9). It will be up to the Warriors to stay disciplined and keep their feet moving to try and get a couple more opportunities in the hockey game.
Keelan Williams is expected to start for the Warriors, coming in with a 2-1 record since acquiring him from Camrose. In the other net, it's a toss-up who starts, as the Warriors have seen both goaltenders this season, including Zach Driscoll the last 2 starts. The Vees have a +55 goal differential, but with only 39 allowed in 21 games, the goaltending and team defense has definitely been solid.
Stats Pack
Penticton has found themselves once again on Top of the CJHL National Rankings for the 2nd week in a row. The Warriors had a week as an honourable mention, but dropped out of that after a 1-1 record over the past 7 days. Games against the Vees and Silverbacks this weekend could change that, although the rankings are the last thing on the Warriors mind ahead of Friday nights game.
The Vees have all 3 wins in the season series, including 1 in overtime. West Kelowna was happy with their play in the overtime loss, although they had a lead erased early in that one. They'll be a hungry hockey team when the puck drops.
Special Teams, we talk about it constantly but you'll see the top 2 power plays go head to head in the game. The difference between these two teams is that the Warriors have the 9th best PK, while the Vees PP is the top. The Warriors will hope that the opportunities are even throughout the game, as they enter with a Special Team differential of -27 (27 more times short-handed than on the power play) and is 2nd last in that category. Penticton enters with a +18, creating 18 more opportunities for themselves so far this season. The other teams in the bottom 4 for differential are Surrey (-28), Cowichan (-18), Prince George (-13), and Chilliwack (-9). It will be up to the Warriors to stay disciplined and keep their feet moving to try and get a couple more opportunities in the hockey game.
Keelan Williams is expected to start for the Warriors, coming in with a 2-1 record since acquiring him from Camrose. In the other net, it's a toss-up who starts, as the Warriors have seen both goaltenders this season, including Zach Driscoll the last 2 starts. The Vees have a +55 goal differential, but with only 39 allowed in 21 games, the goaltending and team defense has definitely been solid.
Stats Pack
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Penticton –
20-1-0-0
HOME – 10-0-0-0
ROAD – 10-1-0-0
Top Scorers
Tyson Jost
(18 G, 25 A)
Scott
Conway (16 G, 25 A)
Easton
Brodzinski (17 G, 10 A)
GF – 94
GA – 39
PP – 1st – 31 for 103 (30.1%)
PK – 1st
– 78 for 85 (90.6%)
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West
Kelowna – 12-6-0-2
HOME – 9-3-0-1
ROAD – 3-3-0-1
Top Scorers
Liam
Blackburn (10 G, 17 A)
Jonathan
Desbiens (11 G, 10 A)
Garrett
Forster (8 G, 11 A)
GF – 71
GA – 63 PP – 2nd – 23 for 85 (27.1%)
PK – 9th
– 89 for 112 (81.2%)
Next Game
– Saturday November 14th @ Salmon Arm – 7 PM Shaw Center
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Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna
is 18-46-0-8 All-Time vs Penticton
Warriors are 9-22-0-5 vs Penticton at
Home
This Season Head to Head: Warriors
are 0-2-0-1.
September 19th – Penticton
wins 4-1 in West Kelowna
October 9th – Penticton
wins 4-3 in OT in Penticton
October 21st – Penticton
wins 4-2 in Penticton
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