Feb 13 Preview vs. Trail + Playoff Scenarios

Here we are just 6 games left in the 2014/2015 season and what a roller coaster it has been for the West Kelowna Warriors. They have used 8 total goaltenders without making a trade, have seen 6 of them get their 1st BCHL wins, and 3 of them pick up their 1st BCHL shutouts.

That is just the tip of the iceberg for this Warriors team. In November, they were red hot, picking up at least a single point in 11 straight games (7-0-0-4). The road was the place to be for this Warriors team, as right from the BCHL Showcase and the 2-0 record, they would continue to be hot on the road, going 9-4-0-4 up until December 12th.

That date is one that will be talked about regardless of how the last 3 weeks play out. Since December 12th, West Kelowna is 0-8-0-2 away from Royal Lepage Place, and 8-3 at home. Considering they were 5-6-0-1 before December 12th, it's a big switch. Lucky for the Warriors 5 of their last 6 games are on home ice.

The scenarios for playoffs are quite simple. With the Warriors in 5th place, they trail Salmon Arm by 3 points, and the Merritt Centennials by 1 point. In order for the Warriors to make the playoffs, here is what needs to happen:

• West Kelowna needs 4 more points than Salmon Arm. They each play 6 games, none head to head.
• West Kelowna needs 2 more points than Merritt. Cents have 8 games remaining, none head to head.
• Merritt and Salmon Arm play once more on February 27th at the Shaw Center. Who knows which team the Warriors will be cheering for at that point, but they won't be cheering for an overtime game.

Okay now we'll get to tonight's game against Trail. The Smoke Eaters have posed some problems for West Kelowna as the Warriors have gone only 3-2 against the 6th place team in the Interior. All 5 of those games happened in a 32-day span from November 28th - December 30th. Call that a crazy schedule playing the same team on average every 6.4 days, but West Kelowna and Trail will meet twice more after tonight before the end of the regular season. The 3 games will happen over 11 days, or every 3.67 days if you're keeping score at home. Odd.

Here are the stats heading into tonight.

Trail Smoke Eaters - 17-29-0-5 6th in Interior Division (39 Pts) HOME - 12-11-0-3 AWAY - 5-18-0-2 Top Scorer Jake Lucchini  (95)  F (29 G, 39 A) GF - 182 GA - 210 PP - 8th - 22.3% (43 for 193) PK - 8th - 78.1% (153 for 196)	West Kelowna – 24-21-0-7 5th in Interior Division (55 Pts) HOME – 14-9-0-1 ROAD – 10-12-0-6 Top Scorer Liam Blackburn (96) F (21 G, 47 A) GF – 174 GA – 192 PP – 9th - 22.0% (54 for 245) PK – 4th - 81.0% (170 for 210)
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna is 41-14-0-5 vs. All-time vs Trail 2013/2014 Head to Head – West Kelowna went 6-1 vs. Trail 2014/2015 Head to Head - West Kelowna leads the season series by a 3-2 margin.

February 7th Recap @ Chilliwack

The Warriors final trip over the Coquihalla ended in an overtime defeat as Jake Larson scored the game winner at 3:32 of the 4 on 4 session.

The game remained scoreless into the final minute of the first period before Chilliwack got on the board with 35.8 seconds remaining after snapping one over the shoulder of Stephen Heslop.

Chilliwack opened up a 2-0 lead on a rebound goal before the Warriors got a power-play marker from Rylan Yaremko. Jason Cotton fired the puck from the top of the circle and by the replays it looked to hit Yaremko's stick and went past Aiden Pelino.

The Warriors tied up the game in the 3rd on a goal from Captain Andrew Johnson who put a wrist shot past Pelino after a sweet feed from Josh Bly.

The Warriors would have a couple quality chances to take the lead in the last ten minutes. Liam Blackburn was stopped in tight and then poked it through the crease but nobody could get it over the line. Jonathan Desbiens had a shot bounce 6 inches in front of the goal line as well.

In overtime, Chilliwack would have a glorious opportunity to end it, as Jake Hand got a rebound and deked around Stephen Heslop but it would be Heslop with the save of the season as he flashed the glove hand and snagged the Hand shot.

Off the ensuing face off though, the Warriors tried to clear the zone and start a rush but as the puck was turned over in the neutral zone, Larson got the puck on the right wing and placed the perfect shot over Heslops shoulder to end it.

With the results of tonights scoreboards and action around the Interior, the Warriors hold a 1-point edge over Salmon Arm, who play the Surrey Eagles on Sunday afternoon. By Wednesday, the two games in hand will have been played, and the Warriors will see how the standings look then.

I'll have a playoff scenario breakdown here on the blog Thursday.

Feb 7th- GAME PREVIEW - WK @ Chilliack

The West Kelowna Warriors head over the Coquihalla for the final time this season for a Saturday night game against the Chiefs.

West Kelowna is coming off a loss to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, while the Chiefs dropped an OT decision to the Penticton Vees on Friday.

Injury and Illness still the story for the Warriors, as it is unknown heading into tonight's game whether Andy Desautels or Brayden Gelsinger will return to the line-up. Jordan Masters is not expected to play.

The Prospera Center is a tricky arena for the Warriors. The beautiful facility that houses the Chiefs is the home of the BCHL Showcase each season, where the Warriors have a 4-2 record over the last 3 seasons.

Games against the Chiefs in this building however, have not been kind to the Warriors as they have an 0-3-2-0 record since Chilliwack returned to the BCHL in 2011-2012.

Add in the fact that the Chiefs are 17-4-0-1 at home this season in front of an average crowd of 2564 (1st in the BCHL) and it's an even bigger test for the Warriors tonight.

Stats Pack:

Chilliwack Chiefs - 28-16-1-3 1st in Mainland Division (60 Pts) HOME - 17-4-0-1 AWAY - 11-12-1-2 Top Scorer Craig Puffer  (95)  F (24 G, 22 A) GF - 167 GA - 156 PP - 14th - 18.6% (41 for 220) PK - 7th - 78.8% (160 for 203)	West Kelowna – 24-21-0-6 4th in Interior Division (54 Pts) HOME – 14-9-0-1 ROAD – 10-12-0-5 Top Scorer Liam Blackburn (96) F (21 G, 47 A) GF – 172 GA – 189 PP – 10th - 22.2% (54 for 243) PK – 4th - 80.7% (167 for 207)
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna is 2-6-2-1 vs. All-time vs Chilliwack 2013/2014 Head to Head – West Kelowna went 0-1-1-0 vs. Chilliwack

February 6th- Game Recap

The Warriors needed the win tonight in the worst way. I detailed the implications of a regulation loss in the preview for tonight's match-up, and will not fully analyze what it means until next Thursday when there is a better understanding.

Both the Warriors and the Silverbacks will have played 52 games after Wednesday night's action, and the Interior division should have a better understanding of what the final 6 games will hold, or what teams will have to do in those 6 games.

Tonight's game featured some great opportunities early on for the Warriors as Kylar Hope had a break-away attempt stopped by Angus Redmond. Hope walked in and went to wire a slap-shot but Redmond got the arm on it.

Later in the frame the Warriors hit a pair of crossbars as well, but it remained scoreless.

I thought that the Warriors took a couple of bad penalties in the middle frame after Salmon Arm made it 2-0. They looked to me to be non-focused and frustrated penalties after giving up the goals, with a too many men call and a roughing call well after the whistle.

As for the goals, the 1st one comes on a 6 on 5 and a delayed penalty and after Stephen Heslop makes the stop, its tucked over the line. Heslop wasn't deemed to have had any possession to get the play blown dead, which could have ended the opportunity.

The 2nd goal was one that I'm sure the Warriors would like to have back. They struggled to get the puck out of their own zone, and then when they did, they couldn't get it deep enough for a change, so the same unit got stuck. Run around in your own zone a little longer, and Ross Heidt has all day to score.

The 3rd period saw the Warriors play more desperately, and if it wasn't for a beautiful tip by Taro Hirose, I thought they had a good chance of tying this one up. Hirose deflected a Chase Priskie shot from the point at about the top of the circle, and had it bounce down off the ice and over the pad of Stephen Heslop. Very tough save for the West Kelowna goaltender.

The Warriors got a power-play marker in the 3rd to make it 3-1 when Nick Rutigliano tee'd one up from the point. You can't see who it hit in front, but by the reaction of the Warriors it is most definitely Rutigliano's 1st goal in the BCHL. The boxscore online doesn't say so, but everyone else believes it, as Jonathan Desbiens (who got credited with it) was the first to grab the puck for the kid known as "Tigs"

There was a little bit of rough stuff late after a Silverbacks empty netter but nothing crazy or of concern. Warriors will be back on the bus tomorrow to Chilliwack to take on the Chiefs. Look for a game preview by Noon.

February 6th GAME PREVIEW - Warriors @ Silverbacks

The West Kelowna Warriors and Salmon Arm Silverbacks will meet for the 7th time this season, with the Warriors leading the season series by a 4-2 margin.

Last weekend the Warriors split with Merritt then got a big Tuesday win against the Vernon Vipers for a mini two game streak.

The Silverbacks got lights out goaltending from Angus Redmond in back-to-back shutouts of the Vipers. Salmon Arm has only allowed 1 goal in their last 3 games (Penticton beat them 1-0 on January 28th.)

There is no need to say anything to the players or coaches in this game about its playoff implications, as everyone is well aware of the scenario in both locker rooms. For those of you who may not be aware of it, let's take a look.

The Warriors sit 4 points ahead of the Silverbacks with 8 games left on West Kelowna's schedule. The Silverbacks have 2 games in hand on the Warriors, and will play those games in hand on Sunday against Surrey, and Wednesday when they head to Trail. Ultimately, all things will be considered equal after Wednesday night.

There are 5 different scenarios as to how it could all end up after tonight's game, so I'll try to keep it as simple as possible.

• West Kelowna could be anywhere from 2-6 points up on the Silverbacks after the action tonight.
• Currently, West Kelowna has the season series edge, however the BCHL tie-breaker (should the teams be tied in points AND in wins after the season) is "points accumulated in games between tied teams" and then "goal differential in games between tied teams"
• Should the Warriors win tonight, or go to OT, forget about the tie-breakers because West Kelowna would have more season series points so they'd have the edge. If there is a loss in regulation, this is how I have it figured out:
• West Kelowna would have accumulated 8 points in 7 games vs. SA (4 wins)
• Salmon Arm would have accumulated 8 points in 7 games vs. WK (3 wins + 2 OTL)
• Therefore each team would have the same number of points, thus pushing it to goal differential in games between these two teams.
• West Kelowna: 19 Goals For, 19 Goals Against (0 differential before tonight)
• Salmon Arm: 19 Goals For, 19 Goals Against (0 differential before tonight)
• Salmon Arm needs to win tonight in regulation and then they would have the tie-breakers.
• It's a complicated scenario based on a lot of "maybe's" but we'll have more on this after tonight's result.
• Remember Warriors fans, if there is a tie in points, it goes by WINS first, and right now West Kelowna has 3 more than the Silverbacks. The muddy picture will be murky after tonight, and somewhat transparent Thursday morning. Stay tuned.

Tonight's Stats:

Salmon Arm Silverbacks - 21-19-3-5 5th in Interior Division (50 Pts) HOME - 12-8-2-2 AWAY - 9-11-1-3 Top Scorer Andrew Farny  (95) D (14 G, 32 A) GF - 152 GA - 148 PP - 11th - 21.2% (36 for 170) PK - 9th - 77.7% (146 for 188)	West Kelowna – 24-20-0-6 T-3rd in Interior Division (54 Pts) HOME – 14-9-0-1 ROAD – 10-11-0-5 Top Scorer Liam Blackburn (96) F (21 G, 47 A) GF – 171 GA – 185 PP – 9th - 22.2% (53 for 239) PK – 4th - 80.4% (164 for 204)
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna is 30-19-1-8 All-time vs. Salmon Arm 2013/2014 Head to Head – West Kelowna went 6-1 vs. Salmon Arm 2014/2015 Head to Head - West Kelowna is 4-2 against Salmon Arm

Vipers @ Warriors - February 3rd Game Recap

West Kelowna had a pair of 3rd period goals in a great hockey game at Royal Lepage Place. The Warriors still lose the Season Series to the Vernon Vipers by a 4-3 total but must be pleased with the result tonight as the playoff picture looms larger on their minds every given night.

Here is what I saw tonight:

• Power-play - The Warriors were given 7 power-play opportunities and only capitalized once, on a 5 on 3 in the 3rd when they opened the scoring. It was West Kelowna's 3rd two-man advantage of the night and about time they capitalized. Rylan Ferster called his time-out and had almost a minute with the unit as referees explained the penalty (Goalie Interference to Colten McCarthy after hitting Stephen Heslop when he played the puck). Liam Blackburn had the goal after good puck movement
• Penalty Kill - The Warriors PK Units received a boost with Brett Mennear back in the line-up but West Kelowna has been doing a solid job down a man in recent games. They have killed off 24 of the last 27 penalties, including 4 perfect nights including all 3 of the recent 3-game road trip.
• Stephen Heslop - The AP goaltender made his 2nd start for the Warriors after Andy Desautels was scratched with the flu. He didn't need to be overly spectacular but dealt with some traffic and made 34 saves for his first BCHL win and shutout. This also marked the 5th time this season that a Warriors goaltender has recorded his 1st BCHL win, which has to be some kind of league record I'm sure. (Scott Patton, Michael Lenko, Brett Huber, Jordan Reynolds, and Heslop)  It was also the 2nd time that a Warriors AP has gotten his 1st BCHL win in shutout fashion (Reynolds and Heslop)
• The Flu - Getting to the rink tonight and hearing that the Warriors would be without Desautels, Jordan Masters, and Kristian Blumenschein was a bit of a cause for concern, plus the fact it wasn't known if guys like Liam Blackburn were going to play either as a bug hit the team. The 16 skaters that did play did so admirably, as it wasn't even noticeable that West Kelowna only had 5 defensemen on the back-end. Kyle Marino filled in up front and saw some good minutes as he added size to that forward group for the 5th game in a row.

With the playoff picture still murky, the Warriors head to Salmon Arm to take on the Silverbacks Friday at the Shaw Center. Catch the action by making the drive, or tune in on Fast Hockey, at 95.1 FM WDCR, or online at www.wdcr.ca

Let me know what you think of tonight's recap and what else you thought on tonight's hockey game in the comments section below.

-Kyle Anderson

February 3rd vs. Vernon

The West Kelowna Warriors begin January with a 2 point cushion on the 5th place Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Cushion probably isn't the right word either, as that's not a very big gap with 9 games remaining plus the 'Backs have a game in hand (and 2 games after tonight.)

This evening's game at Royal Lepage Place is the 7th game against the Vernon Vipers this season, with the Vipers winning 4 (Sept 26th @ RLP, Oct 18th @ RLP, Dec 10th @ KTP, Jan 16th @ KTP) and West Kelowna winning 2 (Sept 27th @ KTP, Nov 21st @ RLP in OT).

The Warriors will look to win on home ice for the 6th time since Christmas (5-2).

Vernon is currently comfortable in 2nd place, 11 points ahead of 3rd and 13 points behind the Penticton Vees, who have all but wrapped up 1st place, unless the Vipers go undefeated and Penticton goes 3-6-0-1 over the remaining games.

Here is the statistical breakdown

Vernon Vipers - 30-14-1-2 2nd in Interior Division (63 Pts) HOME - 18-6-1-1 AWAY - 12-8-0-2 Top Scorer Liam Coughlin (94) F (19 G, 37 A) GF - 177 GA - 132 PP - 12th - 20.2% (38 for 188) PK - 3rd - 80.6% (162 for 201)	West Kelowna – 23-20-0-6 T-3rd in Interior Division (52 Pts) HOME – 13-9-0-1 ROAD – 10-11-0-5 Top Scorer Liam Blackburn (96) F (20 G, 45 A) GF – 169 GA – 185 PP – 9th - 22.5% (52 for 231) PK – 5th - 79.9% (159 for 199)
Head-to-Head Lifetime – West Kelowna is 27-24-2-6 All-time vs. Vernon 2013/2014 Head to Head – West Kelowna went 2-3-1-1 vs. Vernon  2014/2015 Head to Head - West Kelowna is 2-4 against Vernon this season