West Kelowna Warriors fall 6-4 to Silverbacks

WEST KELOWNA – The West Kelowna Warriors started well but eventually fell by a 6-4 score to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Saturday night at Royal LePage Place.

The Warriors started the game with a great jump and got on the board and just 2:24 into the game, Reed Gunville opened the scoring for the home side. Quin Foreman’s right circle shot was stopped by ‘Backs netminder Trevin Kozlowski before the rebound was potted in by Gunville for his 7th goal of the season and a 1-0 Warriors lead.

The Warriors jumped ahead by two on a goal by Connor Sodergren, who beat Kozlowski through his legs and barely squeaked the puck past the goal line for his 5th goal of the season and a 2-0 lead at the 11:33 mark of the 1st period.

Salmon Arm got within one on a goal by Ryley Booth, beating Warriors goaltender Shane Farkas to the blocker side to make it a 2-1 game at the 15:44 mark of the 1st period.

The ‘Backs tied the game at the 2:32 mark of the 2nd period as Connor Sundquist tipped in a Landon Fuller shot from the blue line to make it a 2-2 game.

The Silverbacks took their first lead of the game at the 4:57 mark of the 2nd period as Josh Blanchard threw a shot on from the right circle to put the ‘Backs ahead by a 3-2 score.

The Warriors tied the game up at the 15:27 mark of the middle frame as Jon Russell tallied his first BCHL goal on a diving effort to bury a Foreman rebound to tie the game at three a piece.

Haydn Hopkins found the back of the net on the power play on a rebound to again put the Silverbacks ahead by a goal at 4-3 at the 17:34 mark of the 2nd period.

The third period saw the ‘Backs go ahead by two goals thanks to a power play marker courtesy of Carson Bolduc to make it a 5-3 Salmon Arm advantage at the 6:30 point of the 3rd frame.

The Warriors got themselves within one goal on a rebound out in by Quin Foreman, his 8th goal of the season at the 18:13 mark of the frame made the Salmon Arm lead 5-4 but it was too little, too late as the ‘Backs got an empty netter shorthanded from Ryley Booth to make the final 6-4 in favour of the Silverbacks.

The Warriors (5-6-0-1) head back on the road for the lower mainland on the Wednesday when they visit the Coquitlam Express (4-9-1-0) at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre for a 7:00 pm face-off and 6:50 pm pre game show on the Warriors Internet Network and hockeytv.com.