West Kelowna Warriors win Western Canada Cup

ESTEVAN, Sask. – The West Kelowna Warriors won their first Western Canada Cup trophy with a 6-0 offensive explosion over the Brooks Bandits on Saturday night, May 7, in Estevan, Saskatchewan.

West Kelowna scored three times in the first period to lead the charge.

The Warriors' Kyle Marino fired a shot off the pad of Garrett Hughson in the first three minutes which kicked out to Bryan Basilico. His shot rebounded to Connor Sodergren who slipped it over the line, although it was credited to Basilico.

Just four minutes later, a shot from Nick Rutigliano snaked its way past the goaltender Hughson for the 2-0 lead.

At 15:22, Garrett Forster redirected a puck off his skate and into the goal for the 3-0 edge as West Kelowna.

It wasn't until the final five minutes of the second period that the Warriors would score again. With the Warriors on one of their 14 power plays, Kyle Marino buried one to make it 4-0.

In the third period, Kylar Hope tucked home a wrap-around goal — his specialty — to make it 5-0, before Jared Marino scored on a late power play to make it 6-0.

Brooks would take 60 minutes in penalties in the game.

Keelan Williams picked up the shutout and had a sparkling tournament since coming in for Matthew Greenfield.

The Warriors will now have a week off but will stay in the prairies, opening up the Royal Bank Cup National Championship in Lloydminister, Alberta against the host Bobcats on Saturday, May 14.