Warriors extend win streak to 7
A safe lead going into the third period almost disappeared quickly for the West Kelowna Warriors on Sunday afternoon.
Leading 4-1 over the Powell River Paper Kings to start the final frame and seemingly coasting to their seventh straight victory, the Warriors gave up a pair of goals in the first half of the period to set up a nail-biting final 10 minutes.
A Powell River powerplay with about nine minutes to go gave the visitors a chance to tie up the game, but Bennett Norlin sealed the game for the Warriors with a shorthanded breakaway goal.
The Kings would add one more late in the period but it wasn’t enough, West Kelowna ended the weekend with a tight 5-4 victory.
The Warriors also beat the Wenatchee Wild on Friday.
The Warriors started Sunday’s matinee on a good foot with Brandon Dent scoring his first BCHL goal on a breakaway.
The Warriors would have a total of four power play opportunities, but couldn’t put the puck past former Warrior Hayden Missler.
Powell River responded with a power-play goal of their own to tie the game going into the first intermission.
All cylinders were firing for the Warriors in the second period, which may have been their best 20 minutes of the season.
Tyler Pang was able to put a soft shot passed everybody including Missler to get the go ahead goal. Only a couple minutes later the Warriors would keep pressing and after a barrage of chances in front of the Kings net, Eric Olson cashed in on a Mike Hardman pass, giving the Warriors a 3-1 lead.
Three minutes later, the Warriors would connect again with Chase Dubois one timing a feed from Matt Kowalski
Three stars of the game were Norlin with a goal and assist, Paper Kings’ Ryan Brushett with two goals and the Warriors’ Dent.
The Warriors next game is the Saturday night versus the Surrey Eagles. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at Royal LePage Place.