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BCHL  

Warriors off to the playoffs

It took the entire 58 game schedule but the West Kelowna Warrior have squeezed their way in to the BC Hockey League playoffs.

The Warriors did their part Saturday beating the lowly Surrey Eagles 6-2 and got the help they needed when Penticton edged Salmon Arm 2-1 in overtime.

The results mean the Warriors grab the fourth and final Interior Division playoff spot by one point over Salmon Arm, who needed a win to secure their post season berth.

The Warriors will now battle Interior Division champion Penticton in round one.

Brayden Gelsinger scored twice and added an assist while linemate Jonathan Desbiens chipped in with four assists Saturday to lead the Warriors offensive charge.

Tanner Campbell with a pair, including an empty netter, Jason Cotton and Kristian Blumenschein with the eventual game winner also scored for the Warriors.

West Kelowna opened the scoring with one of their four power-play goals on the night when a loose puck found Tanner Campbell in the right face-off circle. His high wrist shot eluded netminder Christian Short.

The Warriors took the shaky 1-0 lead into the second period where they broke it wide open.

Gelginger found the short side with a shot from a sharp angle five minutes into the second then, a minute later, Blumenschein made it 3-0 with a seeing eye wrist shot from the point that made its way through a maxe of bodies.

Both were scored with the man advantage.

Warriors goaltender Scott Patton held the Eagles at bay moments later when he somehow stopped a series of shots during a mad scramble in front of the net.

He then stopped Joseph Drapluk on the ensuing penalty shot after a Warrior defender was deemed to have grabbed the puck in the crease during the previous scramble.

Gelsinger made it 4-0 early in the third on the Warriors fourth power-play of the night before the Eagles put a bit of a scare into the Royal LePage Place faithful.

The Eagles scored twice in a span of less than two-and-a-half minutes to draw to within two but were unable to get any closer.

Cotton then Campbell into the empty net sealed the win.

With the tendency in situations like Saturday's for players to split their attention between the game at hand and the out of tow scoreboard, Warriors coaches took their players cell phones away to keep them focused on the task at hand.

"That was our mindset from the get go. Keep them isolated, don't let them know what's going on and worry about what we have to do and take care of business tonight," said Warriors assistant coach Brent Gough.

The coaches finally told the players the result out of Penticton prior to the third period.

For whatever reason Gough said it was their worst period of the night.

The Warriors, who have struggled with the man advantage for much of the season were perfect going 4-4 Saturday.

Gough said he can't explain it.

"We just kind of got pucks to the net...nothing special. Just keep it simple and that's what we are going to be talking about here for however long we go here in the playoffs."

Already minus several key players due to injury or illness the Warriors lost another body when veteran Jordon Masters went down in the second period.

He appeared to get hurt while throwing a check behind the net.

Gough said he was taken to hospital as a precaution but knew nothing more.

The Warriors squeeked into the playoffs winning their last five games while going 7-1-0-2 over their last 10.

The club has been basically in playoff mode since January which Gough said could stand them in good stead in the playoffs.

"We had to claw, bite and scratch just to get into the playoffs and we did that," said Gough.

"With our roster and lineup the way it is right now you have to give our guys full credit for putting ourselves in that position. Obviously we're playing a good team in Penticton and we have to find a way to dig deep."

The best-of-seven series with the Vees begins with games one and two Tuesday and Wednesday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

It then shifts to Royal LePage Place for games three and four Friday and Saturday.



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