Warriors thrill in OT

Photo: Wayne Moore

Chase Stevenson capped a wild, and thrilling night with a goal at 4:05 of sudden death overtime, sending the West Kelowna Warriors to a 3-2 win over the Island Division leading Victoria Grizzlies.

Appropriately, on Faith Night, more than 1,300 fans kept the faith during easily the most exciting and entertaining game in Royal LePage Place since the team hoisted the Fred Page Cup nearly a year ago.

Stevenson banged home his second of the night during a mad scramble in front of Grizzlies' netminder Troy Rehm.

"It was crazy. (Connor) Sodergren yelled at me and told me the puck was there," said Stevenson of the game winning goal.

"I was lucky to just tap it in. But it was good, the scramble at the end was a good way to win it."

The Warriors jumped out of the gates quickly, getting a great chance off the opening faceoff they were unable to convert.

Just three minutes later, Stevenson did connect, banging home his ninth on the back end of a pretty three-way passing play with linemates Sodergren and Quin Foreman.

Goaltender Gabriel Morency stole the show after that.

He made a terrific pad save off Drayson Pears, then flashed leather to stop Cameron Thompson after a Warriors defensive zone breakdown.

But, he saved his best for Nathan Looysen.

After Jon Russell have put the Warriors up 2-0. Looysen found himself alone in front of Morency. He deked left, went to his right and tried to tuck the puck into the wide open side of the net.

Somehow, Morency shot out his left leg and somehow managed to stop the puck with his skate.

"The job of a goalie is to give you a chance to win and I thought he gave us a chance to win," said Warriors head coach Rylan Ferster.

Moments later, Cole Pickup got the high-flying Grizzlies on the board when he beat Morency on a breakaway.

Lucas Clark tied it before the end of the period. Miscommunication between Morency and his defence allowed the Grizzlies to steal the puck. Thompson found Clark in front who beat Morency before he had a chance to get set again.

The game went back and forth the rest of the night with both goaltenders coming up big when need be. The Grizzlies had the better of the chances but the Warriors had the worse luck. Cavin Tilsley in the second and Stevenson late in the third both the post.

The Warriors had a chance to win it near the end of regulation, but were unable to convert their fourth opportunity with the man advantage.

They didn't fail on the fifth. With captain Cody Van Lierop in the box for goaltender interference, Stevenson found the puck in the crowd and sent the fans home happy.

The Warriors were able to contain the Grizzlies with three regular defencemen missing. Scott Allen, Tyler Jutting and Nick Rutigliano were all out of the line up.

Forward Jared Marino was forced to move back on the blueline just to give the Warriors five defencemen.

"We had a real scrappy effort tonight. Obviously, we only had three regular D in our line up.

"That makes it difficult. But, they worked hard after a game last night where we had some tough luck."

The Warriors were outshot 42-32, but were one better on the only part of the scoreboard that matters.

Saturday's win moved the Warriors back into a third place tie with Trail. Both teams have 56 points, four better than fifth place Merritt.

West Kelowna and Merritt have three games remaining in the regular season while the Smoke eaters have two left.

The Warriors can clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs with one more win. They can clinch third with two victories, or a win and a Trail loss in regulation time. They own the tie breaker against both Trail and Merritt by virtue of more overall wins.

The Warriors close out the regular season Tuesday night when the Penticton Vees come to town.

They close out the season on the road in Merritt next Friday and Salmon Arm Saturday.