Warriors equal club record

Photo: Wayne Moore

Mike Hardman just missed on this chance against Surrey Saturday.

You could excuse the West Kelowna Warriors if they stepped on the ice Saturday night with their minds firmly fixated on Sunday's first place showdown in Merritt.

After all, Saturday's opposition, the Surrey Eagles, sat at the bottom of the BCHL standings, having lost nine of their last 11. The Warriors were the hottest team in the league, coming in riding a seven-game winning streak.

It looked like it for the first period and change. While the Warriors dominated much of the play, they were without their usual intensity and tenacity.

It almost cost them. The Eagles got a pair of fortuitous rebounds to take a 2-0 lead, but, by the midway mark of the second, the Warriors found another gear.

They scored six unanswered goals in a 6-2 victory and, in the process, equalled a club record with their eight consecutive victory. The team previously won eight straight between Feb. and 22, 2008.

"I know we played hard off the start, but they got those two funny ones against us," said Warriors head coach Geoff Grimwood.

"But, as usual our guys are pretty resilient, and I think our depth wore them out by the second and third periods."

Mike Hardman was a one-man wrecking crew for the Warriors. The first year forward scored twice, giving him a team-high 16 on the season. He also added a trio of assists.

Willie Reim scored into an empty net and added a pair of assists. Parm Dhaliwal with a goal and an assist, Bennett Norlin and Lucas Cullen also scored for the Warriors.

"I thought Parm was excellent and, Mike as usual...he's a pretty dominant player.

"When he gets going, he's tough to stop. It's good to see those guys lead the way."

Down two, Bennett Norlin got the Warriors going. Going down the right wing, he circled the net instead of taking a shot from a sharp angle.

Norlin popped out the other side and, from the left circle, threw the puck toward the net. It hit a skate in front and deflected past Surrey goaltender Kyle Dumba.

Four minutes later, Dhaliwal tied it with a wrist shot from the slot. The puck popped out to him after Dumba made an initial save off Hardman.

Hardman scored what proved to be the winner moments later when Reim's shot deflected off the Warrior's forward and a Surrey defender and in.

Cullen and Hardman extended the lead with power play goals from nearly the identical spot in the right faceoff circle.

Reim salted it away with an empty net tally. The Eagles had pulled Dumba earlier in the period when they enjoyed a lengthy two-man advantage, but were unable to find a way past Brock Baier.

Baier made 28 saves on the night, and was even credited with an assist on reim's empty net goal.

The Warriors, power play struck for a pair of goals on three chances while shutting down the Eagles on all six of their chances.

Saturday's win pulls the Warriors even with Penticton and Merritt atop the Interior Division standings. All three teams have 29 points.

The Vees drew into a tie with a 4-3 overtime win over Trail. Merritt was idle Saturday.

The Warriors make the trek west for a Sunday afternoon showdown with the Centennials.

The last time the two teams met a month ago, the Warriors were thumped 8-4 by the Centennials. West Kelowna led 3-1 before the wheels fell off.

The Warriors will return home following that game to begin a home-and-home set with the Vees beginning Tuesday at Royal LePage Place.