Warriors drop heartbreaker

Photo: Wayne Moore

Parm Dhaliwal scores in his return to the Warriors lineup.

The West Kelowna Warriors used a stellar second period to forge out a one-goal lead - but in the end, couldn't hold off the high-flying Merritt Centennials in the decisive third period.

The Cents erased the one-goal deficit with a pair of unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes to leave Royal LePage Place with a 5-4 victory, and a five-point cushion on the fourth place Warriors.

The Warriors were sluggish for much of the opening 20 minutes, allowing the visitors to build a 3-1 lead by the midway mark of the frame.

Matthew Kopperud with a pair and Vincent Guy beat starter Brock Baier, who was pulled after allowing three goals on just seven shots.

"Not a good enough first period...we didn't compete hard enough I didn't think," said assistant coach Matt Miller, who ran the bench with Taurean White while head coach Geoff Grimwood sits out the second game of a league imposed three game suspension for an incident in Cowichan Valley on the weekend.

"It was the first 20 minutes that killed us. Top to bottom throughout the lineup, just not enough compete."

The Warriors did settle down after the goaltending change, and were rewarded with Chase Dubois' second of the period, converting a pretty three-way passing play with Mike Hardman, and newly acquired defenceman Anthony Bishop.

Bishop, a 20-year-old defenceman, was signed this week after starting the campaign with the Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans.

The Warriors also had the better of the chances during a penalty-filled second period.

Hardman collected his team-leading 22nd on a pretty backdoor feed from Parm Dhaliwal on a Warriors power play.

Dhaliwal collected his seventh near the end of the period, converting a nifty give-and-go with Lucas Cullen.

It was Dhaliwal's first game back after missing seven games with an upper body injury.

"Not only even, but especially on the power play, he makes a huge difference," said Miller.

"He just settles those guys down, and our second unit is now deeper with him in the lineup. He's just a rock solid player, and he showed why he is one of our top players."

The Warriors came out flat in the third, and were unable to protect the one-goal lead.

Brendan Schneider collected the game tying goal six minutes in, then Brett Roloson notched the game winner with less than four minutes left in regulation time when he took a drop pass in the right circle and beat a screened Connor Hopkins.

The Warriors managed one frantic flurry in front of the Centennials net in the dying seconds with Hopkins on the bench, but couldn't find the equalizer.

The Warriors have now dropped three straight to the Centennials.

They will try and get back on the winning track again Saturday night when they travel to Vernon to face a Vipers team they have had no success against this season, dropping their two previous meetings.

They're back home Tuesday to host the Coquitlam Express.