Warriors squeak out 1st win

Photo: Castanet/file

Nothing is coming easy for the West Kelowna Warriors early in the BC Hockey League season.

Playing without their top forward and defenceman, the Warriors went winless in a three-game opening weekend.

Friday, the nearly squandered 5-1 and 6-3 leads before hanging on to defeat the Langley Rivermen 8-5 Friday in Langley.

The Warriors were hanging on over the final minutes until rookie Levi Stauber completed his first BCHL hat trick with a pair of empty net goals in the final minute.

West Kelowna built up a 5-1 lead three minutes into the second, thanks in part to a much-maligned power play that went 0-14 to start the season.

Already up 1-0 on John Evan's first in the BCHL, Brandon Dent pushed the lead to 2-0 with the club's first power play marker of the campaign.

After Langley cut into the lead with a power play marker of their own, Max Bulawka restored the two goal lead late in the opening period.

Stauber with his second on the power play and David Vieten built the lead to 5-1 with goals a minute apart early in the second.

But, the Rivermen chipped into the lead. Tristan Fraser and Joseph Musa cut the deficit to two with power play goals just past the midway point of the second.

Dent restored the three goal lead with another power play goal late in the second.

The Rivermen made it interesting with goals midway through the third to cut the lead to 6-5, but Brock Baier shut the door the rest of the way until Stauber slammed the door shut.

Baier made 38 saves on the night as the Rivermen outshot West Kelowna 43-32 on the evening.

The Warriors look to make it two-in-a-row Sunday afternoon when they host the Victoria Grizzlies at Royal LePage Place.