254826
253013
BCHL  

West Kelowna earn crucial two points in thriller over Okotoks

Warriors get late winner

The West Kelowna Warriors earned an important two points in a true four-pointer against the visiting Okotoks Oilers Friday night at Royal LePage Place.

Facing a team just a point ahead of them in the standings, the Warriors leapfrogged the Oilers into seventh in the Interior Division with a thrilling 3-1 victory.

Tyler Grahme snapped a 1-1 tie with just 2:08 left in regulation time and Jackson Kyrkostas added an insurance goal into an empty net to secure the win.

It was one of the better all round games by both teams this season at RLP, fast up and down the ice by both teams, hard hitting and exceptional goaltending at each end.

“They’re a fast team, they move the puck, they’re hard in your d-zone and they make you work,” said head coach Simon Ferguson.

“Their goalie was outstanding and so was ours but we ended up with the final kick.”

The game was deadlocked 1-1 through the first and second periods and throughout much of the third until Grahme snapped the tie.

It was a game where both teams probably felt they deserved the two points.

“That was the old 60 minute hockey game. You don’t win it in 20, you win it in 60.”

“I thought we stuck to it, I thought we found a way and maybe got a lucky bounce or two.”

The Oilers opened the scoring when Kade Duell pounded on a rebound at the edge of the blue paint and lifted it over Bor Glavis in the Warriors net.

It was all that would elude the Warriors netminder.

Ian Alonso tied it on the new-look power play that moved the puck around more sharply and quickly than it has in recent weeks. Stationed in the right circle, Alonso blasted a one-timer past Olivier Ciarlo off a feed from Kyrkostas on the half wall.

Both goaltenders took over after that. Glavic made a sensational blocker save off a cross-crease one-timer on what was a two man breakaway.

Ciarlo stopped Caden Kemkaren-Humble on a shorthanded breakaway, then stacked the pads to deny Alonso his second of the game from in close.

But, with time winding down and the Warriors buzzing, newly acquired Ben Miller slid a cross-ice pass to Grahme who snapped a one-timer into the open half of the net.

Kyrkostas hit the empty net from a sharp angle in the final minute to ice the victory.

It was the Warriors second straight win and first two-game winning streak since wins over Okotoks and Alberni Valley in mid November.

The Warriors go after a season-high third straight win Sunday afternoon when the Blackfalds Bulldogs pay their first visit to RLP.

It’s the annual Hockey Day in West K game. Tickets are free for kids 18 and under wearing a jersey.

Faceoff Sunday is 2:30.



More BCHL articles




RECENT STORIES





244599







Cover your team's games! Write up a story and email us [email protected] for publication here.


249193



254743
255244