Warriors prevail in 2 OT

Photo: Contributed - Kyle Anderson

Liam Blackburn (#26) scored the winner on a penalty shot as West Kelowna edged Merritt 4-3 Saturday.

Liam Blackburn played the role of spoiler as the West Kelowna Warriors went into Merritt and beat the Centennials 4-3 in double overtime Saturday.

Blackburn scored on a penalty shot 4:09 into the five minute three-on-three second overtime period to send the Warriors to their second straight win off the Christmas break.

The veteran looked high-glove before sending a shot between the legs of Merritt netminder Cole Kehler.

The penalty shot was awarded after Blackburn was hooked on a partial breakaway. All penalties in three-on-three overtime result in an automatic penalty shot.

The game winner came just 22 seconds after Kehler robbed Kyler Hope with the glove hand on another penalty shot. That one was awarded after the officials determined a Merritt player had knocked the net off intentionally.

The Warriors had to fend off a power-play late in the first four-on-four overtime period when the team was handed a bench minor. The Warriors held off the Centennials until the they were able to wrap it up during the wild second overtime period.

It was the Centennials who opened up the scoring in a heavily physical opening 20 minutes, as Tyler Ward got credit for the goal after Matthew Greenfield was pushed out of the net by the crashing Merritt forwards.
 
The Warriors tied the game up midway through the frame on their 2nd power play, as Nick Rutigliano’s point shot beat Kehler to knot the game up.
 
Merritt took the lead in the final two minutes of the opening period as Colin Grannary got a lucky bounce off a skate in front of the goal to go up 2-1.
 
West Kelowna evened the score at 10:50 when Jonathan Desbiens finished off a solo effort on the Warriors second power-play of the period.

Just 10 seconds later, off the ensuing faceoff, Garrett Forster hammered one off Kehler’s blocker and in to give West Kelowna their first lead of the game and silence the Merritt crowd.
 
Just one minute into the third Gavin Gould tied it shorthanded.

Neither team was able to hit the scoresheet after that, forcing overtime.

Thee Warriors finished the night 2-7 on the power-play while Merritt was 1-10 with the man advantage.

The teams combined for 94 shots over the course of 69 plus minutes of hockey. The Warriors outshot Merritt 48-46.

It was the Warriors first win over the Centennials since an opening night 6-4 win. Merritt leads the season series 4-2.

The Warriors return to action Sunday afternoon when they entertain the Surrey Eagles, 2:30 at Royal LePage Place.

It's the first home game for the Warriors since prior to the Christmas break.

The Warriors can pull into a second place tie with Salmon Arm in the Interior Division with a win Sunday. The Silverbacks hold two games in hand.