Warriors advance in six

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

Jonathan Desbiens scored the game winner as the Warriors eliminated Salmon Arm 4-2 Saturday.

The West Kelowna Warriors will move on to the second round of the BC Hockey League playoffs.

The Warriors eliminated the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in six games, finishing it off Saturday with a 4-2 win in Salmon Arm.

The win means the Warriors will face the Penticton Vees in the Interior Division final.

The Warriors jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead and were never headed from there. Salmon Arm was able to cut the deficit to one on two different occasions but, both times, the Warriors were able to push the margin back to two.

Brett Mennear got the Warriors on the board midway through the opening period when he beat Angus Redmond with the Warriors short handed.

Garrett Forster doubled the lead nine minutes later to put West Kelowna up 2-0 after one.

Carson Bolduc gave the Silverbacks some life early in the second, but a power-play goal from Jonathan Desbiens 13 minutes into the period pushed the lead back to two. It also proved to be the game winner.

Chase Zieky, the overtime hero in game one cut the margin to 3-2 with 45 seconds left in the middle frame.

Warriors captain Kyle Marino gave the Warriors some breathing room with his second of the series just past the midway mark of the third.

The Warriors were able to close it out from there.

Matthew Greenfield turned away 40 of 42 shots he faced to earn the win. He was also named the game's first star for the third time in the series.

The Warriors were perfect on the penalty kill, keeping Salmon Arm off the board while scoring once while short handed. The Warriors scored once on their three power-play chances.

West Kelowna now faces the Penticton Vees in round two of the playoffs.

The series is expected to begin next Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.