Sports

The Westside Warriors playoff aspirations took a major hit this week as they let four points against teams below them in the standings slip through their fingers.

Wednesday, in a game they dominated for the final 40 minutes, it was a 5-2 loss in Salmon Arm while Friday, in a game they were not very competitive, they fell 4-2 to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

The Warriors had great chances early and late against the Bulldogs but offered little resistance the rest of the way in falling to the Coastal Conference's worst team.

Travis Blanleil opened the scoring on a nifty two-on-one with rookie Brennan Clark and Brett McKinnon closed it when his centering pass deflected off an Alberni defenders stick.

In between, it was all Dawgs who peppered 40 shots at beleaguered netminder Dwayne Rodrigue, 22 of those during the decisive second period.

"Even though the shots were 9-4 at one point we had hit a couple of posts and we seemed to be going pretty good then, I don't know if we think we're going to put it in cruise or what but we're still a young team and we're learning to play 60," says Warriors coach Rylan Ferster.

"I really don't know what it is, You try and put your finger on it but they did take it to us."

Ferster says the Warriors had chances at the end but really didn't deserve to win the game based on the entire 60 minute effort.

The Warriors led 1-0 after the opening period before Alberni pounced in the second scoring three unanswered goals. They hit on the power-play in the opening minute of the third to put the game away.

From there the game degenerated into a series of cheap shots, fights and some inconsistent and questionable officiating.

The teams combined for 95 minutes in penalties, in the third period alone, 61 to the Warriors and 34 to the Bulldogs.

In all there were 151 minutes in penalties handed out including three misconducts (all to the Warriors) and three game misconducts (two to the Warriors).

The officials seemed to lose control of the game late in the second period and it continued into the third.

The officiating crew missed a shot to the head of Warriors captain Max French that resulted in the Warriors taking a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

In the third, Turner Popoff was ejected after a viscous knee on knee hit on Warriors defenceman Peter MacIntosh before defenceman Matthew Berry was chased then jumped from behind after a thunderous hit along the corner boards.

Ferster, who didn't last the night behind the bench was visibly disappointed after the game.

"I think if you're a fan you probably feel cheated tonight. I just shake my head. I have no idea anymore what an instigator penalty is," says Ferster.

"I guess if a guy jumps you that's not an instigator. I have no idea anymore what penalties are."

Neither French nor MacIntosh returned to the ice.

With the loss Friday the Warriors remain 12 points out of a playoff spot with 13 games left in the regular season.

They'll try to regroup Saturday when they take on the second place Merritt Centennials at Royal LePage Place.