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BCHL  

Warriors thumped by Vipers

The West Kelowna Warriors looked like a team playing its fifth game in seven nights.

The Warriors were not the tenacious team they have been for much of the season Friday, as they fell 6-3 to the Vernon Vipers before a little over 900 fans at Royal LePage Place.

"First off, a tip of the cap to Vernon, I thought they were outstanding. I thought their goaltending was good," said head coach Geoff Grimwood.

"For us, we were off. We played five games this week, and we were real good and real bad and real good and real bad all at the same time. We lost the consistency we had early in the month, and the results speak for themselves."

The Warriors jumped on the Vipers early as Cavin Tilsley tipped home Wyatt Head's point shot just 54 second in.

But, defensive lapses allowed the Vipers to pull ahead. Josh Latta scored his first of two after Alex Swetlikoff stole the puck behind the Warriors goal. They, Brendan Kim notched his first of two off a faceoff in the Warrior end.

Willie Reim tied it late in the period, but seconds later Latta potted his second to give the Vipers a lead they would not relinquish.

The Warriors were not devoid of chances as both Head and Chase Dubois rattled shots off the post.

The Vipers salted it away midway through the second when former Warrior Matt Kowalski and Garrett Worth, playing his first game in the BCHL, scored 45 seconds apart.

Worth's goal spelled the end of the night for starter Brock Baier, who allowed five goals on 17 shots. It was the second straight game Baier had been pulled after allowing five goals before the midway point of the game.

Kim with his second, and Bennett Norlin with a gift while shorthanded, scored in the final period.

After winning eight in a row, the Warriors have stumbled through a tough part of the schedule, losing two in a row, and three of their last four.

In those losses, the Warriors have surrendered 21 goals. Despite some struggles behind their own blue line, Grimwood isn't concerned - yet.

"In the big picture, those things happen. Sometimes they just come in bunches," he said.

"I think if we have the same problem in a week or two I'd be concerned. But right now I'm willing to chalk it up to a bad week, get back to work and sort it out."

The Warriors were without forward Parm Dhaliwal who was taken out with a thunderous hit to the head by Penticton defenceman Kenny Johnson. Johnson was handed a flour-game suspension by the league, event though a penalty was not called on the ice.

Grimwood says Dhaliwal will be out of the lineup for about two weeks.

The Warriors get some time off to rest before hitting the road next week for back-to-back games in Wenatchee Friday and Saturday.



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