233159
BCHL  

Warriors skid continues

The West Kelowna Warriors continue to skid with the playoffs right around the corner.

The Warriors dropped their seventh game in eight outings Tuesday night, a 4-1 setback at the hands of the red hot Merritt Centennials.

The Cents have now won seven of their last eight.

The loss means the Warriors can finish no better than fifth in the Interior Division and thus, will not be able to secure home ice advantage to open the playoffs.

The Centennials broke open a tight game with a pair of unanswered goals in the final period to escape Royal LePage Place with the victory.

Bradley Cocca and Mathieu Gosselin with his second of the game on the power play scored in the final period for the Centennials.

Merritt jumped on the Warriors early with Nick Granowicz beating Connor Hopkins in the opening minute.

Gosselin made it 2-0 midway through the period before Mike Hardman connected with his team-leading 37th on a late power play.

It was the only puck they managed to squeeze past Austin Roden.

Gosselin also had a pair of helpers in the game for the Centennials.

The Warriors will close out the regular season with a crucial home-and-home with the Trail Smoke Eaters starting Friday night at Royal LePage Place.

The Smokies sit just a point in back of the Warriors. The Warriors would need to, at worst, split the series to hold onto sixth and would need to sweep if they have any chance of catching the fifth place Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

Merritt's win Tuesday moves them into a first place tie with Penticton, with 75 points. The Vees hold a game in hand and the tie breaker at the moment.

The second place team will face the seventh place finisher in the opening round of the playoffs.



More BCHL articles



231366

RECENT STORIES





221330




227730



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


227983



227435
Castanet Proud Member of RTNDA Canada