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BCHL  

West Kelowna Warriors will enjoy home ice advantage during first round of BCHL playoffs

Warriors secure home ice

They needed more than 60 minutes Saturday, but when the dust had settled the West Kelowna Warriors managed to secure home ice advantage in the opening round of the BCHLs Interior Conference playoffs.

Chris Duclair scored in the fifth round of a shootout to give the Warriors a 4-3 victory in Salmon Arm.

The two points move the Warriors into third in the Interior Conference, a point up on the Silverbacks.

It was the final game of the regular season for the Warriors while the Silverbacks have one game left Sunday afternoon in Penticton.

A Salmon Arm win would let them leapfrog the Warriors while any loss in regulation or extra time and the Warriors finish third.

The third place finisher draws the Vernon Vipers in round one of the playoffs while the fourth place finisher gets the Prince George Spruce Kings.

The Warriors snapped a 1-1 tie with two unanswered goals in the second period off the sticks of Michael Salandra and Jaiden Moriello, who finished the season with a team-high 25 goals.

Rylee Hlusiak had opened the scoring in the first before the Silverbacks tied it.

Salmon Arm stormed back in the third from Isaac Lambert on a power play and captain Brandon Santa Juana with the teams at even strength with seven minutes left in regulation time.

The opening two games of the first round series are set for Royal LePage Place next Friday and Saturday.

Tickets are available at the Warriors office.



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