Photo: Wayne Moore
Jack Lisson makes one of his 36 saves late in regulation
The West Kelowna Warriors have been getting so much practice in games decided in overtime things had to eventually fall their way.
They did just that Wednesday night.
After dropping six straight in either overtime, the Warriors finally prevailed, beating the visiting Cranbrook Bucks 3-2.
It was the Warriors third straight overtime game and the fourth in five games.
Simon Hogue who was recently named team captain after Landon Hilditch was dealt, played hero Wednesday netting the game winner 4:38 into the overtime period.
The goal actually came with the teams playing four-on-four after the Bucks had successfully killed off a penalty to start the extra period. After the penalty was killed there was never a stoppage in play to allow the teams to reset to the traditional three-on-three overtime.
For a relieved head coach Simon Ferguson, the overtime recipe is simple.
“We just had to make it four-on-four. Change the rules a bit,” said Ferguson.
“I thought it was a pretty ugly game all around but we found a way to win. We’ve been in a lot of one goal games and hopefully that helps us toward the end.”
It wasn’t ideal giving the Bucks, a team they are chasing in the standings a single point, but Ferguson will take it.
It was another slow start for the Warriors but, against the run of the play Luciano Bruno, on just the Warriors fourth shot of the period, beat Jaden Cholette high to the glove side off the rush after a deft pass from Simon LeDrew.
It was Bruno’s first career BCHL goal.
The Bucks controlled play the rest of the period, peppering 15 shots at Jack Lisson who was once again spectacular for the Warriors.
Cranbrook equalized on a second period power play on a shot that hit the stick of Warriors Owen Drury then the stick of league scoring leader Rasmus Svartstrom.
They took the lead on another power play in the third before newly acquired defenceman Axel Lofgren showed why he was so coveted.
With the Warriors enjoying their own man advantage, Lofgren streaked down the left wing and, from the left circle snapped a wrist shot over the shoulder of Cholette.
“It’s an elite shot from an elite player. He’s kind of like Norlin last year…they both have different attributes and top end skill and both have stuff to work on on the other side of the puck.
“That’s the one area we needed to get better at and I like the way he played tonight.”
Both teams had chances to end it in regulation time.
LeDrew, who has been snakebitten the past few weeks, rang one off the post with about five minutes left in regulation while Lisson made a spectacular glove save off Blake Cotton from in tight with time running out in the third.
LeDrew again came close in overtime pinging the crossbar before Hogue ended it.
For the second straight game Lisson was unbelievable, snagging first star honours and stealing two points for the Warriors.
With the win the Warriors move into a sixth place tie with Cranbrook in the Interior Conference, five points in back of the Sherwood Park Crusaders.
Ironically, the Crusaders provide the opposition for the Warriors when they step onto the ice again Saturday night at Royal LePage Place.
That game is also the Warriors annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
Fans are encouraged to bring a wrapped stuffed animal to the game for children less fortunate this holiday season.
Photo: Wayne Moore
Jackson Kyrkostas just fires wide in overtime.
The West Kelowna Warriors can't buy a win when a game goes past regulation time.
The Warriors dropped their sixth straight and third in their last four games decided in overtime or a shootout Saturday, a 2-1 shootout loss at the hands of the Spruce Grove Saints.
It wasn't from a lack of chances. Elias Callgren was stopped in tight after making a strong move to the net off the left wing and Jackson Kyrkostas has two great chances but was unable to pull the trigger.
Axel Lofgren also had a good chance off the rush was was stymied by Xander Miceli.
At the other end Dawson Labre made a spectacular save off Carson Lloyd in the dying moments of the three-on-three overtime.
But, it was Stephen Kirkpatrick who won it for the Saints in the shootout beating Labre with a deke to the backhand. He was the only shooter to score during the three round skills competition.
The Warriors played well enough to win as they did 24 hours earlier against Trail but were unable to get a goal when they needed it.
Kyrkostas scored the lone goal in regulation time, taking a pass from Simon Hogue on a shorthanded two-on-one and roofing a shot past Miceli.
Cole Kronewitt tied it near the midway point of the second with an innocent looking backhand that beat Labre on the short side.
The goaltenders stole the show the rest of the way.
Luciano Bruno had the Warriors best chance in regulation time, ringing one off the post midway through the third.
The saints hit a post on one of their six power plays later in the third and Labre stopped Kronewitt who tried to deke the Warriors netminder in tight.
"I thought we played well enough to win. We've got to start finding ways to win," said head coach Simon Ferguson.
"It comes down to a shootout and a skills competition. Unfortunately we had enough chances in overtime to finish it off."
Ferguson said when you generate chances you expect some of them to go in.
He said he was satisfied with the number of chances the team was able to generate on Saturday night.
Late in the game there were some words exchanged at the benches between Ferguson and Saints head coach Ryan Marsh, apparently over some things Spruce Grove players were saying to the Warriors bench.
After the game as the Warriors were circling the ice saluting their fans they came in contact with Saints players who had not yet left the ice.
While it's unclear what started it, Gabriel Kenny of the Saints and Warriors defenceman Nathan Drapeau were each assessed game misconducts.
A game misconduct was also assessed to one of the Warriors coaches.
The loss drops the Warriors record to 8-10-5-2, seventh in the Interior Conference a point in back of Cranbrook and two up on the Saints.
The Warriors will host the Cranbrook Bucks Wednesday night at Royal LePage Place.
Photo: Wayne Moore
The West Kelowna Warriors opened a three-game homestand on the wrong foot Friday night.
The Warriors gave up a late power play goal and the winner nearly four minutes into overtime in a 3-2 loss to the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters.
The Smokies rode a hot power play that generated a pair of backdoor goals to get the game to overtime then, moments after Elias Callgren rang one off the post, Trail went the other way with numbers.
Christian Kim beat a defender wide and slid a pass to Jason Stefanek who pulled the puck across the crease and lifted a backhand behind into the open side past Jack Lisson who deserved a better fate.
The Warriors netminder made half a dozen spectacular saves, the best of the bunch when he went cross-crease to stop a backdoor one-timer.
"I feel bad for him because he deserves a win. He played a heck of a game tonight and gave us a chance to win," said head coach Simon Ferguson.
As good as Lisson was, the remaining top players just weren't good enough.
The new look power play failed to generate much on five opportunities including a four minute man advantage that could have put the game away with the Warriors clinging to a one goal lead in the third.
"It was very frustrating and our top players are on the power play. For me that's where it is. We got contributions from other guys through the lineup...but those guys can't take nights off.
"I think we thought we were going to play a different game and it's frustrating to me. We are getting some good depth right now and I think our top players need to be our top players."
Trailing 1-0 in the second Kelson Podworny banged home his fifth of the year taking a nifty pass from Luciano Bruno on a two-on-one.
Podworny had a chance to add to the lead early in the third when he decided to shoot on a two-on-one but rang his shot off the near post.
Logan Flint put the Warriors up a goal four minutes into the third. He drifted through the slot and outwaited goaltender Teagan Kendrick before sliding a backhand into the open side.
It was his first career BCHL goal.
It looked like it would hold up until the final minutes when a tripping penalty to Owen Drury led to another backdoor tip in.
In overtime the Warriors generated a few chances. Callgren's post and a power move from Tyler Grahme to the front of the net that Kendrick was able to stop.
"That's the way three-on-three overtime has gone for us. But, I don't think we should have been in that spot. A careless stick and a PK where we missed another backdoor play. You can show as much video as you want but the guys have to buy in and understand it."
The Warriors will try to get back on track Saturday when the Spruce Grove Saints make their first trip into Royal LePage Place.
It's also the annual Pastor Don's Christmas Hamper Drive. $1 from every ticket will go to the cause. Raffle prizes will also be up for grabs.
Photo: Contributed
The Penticton Vees started their coastal road trip with a solid win, taking down the Langley Rivermen 4-3, Thursday at George Preston Arena.
Langley started the scoring with a goal inside the final minute of the first period on a power play, shot by Dalton MacGillivray.
Penticton came back in the second and scored three goals on 11 shots, starting with Luke Posthumus getting a rebound shot at the side of the net on the power play.
Max Heise would give the team a goal advantage on another power play, scoring a minute and a half after Posthumus, with a one-timer from the left wing.
Posthumus picked up his second of the period when he scored on an odd-man rush, taking a cross ice pass from Anselmo Rego.
Langley came out and scored twice in the first five minutes of the third period to tie the game 3-3.
Ryden Evers’ game-winner came just before the 15-minute mark, taking a pass from Nolan Stevenson and tipping it in.
The Vees visit the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday at 7 p.m. and the Powell River Kings on Sunday.
Photo: File photo
The Penticton Vees are celebrating captain Conyr Hellyer being named to the Interior Conference roster for the 2025 All-Star Tournament and Skills Competition.
The 2025 BCHL All-Star Weekend is January 17-18, at Rogers Rink in Salmon Arm.
Hellyer is one of 13 players named to the initial roster, with a fan vote to follow to fill out the remaining spots for both conferences.
Unfortunately, Hellyer was hurt in the Vees' game with the Vernon Vipers on Nov. 23 and won’t join the team on their upcoming three-game Coastal Conference road trip.
Forward Caton Ryan also sustained an injury on the weekend, as he was hurt in Friday’s game against Salmon Arm.
Both are listed as week-to-week as well with an upper-body injury.
With the recent injuries, the Vees have had to make a pair of roster moves. Penticton has signed defenceman Nate McIsaac and have called up affiliate forward George Lovell.
McIsaac rejoins the Vees have starting the 2024-25 season with the El Paso Rhinos in the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
Lovell committed to the Vees for the 2025-26 season back in September, after a strong showing at the team’s Training Camp. The teen is currently playing at Lovell Hockey Academy in Massachusetts.
Defencemen Matthew Biotti and Michael Fisher are still recovering from upper-body injuries. Biotti was hurt in the Vees game against the Brooks Bandits on Sept. 27. Fisher sustained his injury on Oct. 19, in Sherwood Park.
Both players are targeting a return to the lineup after the Christmas break.
The Vees begin their three-game road on Thursday, against the Langley Rivermen, at 7:15 pm. Penticton also plays the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday and the Powell River Kings on Sunday. Fans can follow all three games on FloHockey TV and Bounce 800 AM.
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