West Kelowna Warriors struggles in overtime and shootouts continued this weekend

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.