West Kelowna erupted for five goals in dominant win over Powell River

Photo: Wayne Moore

The West Kelowna Warriors picked a perfect time to put together their most complete effort of the season.

The Warriors dominated in every facet of the game and in all three zones in a 5-0 win over the lowly Powell River Kings.

“I can’t complain at all. It was a 60-minute game for our guys, we back checked, we played above the puck and did all the little things we need to do,” said head coach Simon Ferguson.

“It showed that on the scoreboard.”

West Kelowna peppered goaltender Vincent Lamberti with a season-high 49 shots while allowing a season- low 15 in the victory.

“That’s the way we need to play. If we play that way against the top teams in the league it’s probably a closer score, but I think we can beat them.

“If the guys can figure that out and stay with it for a good length of time then I think we can make a push.”

In this case, the shot totals told the story and if not for the acrobatics of Lamberti, the Warriors could easily have hit double digits.

Despite allowing five goals, Lamberti was spectacular, easily the Kings best player over the course of the night.

Edouard Gauthier faced just 15 shots, only a few of those of high quality in registering his first BC Hockey League shutout.

Sam LeDrew paced the attack with two goals with Elias Callgren, Ian Alonso and Jackson Kyrkosta adding the others.

The Warriors were good from the start but were unable to generate many quality chances early, despite 60 seconds with a two-man advantage.

That all changed late in the first when LeDrew rifled home his 23rd in the final minute. He took a cross-ice pass from Tyler Grahme off the rush and wired home what turned out to be the game winner.

The Warriors broke the game open in the second. Callgren doubled the lead when his initial pass pinballed off Joey Macrena back to Callgren who moved into the low slot and beat Lamberti five-hole.

Kyrkostas made it 3-0 on a quick wraparound before Alonso ripped home a backdoor pass on a Warriors power play.

LeDrew closed out the scoring with a late third period power play goal.

The win was important for the Warriors who picked up a single point on Okotoks in the fight for seventh in the Interior Conference.

Okotoks came into the week just a point behind with two games in hand, however regulation defeats to Blackfalds and Brooks and an overtime loss to Cranbrook Saturday allowed them to pick up just a single point.

The win for the Warriors widens that gap to two. Both teams have four games left in the regular season including a critical four-pointer next Friday night in Okotoks.

“Both those games (next weekend), Blackfalds has been playing real well. Okotoks is going to be a playoff atmosphere and we are going to have to bring our best game.”