Warriors drop Game 1

Photo: Wayne Moore - File Photo

Mike Hardman scored twice in a losing cause for the Warriors Saturday.

The Wenatchee Wild drew first blood in their best-of-seven first round playoff series with the West Kelowna Warriors.

The Wild got goals a little more than a minute apart during a dominating second period in a 5-4 victory over the Warriors Saturday in Wenatchee.

Mike Hardman, who led the team with 39 goals in the regular season, got the Warriors on the board first with the only goal of the opening period.

But, it was the second period, in which the Wild outscored West Kelowna 3-0 and outshot them 18-2, that turned the tide.

Murphy Stratton on a power play and Blake Bargar scored 69 seconds apart early in the second period to give the Wild a lead they would not relinquish.

Matt Dorsey upped the lead to 3-1 later in the period.

Bargar's second two minutes into the third proved a crucial goal, as the Warriors were able to close the gap to a goal on two occasions, but couldn't find the equalizer.

Parm Dhaliwal and Lucas Cullen cut the deficit to one with less than five minutes to go in regulation time.

But, Stratton connected with his second on a late power play to push the lead to two.

Hardman answered that on a Warriors power play with 90 seconds left, but they couldn't get any closer.

Wenatchee outshot the Warriors 43-27.

Game two in the series goes Sunday in Wenatchee, before shifting to Royal LePage Place for games three, four, and if necessary five, beginning Tuesday.