West Kelowna Warriors winning streak reaches eight with nailbiting 4-3 shootout win in Salmon Arm

Photo: West Kelowna Warriors

Goaltender Rorke Applebee made sure the West Kelowna Warriors had a chance to run their winning streak to eight games.

Playing two under the roster limit due to injury and the loss of Johannes Løkkeberg to the World Junior's, Applebee stood on his head through the third period, 10 frantic minutes of overtime and a shootout to lead the Warriors past the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 4-3 Wednesday in Salmon Arm.

The Warriors jumped to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes but it was the Silverbacks who turned the game around over the final 50 minutes, peppering Applebee with 39 shots over the final two period of regulation and 10 minute three-on-three overtime.

The Warriors built their first period lead on the back of goals from Eliot Compton on a power play, Cal Hughes and defenceman Landon Hilditch.

For Compton, it was his second goal of the season after notching his first BCHL goal just two games ago.

Nathan Mackie and Maddux Martin cut the deficit to one in the second then, with Ryan Grout on the bench for an extra attacker Isaac Lambert finally tied it with 1:17 left in regulation.

Overtime solved nothing forcing a shootout to decide the outcome.

Michael Salandra and Isaiah Norlin scored for the Warriors in the shootout while Applebee did his thing, stopping all three Salmon Arm shooters.

The win, the Warriors eight in a row leaves then two points up on the third place Silverbacks and just four in back of the Interior Division-leading Penticton Vees.

The Warriors and Vees conclude the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule with a home-and-home this weekend. The teams play Friday at the SOEC before a return engagement Saturday at Royal LePage Place.