West Kelowna edged Blackfalds 3-2 Sunday afternoon

Photo: Wayne Moore

The West Kelowna Warriors have caught fire at just the right time.

In the midst of a five-game homestand, the Warriors ran their winning streak to a season high three Sunday afternoon in a 3-2 victory over the visiting Blackfalds Bulldogs before 1,506 fans at Royal LePage Place.

The Warriors have also won four of their last five which coincides with the arrival of Slovenian netminder Bor Glavic.

Glavic turned away 36 shots Sunday to run his record to a perfect 4-0.

“I liked Bor. I thought Bor was really solid…he stole the game a little bit again,” said head coach Simon Ferguson.

“They were getting an unbelievable goalie performance on their end which they got in Salmon Arm the night before and Bor took it from us.

“I don’t think you can win in any league anywhere without good goaltending.”

His goals against average over that span is a minuscule 1.89 with a .934 save percentage.

Sunday’s win resembled somewhat the game Friday against Okotoks, hard hitting and up and down the ice, a little too much of a track meet for Ferguson’s liking.

But, in a game against a team well below them in the standings and battling for playoff positioning, the Warriors, as they did in their two previous wins, found a way.

Tyler Grahme scored twice including the game winner for the second straight night. In fact, he has been in on the game winner in all three games during this streak.

The first year centre opened the scoring midway through the opening period. With the Warriors enjoying extended time in the offensive end Grahme intercepted a clearing attempt along the right boards and threw the puck toward the net.

The shot eluded netminder Kirill Kapustin who appeared to be screened if not surprised by the quick shot.

The Bulldogs tied it on a five-on-three power play set up when the Warriors bench was assessed a penalty for arguing a too many men on the ice call.

Ian Alonso re-established the one goal lead 65 seconds into the second, going to one knee to bang home a centering pass from Jack Sadowski on a Warriors power play.

Grahme netted what proved to be the game winner 12 seconds into the third. It looked as if he was going to ring the puck around the boards but, instead threw it on set, catching Kapustin, and most everyone in the building, by surprise.

The Bulldogs netminder more than made up for the gaffe keeping his team in it with two sensational saves later in the period. He denied Simon Hogue with an outstanding glove grab on a backdoor one-timer, then while laying prone on the ice, robbed Sadowski from in tight.

The Bulldogs pulled to within one eight minutes into the third but Glavic shut the door the rest of the way.

The Warriors, who have just 19 skaters with the departure of Luciano Bruno and Dylan Krayer and an injury to defenceman Axel Lofgren, may have lost the services of another skater.

Forward Carter Oakenfold was helped to the dressing room with just four seconds left when he was hit awkwardly into the boards.

Ferguson had no update after the game except to say it is an upper body injury.

He will be re-evaluated in the coming days to determine the severity of the injury.

Sunday’s win improves the Warriors record to 13-15-5-2, good for seventh in the Interior Conference, three points better than Okotoks and Spruce Grove and three behind the Cranbrook Bucks.

All three teams have games in hand on the Warriors.

The league now takes a break for 10 days for all-star festivities scheduled for next weekend in Salmon Arm.

The Warriors return to conclude their five-game homestand when they host Salmon Arm Friday, Jan. 24 and Sherwood Park the following night.

The game against Salmon Arm is the annual Peachland Warriors game.