Six pack helps Warriors sink Smokies

The West Kelowna Warriors finally solved Lyndon Stanwood.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Matt Anholt scores shorthanded against Lyndon Stanwood in a Warriors 6-0 win Saturday.

The Trail netminder, who stole three of four points in a pair of wins over the Warriors in the past two weeks, was lit up for six goals in a 6-0 Warriors victory.

"One thing we talked about before the game is you have to shoot high on him and I think you see on our first goal Bas (Marcus Basara) comes down, rifles one high and it goes in," says Warriors head coach Rylan Ferster.

"When he's on he's outstanding - but against a goalie like that you have to shoot high. Credit to our kids for following the game plan."

Three of the Warriors first four goals beat Stanwood high.

The line of Brennan Clark, Matt Anholt and Brent Lashuk led the way scoring four times and adding four assists.

Clark had a pair of goals while Anholt and Lashuk each had a goal and two assists.

Anholt, the game's first star had just three points heading into the game.

He credits a a phone call with turning his game around.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Tyler Briggs fights through traffic to make one of 20 saves for his second shutout of the season.

"Easily (my best game). Coming from midget and coming into junior you're fighting your confidence level. I talked to my dad last night and came in today thinking I had to get some confidence and I played with confidence today," says Anholt.

"I guarantee it helped me."

His father is Peter Anholt who coached 14 seasons in the Western Hockey League.

"It's just a mental thing. Confidence is everything I find,"

His goal, a shorthanded breakaway late in the second period was the back breaker.

Basara and Seb Lloyd also scored for the Warriors.

Tyler Briggs turned aside 20 shots for his second shutout of the season.

The Warriors were 1-5 on the power-play while holding the Smokies without a goal and only a few harmless shots in six opportunities.

The win improved the Warriors record to 4-2-0-2, a point behind second place Merritt.

They will look to win two in a row for the first time since the opening Showcase weekend when they face the Vipers in Vernon Saturday.

"We have to start stringing together some wins here," added Anholt.

"It's tough to lose one, win one, lose one, win one. We have to starting stringing together some and getting back on top of this division."

The Warriors will have to do that away from home where, aside from that opening weekend in Chilliwack, they have yet to taste victory.

Six of their remaining eight games this month are on the road.