Morency leads Warriors to big win in Salmon Arm

A 41-save performance from Gabriel Morency led the West Kelowna Warriors to a big win in Salmon Arm on Wednesday.

Logan Mostat opened the scoring for West Kelowna on the powerplay, just past the 10 minute mark of the opening frame.

Warriors’ leading scorer Quin Foreman picked up his 40th assist of the season on the play and would add a goal of his own less than two minutes later to make it 2-0.

Salmon Arm would cut the lead in half before the end of the period thanks to a goal of the stick of Marcus Mitchell.

The score remained 2-1 for most of the second before Elijiah Barriga netted his 25th goal of the season to bring the Silverbacks back into a 2-2 tie.

That didn’t last long, however, as Chase Stevenson took a pass from Cavin Tilsley, made a deke and beat Silverbacks’ goalie Nic Tallarico to restore the Warriors lead at 3-2.

That’s the way the game would stay until the final two minutes of the third.

Salmon Arm made the move to pull Tallarico and Stevenson made them pay with his second of the game, an empty net goal.

To add a little salt to the wound, Mitchell scored his second of the night for Salmon Arm just a few seconds later.

That made the game 3-3 on goals that occurred with a goalie in net, but Stevenson’s empty net goal proved to be the game-winner and the difference.

The 4-3 win moves the Warriors to 26-25-0-2 on the season and their next action is Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Center when they take on the Penticton Vees.