Goaltender Matthew Greenfield, a key contributor to the West Kelowna Warriors’ unlikely playoff run, continued to be a leader in the opening game of the B.C. Hockey League’s Fred Page Cup championship series on Friday.
The 20-year-old stopped all 38 Chilliwack Chiefs shots to record his first shutout of the playoffs and anchor the Warriors’ 2-0 victory at the Prospera Centre in Chilliwack.
Improving to 11-7 and boosting his save percentage to .935, Greenfield was busiest in the first period, facing 16 shots, while some of his most difficult saves came in the third period with the Chiefs pressing to narrow the Warriors’ lead.
Meanwhile, Kylar Hope, another of the most significant Warriors in the playoffs, scored what would stand up as second straight winning playoff goal at 18:46 of the third period. He also scored the winner in overtime against the Nanaimo Clippers to vault his team into the BCHL final series. Hope, firing his 13th goal of the post-season and eighth goal in the past five games, finished a pass from Liam Blackburn on a 2-on-1 break with a backhand shot.
Captain Kyle Marino got the insurance marker at 12:58 of the second period, banging in the puck that had hit the post on a shot by Bryan Basilico.
The Warriors scored their two goals on 24 shots at Matteo Esposito.
The second game of the best-of-seven series is set for Saturday in Chilliwack beginning at 7 p.m. The series switches to West Kelowna on Monday and Tuesday at Royal LePage Place starting at 7 p.m.
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