It was a tough weekend for the West Kelowna Warriors as they fell to the Vernon Vipers and Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
On Friday night (Oct. 11) at Kal Tire Place, the Warriors lost 6-3, giving the Vipers their first win of the season.
Around the mid-way point of the first period, Shea Busch (shorthanded) and Keeghan Dunn scored within 64 seconds of each other to make it 2-0 Vernon.
The Warriors cut the deficit in half before the end of the period as Callum Hughes scored his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Dylan Krayer.
In the second period, the Vipers were the better team, getting goals from Georgios Stavrianeas and Lukas McCloskey to make it 4-1 after two.
Just 1:19 in the third frame, Landon MacDonald scored on the power play, his first goal of the year, giving Vernon a four-goal lead. MacDonald also collected three assists in the game.
But the Warriors didn't let down, getting goals from Laz Giardina and Jack Farrell a minute and a half apart to make it 5-3.
The game would stay at that score until Busch scored his second of the game into the empty net to give the Vipers a 6-3 win.
Dawson Labre made 26 saves in the loss for West Kelowna while Marko Bilic made 24 saves in the win.
The next night, the Warriors earned a point but lost again, falling 2-1 in overtime to Salmon Arm at Rogers Rink.
After nearly 34 minutes of scoreless hockey, Silverbacks' Maddux Martin scored his sixth goal of the season to open the scoring.
At the 5:12 mark of the third period, Sam LeDrew found the back of the net for the third time this season to tie the game for the Warriors. Jackson Kyrkostas and Hughes assisted on the goal.
The game went to overtime where 4:01 into the free period, Silverbacks' Roenick Jodoin scored to give Salmon Arm their fifth win of the season.
Labre made 24 saves in the loss.
With the loss, the Warriors are 3-3-2 on the season as the team goes into the BCHL Showcase, taking place at the Abbotsford Centre and Chilliwack Coliseum from Oct. 13-17. The Warriors take on the Chilliwack Chiefs on Oct. 15 at 5:30 p.m. and the Brooks Bandits on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
