Photo credits: Tami Quan (Farmer), Garrett James Photography (Santa Juana)
West Kelowna Warriors – 6
Salmon Arm Silverbacks – 3
Christophe Farmer scored a hat trick and Felix Trudeau contributed three assists as the West Kelowna Warriors scored five unanswered goals to double up the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 6-3 and win their second-round series in five games to advance to the Interior Conference Finals.
Salmon Arm got off to a hot start when Daniel Panetta got them on the board 5:27 into the game, but Chase Dafoe replied for West Kelowna just over two minutes later to tie things up. The ‘Backs would reclaim the lead on an Isaac Lambert goal with five minutes to go in the period to take a 2-1 lead into the break.
Noah Serdachny increased the Salmon Arm lead 43 seconds into period number two, but the Warriors got two goals from Christophe Farmer to climb back into a tie at intermission.
In the third, Elan Bar Lev Wise gave West Kelowna their first lead of the game with a power-play marker midway through the period. The Warriors would finish things off with two empty-net goals, one by Farmer for the hat trick and another by John Evans, to make it a 6-3 final.
West Kelowna goalie Johnny Derrick stopped 18 shots to earn the win, while Salmon Arm netminder Owen Say stopped 36 of the 40 shots he faced. Brandon Santa Juana had two assists for the Silverbacks in the loss.
The Warriors will face their Interior rivals the Penticton Vees in Round 3.
Alberni Valley Bulldogs – 2
Langley Rivermen – 1
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs received timely scoring and stellar goaltending to defeat the Langley Rivermen 2-1 in Game 5 to keep their season alive and force a Game 6.
This series has produced nothing but tight games and tonight was no different. After a scoreless first period, Alberni potted the first goal of the game on Emanuelson Charbonneau’s first of the postseason 5:44 into the second. Langley would tie things up late in the period on a Daniel O’Neill goal, also his first of the playoffs, and it was 1-1 after two. In the third, Bulldogs forward Josh Van Unen would play hero, scoring the game-winning goal at the 7:38 mark to give his team the win.
Alberni’s Hobie Hedquist stopped 21 of 22 shots to earn the victory, while Langley’s Ajeet Gundarah stopped 33 of 35 shots in a losing effort.
Game 6 goes tomorrow night in Langley.
