Isaiah Norlin opened and closed the scoring on Wednesday night at Royal LePage Place as the veteran blueliner scored the shootout winning goal in a 3-2 triumph over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
After eight days between games, the Warriors registered 17 opening period shots and, with some help from their goaltender in Rorke Applebee, were able to come away with a one-goal lead after the opening 20 minutes of play with a power play goal against the BCHL’s top penalty killing unit.
Felix Caron brought the puck inside of the offensive zone and sent a pass to the blue line for Isaiah Norlin. After a give-and-go with Michael Salandra, Norlin faked the defender in the slot and zipped a shot over the blocker shoulder of Silverbacks goaltender Eli Pulver for his 5th goal of the season at the 18:27 mark of the opening frame to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead heading into the 2nd period.
A power play to open the second period for West Kelowna did not result in an advantage but it was the Silverbacks who came back and got the game on even terms at the 2:27 mark on a giveaway at the front of the net as JJ Monteiro took the loose puck and went backhand-forehand past the blocker side of Applebee to tie the game at 1-1.
While a Warriors turnover tied the game, a Silverbacks turnover resulted West Kelowna getting the lead back as Pulver came out of his goal and was stripped behind the net by Salandra who set up Trent Wilson at the front of the net who had a wide open goal to bury his 5th marker of the season at the 6:22 mark of the 2nd period to give the Warriors a one-goal edge once more.
17 shots on goal in the 2nd period helped Salmon Arm get back in the game and cut the deficit for the second time with a scramble at the front of the net. Isaac Lambert sent the puck to the goal after a long shift inside of the offensive zone that Applebee turned aside before the rebound was batted around and slid in under the Warriors netminder as Maddux Martin got credit for the marker at the 10:47 mark of the middle frame to get the game to 2-2.
The two teams played into a scoreless 3rd period with both goaltenders continuing to display their strong skills while West Kelowna outshot Salmon Arm by an 11-5 margin in the final regulation period before overtime was needed to try and decide a winner.
Both teams started the extra period with great looks to try and get the game won but as the period played out, the chances dried out as the team’s settled nothing through 10 minutes of extra time and took to a shootout to decide the game.
As he was throughout the game, Applebee was dialed in and stopped all three shooters he faced before Isaiah Norlin opened the scoring in the game and also closed it in the third round. Norlin crept his way inside of the offensive zone and slid the puck underneath of the blocker side of Pulver to win the game for the Warriors in a shootout by a 3-2 score.
Rorke Applebee was terrific in net for the Warriors, making 34 saves on 36 shots and turned aside all three shooters he faced in the shootout in his 7th win of the season while Eli Pulver was equally as good, making 36 saves on 38 shots while making saves on two of the three shooters faced in the shootout in his 1st shootout loss of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 3-2 Warriors (SO)
SHOTS ON GOAL: 38-36 Warriors
WARRIORS PP: 1/5
WARRIORS PK: 3/3
3 STARS:
1) Rorke Applebee (34 saves on 36 shots)
2) Isaiah Norlin (1-0-1, shootout winner)
3) Michael Salandra (0-2-2)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Jack Pridham (0-0-0)
ATTENDANCE: 904
West Kelowna (11-6-2-0) round out a stretch of three consecutive games on home ice as they get set to host the Merritt Centennials (8-10-1-1) on Friday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM at Royal LePage Place with tickets available for purchase on the Warriors website as well as in-person at the Box Office ahead of the game.