The West Kelowna Warriors played spoiler on Saturday night.
A crowd of over 2500 people filed into Kal Tire Place for the Vipers 2024 Home Opener, but many left disappointed after the final buzzer, as the Warriors snuck away with the two points.
Between the pipes, Dawson Labre got his first BCHL victory, stopping 30 of 33 shots in the win. His best stop of the night came in the extra frame, when Carson McGinley got behind the defense, deked to the left, but was absolutely stoned by Labre's right toe.
West Kelowna received regulation markers from Dylan Krayer, who scored his first two goals of the season in the first, and Cal Hughes, who banged home a beautiful cross rink pass from Frankie D'Ancona in the middle frame.
The Overtime winner for the Warriors came after Vernon held possession for about five minutes. Rookie defender Aiden Malone intercepted a Vipers centering pass, and turned on the jets, fed over for Carter Oakenfold. The two came in on a two-on-one, Oakenfold ripped it from the right faceoff circle, over the blocker of Colin Reay for his second of the season, and the game winner. Malone's assist on the OT goal was also his first point in the BC Hockey League.
Now back above .500 for the first time this season, the Warriors begin a home-and-home series against the Smoke Eaters, beginning Friday night in Trail, with the rematch going down at Royal LePage Place on Saturday.
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Goaltender Ayo Ogini was the story of the night, as the West Kelowna Warriors picked up their first win of the season on Friday night at RLP in the 2024 Home Opener, taking down the visiting Vernon Vipers 2-1. After a poor showing last weekend in the Kootenays, the Warriors returned to their home faithful for the first time this season with a purpose and one common goal; Get two points.
Pregame festivities saw the Warriors name Landen Hilditch as the team's new captain. The Surrey native, now in his third year in the BCHL, had many people to thank in his journey to junior hockey captaincy. "I've had the privilege to learn from a lot of great leaders over my time in juniors" said Hilditch, in a first intermission interview with Brad Karp, "My parents as well, the way they taught me growing up... made me the person I am today."
The game started with a quick back and forth pace, with both teams exchanging chances in the first half of the period. Lucas Brennan would solve the stalemate 12 minutes into the opening frame for Vernon, taking advantage of an odd man rush and ripping a shot high to the stick side on Ayo Ogini to make it 1-0. In the late stages of the opening frame, with "Captain Hildy" in the box for roughing, Carter Oakenfold intercepted a d-to-d pass intended for Adam Csabi, turned on the jets, and lifted the puck over the blocker of Vernon tender Colin Reay to tie the game at one.
Jack Pridham was flying in the first half of the game, getting quality scoring chances, quality zone entries and generating turnovers. Early in the second, Pridham rushed down the right wing and ripped a shot labeled for the top corner, but was thwarted by the glove of Reay. Three minutes later, Pridham wouldn't be denied. After going for a loop in the neutral zone, the Blackhawks draft pick gained the attacking zone and pumped an unassuming wrister between the legs of a Vernon defender, and between the legs of Colin Reay to give West Kelowna a 2-1 lead. Pridham's marker would go on to be the game winner.
Ayo Ogini was fantastic between the pipes in his BCHL debut, stopping 21/22 for his first win in the league. "It felt really good [to get my first win]," said Ogini postgame. "I think the boys played well in front of me, I felt comfortable out there, so overall a good game."