Warriors snap 11 game losing streak in Salmon Arm with a 2-0 win Saturday

Photo: Contributed

Rookie Justin Katz earned his first career BC Hockey League shutout in the biggest start of his young career, leading the West Kelowna Warriors to a 2-0 victory over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday.

Katz turned away all 26 shots he faced, none bigger than a series of stops late in the third period with the Silverbacks on a power play and looking for the equalizer.

Both Katz and Salmon Arm netminder Owen Say were perfect through better than 50 minutes before Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero finally broke the scoreless tie.

His seventh of the season on the Warriors third power play of the game came with just under 10 minutes left in regulation, as he tipped a point shot from Nick Ardenaz out of mid air. The goal snapped a six-game scoring drought for Van Houtte-Cachero.

The Silverbacks pulled Say late to try and get the equalizer, but the move backfired when John Evans sealed it, finding the empty net in the dying seconds. Tyler Cristall blocked a shot, then gloved a pass to Evans who went in all alone on the empty net.

The win enabled the Warriors to split their two game weekend set in Salmon Arm.

Following the game, head coach Simon Ferguson said he was proud of his team and the way they bounced back after Friday's 6-3 loss.

They limited turnovers and mistakes and, "stuck to the game plan."

The win also snapped the Warriors 11-game losing streak in Salmon Arm. It was their first win in the Shaw Centre since registering a 4-3 win Feb. 15, 2017.

It also allowed the Warriors to leapfrog the Silverbacks into top spot in the Interior Division.

The Warriors face another tough test Tuesday when they host the Penticton Vees at Royal LePage Place.

The 12-3 Warriors are four points clear of the Vees.