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While the Surrey Eagles were kept within striking distance in the first two periods by goaltender Justin Laforest, a predictable outcome in the third saw the host West Kelowna Warriors score four unanswered goals for a 7-2 B.C. Hockey League victory on Sunday.
Coming into the game at Royal LePage Place with the worst record (11 points) in the 17-team league and having given up the most goals (191), the only surprising aspect of Sunday’s encounter was that the Eagles were able to hand in so long.
Garrett Forster scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season in the third period to lead the late charge that also included Bryan Nelson’s first goal of the season and defenceman Nicholas Rutigliano’s third,
The Warriors, on the way to winning their sixth game in the past seven, held the territorial edge for the entire game, but had to settle for a 1-1 in the first period and a slim 3-2 lead going into the third.
Jonathan Desbiens, with his team-leading 24th goal of the season, opened the scoring at 1:31 of the first period, while Austin Anselmo brought the Eagles even with 3:43 remaining in the frame.
Back-to-back goals two minutes apart early in the second — by Connor Sodergren and Lane Gilliss — put the Warriors up by two, while Hunter Kero scored his first goal of the season, to give the Eagles false hope going into the final 20 minutes.
Laforest faced a 46-shot barrage in the netminding loss, while Keelan Williams stopped 25 of 27 shots for the victory at the other end of the rink.
With the win, the Warriors improved to 23-14-2-0 and moved them into a tie in points (48) with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, who have three games in hand.
The Warriors were coming off a 4-3 double-overtime victory over the Merritt Centennials on Saturday in Merritt.
Liam Blackburn was the hero, beating goaltender Cole Kehler five-hole on a penalty shot for the winning goal.
A shorthanded goal by Merritt Gavin Gould with one minute remaining in regulation forced overtime after West Kelowna had taken a 3-2 lead with two unanswered goals — by Desbiens and Forester — in the second period.
Rutligliano was the lone Warriors goalscorer in the first period, while Tyler Ward and Colin Grannary were the Merritt marksmen.
Matthew Greenfield was the winning goaltender, stopping 43 of 46 shots while Kehler took the loss despite making 44 saves.
Up next for the Warriors is a Friday (7 p.m.) encounter on home ice against the same Centennials.
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