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Homegrown Brett Mennear scored twice and Matthew Greenfield returned to the net for a shutout as the West Kelowna Warriors opened the Western Canada Cup tournament on Saturday by defeating the host Estevan Bruins 3-0 at Affinity Place.
Mennear, a product of the West Kelowna Minor Hockey Association, scored at 5:10 of the middle period and added his second goal midway through the third.
After a scoreless first period, the Warriors got the winning goal from Reed Gunville at 4:07 of the second, with Jared Marino and Lane Gilliss assisting on the play.
Defenceman Nicholas Rutigliano assisted both Mennear goals.
Greenfield, back in goal after sitting out the final game of the Warriors’ best-of-seven B.C. Hockey League final series against the Chilliwack Chiefs with an upper-body injury, stopped all 30 shots he faced, while Daniel Wapple allowed the three West Kelowna goals on 30 shots.
The Warriors are right back it on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. Pacific time when they take on the Alberta Junior A Hockey League-champion Brooks Bandits.
The third game for the Warriors is scheduled for Tuesday against the Portage Terriers of Manitoba beginning at 1 p.m. PDT. The Terriors played the first game of the five-team tournament on Saturday, defeating the Melfort, Sask. Mustangs 2-1.
The Warriors will play Melfort on Thursday beginning at 1 p.m. Pacific time in their final round-robin game.
The third- and fourth-place teams in the round-robin will play May 7 for a spot in a qualifier game, while the first- and second-place teams in the round robin meet for the WCC championship later that day.
The Western Canada Cup winner advances to the RBC Cup, while the loser of the final takes on the third- or fourth-place finisher on May 8 for the second WCC berth at the RBC in Lloydminster.
All games can be viewed on Fast Hockey player-per-view, while all Warriors games will be broadcast (audio) at http://www.mixlr.com/bchlwarriors.
The RBC Cup goes May 14-22 with five teams competing for the junior A hockey national championship. It will bring together four regional representatives (Central, East, West #1, West #2), along with the host Lloydminster Bobcats.
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