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West Kelowna Warriors open BCHL playoffs against Vernon

The Warriors won 10 straight games to end the regular season
28658839_web1_220401-KCN-warriors-playoff-preview_1
(Photo - Tami Quan)

The West Kelowna Warriors open the BCHL playoffs tonight (April 1) against the Vernon Vipers.

This is the first time the Warriors and Vipers have met in the playoffs since the 2013-14 season when the Vipers took the opening-round series in six games.

Going into these playoffs, the Warriors are the hottest team in the league, winning ten games in a row to end the regular season including two wins over the Vipers. Vernon also had a hot hand, winning four of their last five games to end the regular season, with the only loss coming against West Kelowna.

The Warriors dominated the Highway 97 battle this season, winning four of five games over Vernon, outscoring them 21-12.

West Kelowna finished the season third in the Interior Division with a record of 37-16-1-0. Vernon landed in sixth place with a record of 27-20-4-3.

Being the higher seed, the Warriors will have home-ice advantage in the series. Games one and two will be played at Royal LePage Arena in West Kelowna tonight and Saturday night (April 2). Vernon will host games three and four at Kal Tire Arena on Monday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 6.

Something to watch in this series will be the special teams. West Kelowna has the advantage as they finished tied for third in the league on the powerplay (24.8 per cent) and fourth on the penalty kill (82.8 per cent).

Vernon finished the season 12th on the powerplay (18.9 per cent) and ninth on the penalty kill (80.2 per cent).

The Warriors have one of the most potent offenses in the league as they finished the regular season second in goals scored with 231. They also had the second-best goal differential: +75.

Puck drop for game one tonight is at 7 p.m.

Here is the playoff bracket.

(Photo - bchl.ca)

READ MORE: Eight years between playoff dates for Vernon Vipers, West Kelowna Warriors

READ MORE: West Kelowna Warriors rolling into BCHL playoffs


@cunninghamjordy
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com

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Jordy Cunningham

About the Author: Jordy Cunningham

Hailing from Ladner, B.C., I have been passionate about sports, especially baseball, since I was young. In 2018, I graduated from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops with a Bachelor of Journalism degree
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