A late third-period goal and some clutch goaltending secured the Westlock Warriors their fifth win of the year — a 6-5 victory over the Devon Barons.
Right from the start of Friday-night’s North Central Hockey League tilt at the Rotary Spirit Centre, it was clear that the Warriors would have their work cut out for them versus the Barons — a club they had beaten 10-5 on Oct. 24 in Devon.
“It was definitely a revenge thing,” said Warriors’ head coach Joe Kuhar. “But our guys persevered, bared down and made it happen.”
The Barons came out on fire and went up 2-0 in the first period before the Warriors were able to answer back in the last 66 seconds of the period.
Gordon Bell’s marker at 1:06 cut the lead in half, before Derek Teske knotted the score 2-2 with six seconds left in the frame.
“There were a couple of calls that I’d like to see go our way, and a couple of bad penalties,” said Barons’ head coach Daniel Myers.
Undaunted, the Barons jumped out ahead in the second before the Warriors potted three-straight goals — Teske netted his second, along with singles from Evan Kuhar and Mike Ivey.
But the Barons wouldn’t give up and closed the gap with a goal at 2:08 of the second to make it 5-4.
In the third the Baron turned up the heat and managed to tie the game 5-5. But Teske’s hat-trick goal, at 7:15, put the Warriors in the lead for good.
Warriors’ goalie Chris Kuhar was rock solid, stopping 32 of 37 shots — he was clutch when it counted turning away 15 of the 16 third-period shots he faced.
“The line of Mike Ivey, Chris Brand and Derek Teske got it done tonight,” Kuhar said. “They definitely played with a lot of toughness and grittiness, and were able to capitalize by putting some pucks in the net.
The Warriors hit the road and face the Whitecourt Wild Nov. 21, before returning home Nov. 22 to face the Rocky Mountain House Rams. The puck drops at the Spirit Centre at 8:30 p.m.
