As season openers go, it’s hard to top a blowout.
And a blowout is what the Westlock Senior ‘AA’ Warriors gave the home crowd on Oct. 19 at the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre, hammering the visiting Edson Ice 16-3 to begin the 2013-2014 North Central Hockey League season on a high note.
While the score and the win were nice, Warriors coach Joe Kuhar said what was more important was reintroducing senior hockey to Westlock, and thanking the fans and sponsors who made it possible to bring such a high level of hockey back to town.
However, Kuhar said the score did rankle the Ice, whom he said questioned why the Warriors scored 16 goals when fewer than that would have been enough.
“We weren’t running up the score,” he said. “We were running all four lines and just playing our system.”
Kuhar added the score was not completely indicative of the game on the ice. The game ended how it did in part because Edson was only able to ice two lines, while Westlock had a full complement of players at its disposal.
Continuing to counter the Ice’s concerns, he said “without a doubt” there could be times this season when the Warriors will be in the Ice’s position of being shorthanded and on the wrong end of a blowout.
“You never know when our day of reckoning will come,” he said.
The game was never in doubt. Westlock opened the scoring only 2:06 into the first period, and led 2-0 before the Ice scored. At the end of the first period, the Warriors led 6-1.
The onslaught continued in the second. Westlock scored 57 seconds in; Edson replied at 4:14. Two more Westlock goals made it 9-2 after 40 minutes.
In the third, Westlock scored at 1:57, only to see Edson strike back at 2:57. However, once again the Warriors took over, scoring seven unanswered goals to make the final 16-3.
Leading the way offensively was Evan Kuhar with five points (4G, 1A).
Six players notched three points of their own: Derek Anderson (2G, 1A), Derek Koizumi (2G, 1A), Mike Podruzny (2G, 1A), Dave Carr (1G, 2A), Zac Schram (1G, 2A) and Zac Mickalko (3A).
Four players had two points in the winning effort: Tanner Sohn (1G, 1A), Ricky Wong (1G, 1A), Mike Ivey (2A) and Lewis Monfette (2A).
Recording one point each were Rod Kaliel (1G), Martin Clausen (1G), Dave Wilejto (1A) and goalie Chris Kuhar (1A). In all, the Warriors recorded 35 points – 16G and 19A – in the win.
“It’s our first win,” Kuhar said. “It’s rewarding. But it’s only one of 18.”
