Kelowna Knights - Anaheim Outlaws

Final Score: KEL 2-4 ANA

Shots: KEL 19-32 ANA

The Outlaws hosted this game against Kelowna, hoping to climb back in the standings. After winning two of their last seven, and losing eight straight earlier in the season, it was imperative that Anaheim grind out some wins if they wanted to avoid playing in the first round and have some home ice because entering this game with a 10-13-4 record isn't a good look. As for Kelowna, they have been very mediocre after going 4-1-0 to start the season, entering this game at 13-13-1. While it is better than Anaheim's, it's not impressive, and being the best among the SMJHL requires being comfortably above .500.

The first period mostly saw 5v5 action as the only penalty taken in the period was by RW Gunnar Petrov very early into the game. Kelowna missed a lot of shots on that lone PP, and their inability to hit the net in the first period really showed, as the only shot on goal in the first from Barry Batsbak was saved comfortably by Outlaws' goaltender Tibuk Soonika. Good shot-suppressing from the d-men to instill control, and pressure from the forwards, Anaheim was in the driver's seat, leading 8-1 in shots on goal, and did make good of their dominance. Towards the end of the period, Yoshimitsu McCloud intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and was able to spot Slap McShotty, who would give the Outlaws a deserving lead late in the first period. After 20, it was 1-0 in favor of the home team.

Anaheim displayed that same dominance early in the 2nd, and it didn't take long at all for the hosts to double their lead. After forcing an icing, a faceoff was taken in Kelowna's zone. Martijn Westbroek lost the faceoff, but immediately won the puck back for his team, and started a passing sequence that would lead to Hiro Fujikawa putting one past Alexander Andersson-Grande. However, things got very undisciplined, as six penalties were taken throughout the course of the 2nd period. Jason Bergenty drew a roughing minor as he retrieved the puck and Fujikawa was very tenacious to get the puck back for his team. That Kelowna PP wouldn't let a 2nd opportunity slip by their hands, and they cut the lead in half, thanks to a goal from Bobby Sharp. After winning a draw, the Knights cycled the puck around, passing it ten times before Sharp decided to shoot, and he found the back of the net. However, it wouldn't remain 2-1 for that long. After dumping the puck in, Nathan Explosion, eager to win the puck in the Outlaws' zone, took a holding the stick penalty, killing their momentum. While it did take almost the entire PP, Collin Gibbles restores the two-goal lead Anaheim once had. A resilient effort on the PK, but Kelowna could not hold off the prowess of their opponent's top-line PP. When the horn signaled the end of the 2nd, Anaheim led 3-1 in goals and led 25-9 in shots on net.

In the last 20, it was really all about killing the game off for the Outlaws. Up 3-1, all they really had to do was play a clean game, suppress shots similar to what they did in the first 20, and maybe get another insurance marker. The hosts did start to falter a bit in terms of giving up shots, but the game was all but over when Seemu Telanne gave Anaheim a 4-1 lead. After having his pass intercepted, Nick Connolly did well to skate into their zone with speed and find Telanne. Telanne missed his first shot, but after working to get the puck back on his stick, he sniped it on Andersson-Grande, and the game was inherently over with. While that was the case, the Knights did get one back. The Outlaws started seeing more time in their zone, and while Osbert Whacker did well to block a shot, the puck went straight to Simon LeBlanc, and he made it 4-2. Things got a little scarier as Matthias Seger took a penalty with 3:06 left in the game, but no comeback was mounted as the Outlaws' PK did their job yet again, and went 4-5 on the night. At the final horn, Anaheim walked out of here with two points.

  - Slap McShotty

 - Collin Gibbles

 - Seemu Telanne