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*Katth* · 01-02-2019, 05:23 AM

After a kind of disappointing pre-season the Kelowna Knights prepared themselves for a five game battle against Anchorage Armada. Anchorage Armada finished third in the pre-season index and the Kelowna Knights finished in a disappointing seventh place. In the pre-season they also face offed five times (2-3-0) and Anchorage Armada had the upper hand outscoring the Kelowna Knights 16 to 11. But the team is positive, they all enjoyed the holidays with friends and family and are eager to get out on the ice and show that they have grown as a team since last season. The first game of the season was the home opener for Anchorage Armada.

Game 1 Kelowna Knights - Anchorage Armada (2-5)

Starting lineup Kelowna Knights
Nickolas Klaus - Nolan Sawchuk - Bobby Sharp
Shouta Aizawa - Vladislav Konstantin - Jack Icicle
Barry Batsbak - Liam Hutchinson - Dick Clapper
Justin Siddals - Zach Laliberte - Tobias Elliot

Sanyi Kocsis - Karlstrabe Scholz
Guy Zheng - David Vent
Scott Niedermayer Jr. - Big Fudge
Guy Zheng - Scott Niedermayer Jr.

Starting lineup Anchorage Armada
Xena - Oliver Kovacs - Eero Niemi
Dean Colt III - Mika Mayfield - Maxime Bouchard
Kenji Yoshimura - Bust - Olivier Cloutier
Andris Dzerins - Brock Emmerton - Ashburn McAllister

Jacob Geza - Leopold Lockhart
Kalevi Karhunen - Johnny Sins
Bill Umberger - Ricardo Cotalay
Jacob Geza - Leopold Lockhart

It didn’t take long for Anchorage Armada to get on the board. They scored at 1:19 in the first period to open the score for the game and the season. Maxime Bouchard scored with a nice wrister of a feed from Mika Mayfield and Dean Colt III. Kelowna Knights went on the power play at 5:15 after a hooking call on Bust, but Kelowna was not able to convert. Registering only one shot on goal. The Armada did better on their first power play. Jacob Geza scored from the wheelhouse after a nice saucer pass from Ricardo Cotalay at 10:27. At the end of the first period it was 0-2 for Anchorage Armada and they outshot the Kelowna Knights 11 to 4.

In the second period the Anchorage Armada kept raining down shots on Vivian Leblanc, who eventually had to capitulate a late second period goal at 19:35 to make it 0-3. Rookie Andris Dzerins got his first ever goal in the SMJHL. He was assisted by Jacob Geza and Ashburn McAllister.

In the third period Anchorage Armada scored 20 seconds apart at 3:03 and 3:23 to make it 0-5. Mika Mayfield and Leopold Lockhart found the net. Not 10 seconds later Kelowna Knights prevented the shut-out when Nolan Sawchuck scored on a break-away goal from a Bobby Shard pass. The Kelowna Knights looked revived, but they didn’t have enough time to make a game out of it. At 15:52 Shouta Aizawa scored the 2-5 while he was assisted by Vladislav Konstantin and David Vent.

Anchorage Armada win their home opener sending the Kelowna Knights back home with a 2-5 loss. Vivian Leblanc faved 41 shots and made 36 saves. Hank Scorpo saved 16 out of 18 shots. This shows where the Kelowna Knights fell short in this game. They didn’t send enough pucks to the net and didn’t create enough opportunities for themselves to get into the game. The Kelowna Knights also drew too many penalties and have to get better composure. The second game will be the home opener in Kelowna when the Knights face off again against the Anchorage Armada. Game is scheduled at Monday, December 31 at 10:27.

After the game we had a small postgame interview with rookie Barry Batsbak who played in his first SMJHL game ever.

Barry, this loss must feel devastating?
Oh, it does. Everybody had high hopes for today. Even though we knew it was going to be a though game. Anchorage Armada is a complete other team when they play at home. With the support from their fans they can give a little extra. Hopefully we can return the favor in our barn.

Are you happy about your own performance?
No, I’m never happy about that. I can always improve. We spend too much time in the box, so I had very little ice time. Also in the face off circle I have to improve. I got killed out there.

Are you looking forward to the home opener in Kelowna?
Ofcourse. Ever since I’ve been drafted I feel at home here in Kelowna. The team, management and the fans. They all do their very best to make it as comfortable as it can be. In the first few days it was possible to walk anonymously on the streets, but those days are already over haha. Kids run up to you and want your autograph, I love it. To them I’m a star, a role model, someone they look up too. I have to repay them, by showing it on the ice. Here in Kelowna not long ago they saw cup after cup. Expectations are high, but everyone is really cool about it. Also my parents and grandparents will be in the audience, so I hope we do well haha.