The Vancouver Warriors got back on track with a 15-9 win over the new-look Las Vegas Desert Dogs on Saturday night.
Keegan Bal led the way for the Warriors with four goals on an eight-point night. Adam Charalambides also recorded eight points for Vancouver.
Despite adding the likes of Chase Fraser, Mitch Jones and Chris Cloutier in the offseason, the Desert Dogs’ offence struggled. It didn’t help that Fraser took the floor during warmups but did not play.
Questions remain around goaltending for Las Vegas. Landon Kells allowed 10 goals on 25 shots before being relieved by Alex Buque, who stopped 14 of 19 shots.
First Quarter
Vancouver opened the scoring as Jesse King found the back of the net 1:21 into the game. Mitch Jones tied it up 1-1 on the power play just 29 seconds later.
King put the Warriors back in front at 6:48, and Bal scored with 46 seconds left as Vancouver led 3-1 heading into the second.
Second Quarter
The Warriors began to pull away when Curtis Dickson scored on a low outside shot at 2:01.
Jonathan Donville got Las Vegas back on the board at 5:11 to make it 4-2.
Payton Cormier restored Vancouver’s three-goal lead at 2:58, taking a behind-the-back feed from Charalambides.
Just 20 seconds later, Marcus Klarich made it 6-2.
Bal rounded out the second-quarter scoring with 1:33 remaining, as the Warriors led 7-2 at the half.
Third Quarter
Adam Poitras converted off a feed from Donville just 20 seconds into the second half as the Desert Dogs looked to regain momentum. However, Charalambides scored at 1:05 to spark a five-goal run for Vancouver.
Tyler Garrison followed with an individual effort at 3:14, and Shane Simpson added Vancouver’s 10th goal 30 seconds later.
Bal made it 11-3 on the power play at 5:28, and Ryan Sheridan rounded out the run at 7:05 to make it 12-3.
Las Vegas briefly stopped the bleeding at 7:14 when Tyrell Hamer-Jackson won the ensuing draw and found Nick Preston for the goal.
Charalambides scored his fourth of the game at 7:32, and Dickson made it 14-4 at 10:09.
Cloutier rounded out the third-quarter scoring with his first as a Desert Dog with 3:43 remaining, but Vancouver led 14-5 heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Las Vegas attempted to make a game of it by opening the fourth quarter with a four-goal run.
Sean Westley scored 38 seconds into the frame, followed by Poitras off a feed from Jones just 14 seconds later.
Buque found Sheldon Burns in transition at 2:15 as Vancouver’s lead was cut to 14-8. Kyle Killen rounded out the run at 8:40 to make it a five-goal game.
Bal put the game out of reach with 53 seconds left, as the Warriors cruised to a 15-9 victory over the Desert Dogs.
Adam Charalambides and Warriors head coach Curt Malawsky commented after the game:
Top Scorers
Vancouver Warriors
- Adam Charalambides – 2g 6a
- Keegan Bal – 4g 4a
- Curtis Dickson – 2g 3a
Las Vegas Desert Dogs
- Jonathan Donville – 1g 4a
- Adam Poitras – 2g 1a
- Chris Cloutier – 1g 2a
- Mitch Jones – 1g 2a
Don’t forget to check us out every Sunday night at 8pm (ET)
