It's the type of highlight-reel save fans and players still talk about well after the final buzzer.
Up 3-2 over the Summerland Steam with less than 10 seconds on the clock at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on Oct. 20, the 100 Mile House Wranglers were battling a six-on-five man advantage, desperately trying to preserve the win. After a blocked shot, Summerland had one more – very good – look at the net.
In the words of coach/general manager Doug Rogers with respect to Nathan Warren's 33rd save of the afternoon: “All you could say is, 'Wow'.”
On the final play, all you could see was net from where most of the close to 450 in attendance were standing. Warren was down from a previous shot attempt and Summerland moved the puck across the crease to his glove side to a wide open player.
For a split second, overtime looked like a sure thing.
“I thought it was going in,” Rogers says. “Then out came his arm.”
Warren deflected the puck into the boards behind the net and time expired.
Coming off a 6-0 loss to the Kamloops Storm on Oct. 18 and tough road games ahead – in Kamloops on Oct. 25 and North Okanagan on Oct. 26 – last Sunday's win was a “big” one for the Wranglers.
“This is a big win for us after the issues we had Friday night and how lopsided the game was. It's good to get back in the win column and it's good for the guys' confidence to go back on the road.”
Against Kamloops, the Wranglers only dressed 13 skaters.
“It was my decision to go with a short bench,” Rogers explains. “Following a discussion earlier that day with the players concerning player responsibilities.”
The Wranglers gave up 63 shots in that game and Warren made 57 saves.
“He got over-worked and we couldn't help him out,” Roger says, adding he has no worries when it comes to goaltending. For an expansion team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, the goaltenders are an important source of stability.
“[Kristian Stead and Warren] give us a chance to win every night. They'll battle every night and it's great for our young team to know they have great goaltending behind them.”
After eight games played, Stead has a save percentage of .885, while Warren, after seven games played, has a save percentage of .927.
“I make [Stead] better and he makes me better,” Warren says.
“If one of us has a bad game, you expect him to take advantage next game and play two or three games in a row. Neither one of us likes sitting on the bench, so we really push each other to be consistent every game.
“At the end of the season, we're both going to be better goalies.”
Team captain Jaiden Ward is suffering post-concussion syndrome and was in the stands for the 3-2 win. Ward says he saw a number of players step up, including Mathieu Longhurst, who scored early for 100 Mile House with his first of the season, and Lane Van de Wetering, who scored the game winner in the third period, perhaps the game's second most impressive play.
For the goal, Van de Wetering slid the puck between the legs of a Summerland defenceman and then fired it over the goalie's shoulder from what seemed like an impossible angle before falling into the boards.
As Ward put it: “That was a dangle, snipe, 'celly' [celebration].”
Connor Sloan and Luke Santerno continue to score regularly and lead the team with 16 and 14 points, respectively, but the Wranglers (6-7-0-1) have received more scoring from secondary sources lately.
“It's really good to see we don't have to rely on one line anymore,” Ward says, adding he's pretty sure the first-year team is meeting or exceeding people's expectation.
“We just need to keep showing up to practice, work our butts and keep winning. And make every one proud.”