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KIJHL denies North Okanagan Knights appeal

League upholds decision to take away four league wins for failing to properly card player
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The North Okanagan Knights were unsuccessful in their appeal to have four forfeited wins reversed by the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).

The Knights had four wins removed from the standings due to icing an ineligible player in six games from September to October. The Knights did not provide evidence to the five-person appeal board, made up of governors from the Eddie Mountain division, that the player was ever carded and therefore wasn’t registered with Hockey Canada or the league.

“This is a very serious oversight by the team,” KIJHL commissioner Larry Martel said. “The appeal board felt the forfeit needs to stand as per Hockey Canada rules.”

READ MORE: Penalty trouble: North Okanagan Knights punished by league for icing ineligible player

North Okanagan began the week in second place in the Bill Ohlhausen Division with a record of 8-4-0-1 for 17 points. After the ruling and the unsuccessful appeal, the Knights are in third place at 4-8-0-1, four points behind the second-place Summerland Steam, nine points back of the front-running Kelowna Chiefs and just one point up on the fourth-place Princeton Posse.

The Knights will try to put the ruling behind them with a pair of key divisional home games this weekend. North Okanagan hosts the winless Osoyoos Coyotes (0-11-0-1) tonight (Friday), and the Steam Saturday. Both games are at 7:30 p.m. at the Nor- Val Sports Centre.

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