Morning Star Staff
The Osoyoos Coyotes are fast and creative on offence.
The North Okanagan Knights managed to slow them down and post a surprising 3-2 win before 200 fans Friday night at Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong.
North Okanagan improved to 8-8-0-1 in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Okanagan/Shuswap Conference.
“We played physical for 60 minutes and they backed off,” said Knights’ head coach Bryant Perrier. “They don’t like to get hit.”
Logan Geefs produced his eighth of the season on a sweet forehand-backhand move in tight, at 14:40 of the second period to open the scoring. Brady Marzocco and d-man Layne Greene drew helpers.
Jack Berger made it 2-0 four minutes later on what Perrier called a “woodchopper goal; he just kept poking at the puck and it went in.” Greene assisted on Berger’s third snipe of the year.
Carter Shannon, with his ninth, and Daniel Stone, with his eighth, counted powerplay goals two minutes apart for Osoyoos, who lead the division at 11-4.
Marzocco banged in a rebound after Jason Shaigec’s snapper from the point as blocked by Coyote goalie Liam Aitken. Marzocco, who was cleared to play after taking a head shot Tuesday night in Kelowna, has 12 goals on the season.
The Knights host the Sicamous Eagles Saturday night.