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Knights' streak hits six games

A new transformer at the Nor-Val Sports Centre failed to retool the North Okanagan Knights’ sluggish offence.
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Morning Star Staff

A new transformer at the Nor-Val Sports Centre failed to retool the North Okanagan Knights’ sluggish offence.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies scored two goals in each of the first two periods for a 4-1 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League win over the Knights Saturday at Nor-Val.

The win came 24 hours after the Knights’ Friday night home game against Summerland was interrupted when a transformer blew at the arena with the visiting Steam ahead 4-1 in the second period.

The Knights (9-16-0-1), who have lost six in a row, and who have scored more than one goal in a game only once during the skid, play the Okanagan Shuswap Division-leading Coyotes (19-5-0-0) in Osoyoos tonight.

Jaden Hay, a Grindrod product acquired last week from the Sicamous Eagles in exchange for forward Matthias Urbanski, had the North Okanagan goal.

“Jaden wanted a change of scenery and he’s a guy who gives us more experience in our lineup,” said Knights head coach/GM Bryant Perrier.

“He’s a local guy, as well. The move was made to shake things up a bit.”

Hay’s goal, his fifth of the season (had 4+2 in 15 games with the Eagles), tied Saturday’s game 1-1 in the opening period. He was named North Okanagan’s game star.

Dylan McNeil opened the scoring for the Grizzlies Saturday just 3:08 into the game.

Tyler Chavez Leech scored the winner with 91 seconds left in the opening period, unassisted.

Jon Vandermolen scored twice in the middle frame for the Grizzlies, to round out the scoring.

The Knights’ Carl Main took on Revelstoke’s Matthew Monk in a third-period scrap.

North Okanagan lost leading goal scorer Brady Marzocco with 6:57 left to a goaltender interference and 10-minute misconduct penalty.

Grizzlies goalie Giovanni Sambrielaz was named Revelstoke game star, making 28 saves. Daniel Paul made 23 saves for the Knights.

Both North Okanagan and Revelstoke (10-13-0-1) sit in fourth place in their respective divisions. The Knights hold a three-point edge over the Princeton Posse, and sit 13 points behind the third-place Kelowna Chiefs.

North Okanagan visits Kelowna Saturday and host the Posse Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Nor-Val Sports Centre.

n The game against the Steam will be finished on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Nor-Val Sports Centre, prior to a regularly scheduled game between the Steam and Knights.

The game will resume from the point it was stopped, finish, and then the teams will play their regularly scheduled game.