The North Okanagan Knights fell 6-5 to the Grand Forks Border Bruins in a barn burner at Jack Goddard Memorial Arena Friday night.
The Knights were able to keep their first game of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season close the entire way despite being outshot 53-35 on the night.
Connor Sankey opened the scoring five minutes into the game, assisted by Danny McLennen and Ben Van Langen.
After the Border Bruins tied things up, the Knights retook the lead with just 15 seconds left in the first period on a goal from Devin Jameson, assisted by Collin Kozijn.
The lead wouldn’t last long. The Bruins scored two goals in quick succession to start the second period. However, the Knights again had an answer as they scored two quick goals of their own off the sticks of Kyle Wheeler and Connor Sankey to make it 4-3 for the visiting team.
An action-packed second period continued in the second half of the frame as the Border Bruins again scored two quick goals, this time by Matteus Reis — the only powerplay goal on the night — and Austen Rayburn. The score was 5-4 Bruins after two periods.
The Knights buckled down early in the third and got an equalizing goal courtesy of Fraser O’Brien, assisted by Sankey. But just under seven minutes later the Bruins retook the lead with a goal by Tyson Tokarz.
Tokarz’s goal would prove to be the winner with the final score sitting at 6-5 Bruins.
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