The North Okanagan Knights picked up a big extra point on the road Sunday, Jan. 9, in a potential first-round playoff preview.
Knights goalie Austin Seibel stopped five of six Osoyoos players in the overtime shootout while Carson Devine and Zack Brandson scored in the penalty shots to give North Okanagan a 5-4 victory over the Coyotes in a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game played at the Oliver Arena.
The win moved the third-place Knights (15-13-2-2) to within nine points of the second-place Coyotes (19-8-3-1) in the Bill Ohlhausen Division, and North Okanagan is five points clear of the fourth-place Summerland Steam (11-14-3-3).
Kevin-Thomas Walters had the only goal of the first period as the Knights took a 1-0 lead. Kyle Wheeler made it 2-0 visitors 4:09 into the second period before Carter Yarish got the Coyotes on the board 54 seconds later.
Walters scored his second of the game on a powerplay at 12:58 to make it 3-1 North Okanagan. Jack Pass scored his first of two goals, with the man advantage, for Osoyoos to put the Coyotes within a goal heading into the final frame.
Ethan McKinley tied the contest for the home team at 3:36 but the draw lasted only 35 seconds as Ethan O’Rourke gave the Knights the lead with a powerplay marker.
Pass forced overtime with a goal at 17:58.
Seibel finished the night with 48 saves in regulation and overtime, plus five in the shootout. Rhett Harkot made 33 saves for Osoyoos, and stopped four of six penalty shots.
Both teams have home dates against the Kelowna Chiefs this week. The Knights entertain Kelowna Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Nor-Val Sports Centre, game time is 7 p.m., and the Coyotes return to Osoyoos Wednesday, Jan. 11, for their contest with the Chiefs at the Sun Bowl Arena. Game time is 7:35 p.m.
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