Two third-period goals from the captain and solid goaltending from the rookie lifted the North Okanagan Knights to a third-straight Kootenay International Junior Hockey League win.
Kevin-Thomas (KT) Walters scored 24 seconds after the second-period ice clean to snap a 2-2 tie, then added his fifth goal of the season into an empty net with 36 seconds left in the game as the Knights doubled the visiting Kamloops Storm 4-2 at the Nor- Val Sports Centre in Armstrong Saturday, Oct. 8.
Goalie Austin Seibel of Coldstream, making his third consecutive start for North Okanagan, finished with 43 saves to earn Player of the Game honours for the Knights.
He was also named the league’s Third Star of the Week. Seibel made 40 saves Friday, Oct. 8, in North Okanagan’s 2-1 road win at Kelowna.
Ryan Larsen opened the scoring on a Kamloops powerplay at 1:25 of the opening frame, but goals from Ethan O’Rourke (1st), at 12:50, and Connor Sankey (3rd) 22 seconds later at 13:12, gave the Knights a 2-1 edge after 20 minutes.
Austin Barrett had the only goal of the middle frame for the Storm (2-3).
The Knights’ penalty kill was perfect Friday in the win over the hometown Chiefs, killing off a staggering 14 powerplays. North Okanagan won the game with a man advantage goal from Tyler Burke with 27 seconds left in regulation time.
Walters opened the game scoring for the Knights. Defenceman Adam Bourgeois was the team’s Game Star.
The Knights (3-2) return to action Friday, Oct. 14, when they visit the Chase Heat in the front end of a weekend home-and-home series. The two teams meet Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7:15 p.m. at the Nor-Val Sports Centre.
This story was updated Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 12:02 p.m. with Seibel’s selection as league star and Friday result
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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