Princeton Posse put North Okanagan on brink of elimination

Princeton forward Ty Russell scores the first of his two goals on North Okanagan goalie Josh Hager during the Posse’s 7-3 win in Game 3 of their KIJHL playoff series Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. Russell was Princeton’s Player of the Game as the Posse took a commanding 3-0 lead. (Roger Knox - Black Press)Princeton forward Ty Russell scores the first of his two goals on North Okanagan goalie Josh Hager during the Posse’s 7-3 win in Game 3 of their KIJHL playoff series Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. Russell was Princeton’s Player of the Game as the Posse took a commanding 3-0 lead. (Roger Knox - Black Press)
Princeton goalie Peyton Trzaska robs North Okanagan Knights forward Lian Gayfer of a sure goal during the Posse’s 7-3 win Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. The Posse lead the KIJHL best-of-seven Bill Ohlhausen Division Final 3-0. (Roger Knox - Black Press)Princeton goalie Peyton Trzaska robs North Okanagan Knights forward Lian Gayfer of a sure goal during the Posse’s 7-3 win Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. The Posse lead the KIJHL best-of-seven Bill Ohlhausen Division Final 3-0. (Roger Knox - Black Press)
Princeton Posse goalie Peyton Trzaska watches as North Okanagan forward Brodie Pearson’s shot just goes wide during the Posse’s 7-3 win in Game 3 of their KIJHL playoff encounter Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. Princeton leads the best-of-seven series 3-0. (Roger Knox - Black Press)Princeton Posse goalie Peyton Trzaska watches as North Okanagan forward Brodie Pearson’s shot just goes wide during the Posse’s 7-3 win in Game 3 of their KIJHL playoff encounter Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. Princeton leads the best-of-seven series 3-0. (Roger Knox - Black Press)
North Okanagan Knights goalie Josh Hager managed to get his skate on this chip shot by Princeton’s Ty Russell and keep it out of the net during the Posse’s 7-3 win in Game 3 of their KIJHL Bill Ohlhausen Division Final Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. The Posse lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. (Roger Knox - Black Press)North Okanagan Knights goalie Josh Hager managed to get his skate on this chip shot by Princeton’s Ty Russell and keep it out of the net during the Posse’s 7-3 win in Game 3 of their KIJHL Bill Ohlhausen Division Final Monday, March 6, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre. The Posse lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

The Princeton Posse have the North Okanagan Knights surrounded.

The Posse scored three times on their first five shots and rolled to a 7-3 win over the hometown Knights in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Teck Cup playoff action Monday, March 6, before a capacity crowd of 335 at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre.

Princeton leads the best-of-seven Bill Ohlhausen Division Final 3-0 and can wrap up the series Tuesday, March 7, in Game 4 in Armstrong. Face-off is at 7 p.m. The Posse remain undefeated in this year’s playoffs.

Dayton Nelson, and Sean Mitchell and Brayden Bablitz, with powerplay markers, scored seven minutes after Armstrong singer Chelaine McInroy’s beautiful rendition of O Canada to stake Princeton to a 3-0 lead. That led to a North Okanagan goalie change with starter Austin Seibel pulled in favour of Josh Hager.

With the teams playing four-on-four, Collin Kozijn injected some life into the Knights and the crowd with a beautiful individual effort at 9:49. Ty Russell, however, restored Princeton’s three-goal lead at 16:17.

Nelson scored the only goal of the second period and the Posse took a 5-1 lead into the final 20 minutes. The regular-season President’s Cup winners extended that margin to 7-1 with goals from Russell and Jalen McRae 3:18 after the ice clean.

Brodie Pearson and Ethan O’Rourke added goals for the Knights.

Seibel and Hager combined for 33 saves in the North Okanagan net while Peyton Trzaska made 30 saves for the Posse.

• The defending Teck Cup champion Revelstoke Grizzlies moved to within a game of the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference Championship with a 5-4 double overtime win against the Eagles in Sicamous Monday.

Luke Aston scored at 9:55 of the second overtime to give Revelstoke a 3-0 lead in the Doug Birks Division Final. Game 4 is in Sicamous Tuesday.

• The Fernie Ghostriders moved to within a victory of playing in the Kootenay Conference Championship with a 4-1 decision over the Kimberley Dynamiters. Fernie leads the best-of-seven series 3-0.

• The Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Creston Valley Thunder Cats resume their series in Creston Tuesday. The series is tied 1-1.

READ MORE: Vernon goalie dives into Manitoba Hockey League honour with Swan Valley

READ MORE: Okanagan women, Shuswap coach celebrate hockey gold

@VernonNews
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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KIJHLNorth Okanagan Regional DistrictPrinceton

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