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North Okanagan Knights top Summerland Steam for 5th straight win

The Knights won 4-2 at the Summerland Arena Friday night
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The North Okanagan Knights prevailed over the Summerland Steam 4-2 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Tuesday night, Feb. 7, 2023. (North Okanagan Knights/Twitter)

The North Okanagan Knights were outshot on the scoresheet but were ahead where it matters against the Summerland Steam Tuesday night at the Summerland Arena.

The Knights won 4-2 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) action Feb. 7 for their fifth straight win.

Knights goaltender Austin Seibel made 31 saves on 33 shots in the win.

Teammate Maguire Nicholson had two assists and was named the game’s first star.

It was the Steam that opened the scoring as Marc Ducharme tallied his eighth goal of the season, fed by Trae Allen and Kyle Tuttle.

Just before the 12 minute mark of the first, Ethan O’Rourke levelled the score with his 13th goal of the season, assisted by Zack Brandson and Tyler Badger.

The Knights then capitalized on a buzzer-beater. Colton Fleming scored with one second left on the clock to make it 2-1 Knights. Helpers went to Collin Kozijn and Tag Bryson.

The Knights were outshot 13 to seven in the second period but scored the only two goals in the middle frame. The first came off the stick of Brayden Schwaerzle, his first KIJHL goal. The second was scored by Brandson, his ninth of the season.

Midway through the third, Keenan Conn scored for the Steam to make it 4-2, but that’s as close as the home team would come.

Summerland went 0-3 on the powerplay while the Knights did not have a single powerplay opportunity.

The Knights’ next game is Friday, Feb. 10, versus the division leading Princeton Posse at 7 p.m. at Princeton and District Arena, then hosting Princeton Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Nor-Val Sports Centre to close out the regular season.

The Steam are back in action on the road against the Revelstoke Grizzlies Friday at 7 p.m.

In the Bill Ohlhausen Division playoffs, the third-place Knights will face the second-place Osoyoos Coyotes, and the Posse will play the Steam.

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Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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