Sam Reinbolt swoops in to shoot the puck past Summerland defenceman Niall Lawrie and goalie Maxim Sidelnik to score the Coyotes’s second goal unassisted late in the second period Friday night. (Richard McGuire photo)
Two victories on the final weekend of 2017 have given the Osoyoos Coyotes a three-point lead at the top of the Okanagan Division of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
On Friday, the Coyotes edged the Summerland Steam 3-2 at the Sun Bowl Arena. Prior to that game, the Steam were leading the division by a single point over Osoyoos.
Then, in a Sunday afternoon game on New Year’s Eve, the Coyotes handily beat the North Okanagan Knights, the bottom team in the division, to reach 45 points. The rival Steam now has 42.
The Coyotes played both games without two strong players. Judd Repole, who leads the Coyotes in points, is sidelined with an injury. Connor Onstein was suspended for both games, but will be eligible to play again on Jan. 3.
In Friday’s game, the Coyotes and Steam were evenly matched with Summerland leading the shots on goal by 35-34.
The Coyotes opened the scoring on a power play goal by Cody Allen in the first period, with Sam Reinbolt and Hunter Johnson assisting.
Then late in the second period Reinbolt scored an unassisted goal, swooping in to shoot the puck past Summerland defenceman Niall Lawrie and goalie Maxim Sidelnik to give the Coyotes a 2-0 lead.
The Steam narrowed the gap with a goal in the second half of the third period, but less than three minutes later Colin Bell scored an unassisted goal for the Coyotes to make it 3-1.
Just 16 seconds later, Summerland scored again to make it 3-2 for the Coyotes. They pulled goalie Sidelnik in the dying minutes, but neither team managed to score.
In the Sunday afternoon game, both the scoring and shots on goal were much more lopsided as the Coyotes outshot the Knights 52-36.
Austin Cleaver got the only goal of the first period less than five minutes into the game. Cameron Welch assisted.
There was no scoring in the second period – or penalties either – in a game that saw only two minor penalties for the Knights and one for the Coyotes.
Less than seven minutes into the third period, Nick Nordstrom made it 2-0 for the Coyotes, with Reinbolt getting the assist.
Three minutes later, Brandon Onstein scored the Coyotes’ third goal, assisted by Johnson.
Coyote goalie Daniel Paul earned the shutout.
The Coyotes host the Princeton Posse on Wednesday at 7:35 p.m. at the Sun Bowl Arena. Then on Friday, Jan. 5, they travel to Kelowna to face the Chiefs.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
The puck connects with the back of the net after Sam Reinbolt swooped in to put the puck past Summerland’s Niall Lawrie and goalie Maxim Sidelnik in Friday night’s game. (Richard McGuire photo)
As the red goal light illuminates, Sam Reinbolt celebrates his unassisted goal while Summerland’s Niall Lawrie and goalie Maxim Sidelnik try to figure out what happened. (Richard McGuire photo)
Coyotes Colin Bell and Hunter Johnson try to gain control of the puck in front of Summerland goalie Maxim Sidelnik in the first period of Friday night’s game. (Richard McGuire photo)
Carter Shannon had a good scoring opportunity in the second period, but he was foiled by Blake Holowaty of the Steam and goalie Maxim Sidelnik in the second period Friday night. (Richard McGuire photo)
Carter Robinson swoops in on Summerland goalie Maxim Sidelnik with Brogan Lautard in hot pursuit. Sidelnik managed to stop the puck. (Richard McGuire photo)
Coyotes Sam Reinbolt and Brandon Onstein keep up the pressure on the Summerland Steam in the second period of Friday night’s game. (Richard McGuire photo)
