Brandon Della Paolera got another breakaway with three and a half minutes left in the second period. Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz stopped him this time. Ethan Grover of Summerland tries to catch up. (Richard McGuire photo)

It wasn’t the win they were hoping for, but Friday night’s 2-2 tie for the Coyotes, who hosted the Summerland Steam, was probably the best hockey Coyotes fans have seen this season.

The tie, after two periods of overtime, ended a seven-game losing streak that must have been demoralizing for the rookie Osoyoos team.

But it was more – the young team played with energy and skill, appearing reinvigorated after the last difficult stretch.

Alas, a 5-2 loss in Nelson the following night showed the Coyotes still have a long way to go to become a winning team. But there are changes in the making.

Not to make excuses, but the Coyotes have faced much stronger teams in stronger divisions since the start of the season. The few times they’ve played in the Okanagan Division, they’ve mostly held their own – a 6-0 loss to Summerland at the end of September being the only outlier.

In their second game of the season, they only lost 2-1 to the league-leading Kelowna Chiefs, showing they can take on the teams in their own division.

Going forward, we’ll see more games against other teams in the Okanagan Division.

Friday’s game saw especially strong performances by rookie goaltender Bailey Monteith and rookie forward Brandon Della Paolera, a local boy.

Monteith faced 45 shots on goal and often fended off Summerland players who crowded onto his doorstep.

Della Paolera only scored one goal, but he came extremely close on several breakaways and was a strong presence on the ice.

Friday’s game also marked a milestone when former player Judd Repole, a five-year veteran, was honoured and his number 18 jersey was retired during the first intermission.

Repole, from Prince Rupert, just down Highway 16 from Terrace, could be considered an honorary “Terrace Coyote.”

In January 2018, a third of the Coyotes were from Terrace. In this weekend’s action, there were none left.

Friday’s game began with a scoreless first period.

Then, early in the second period, Della Paolera skated in on Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz, firing the puck into the side of the net as he skated past. Brax Klassen and Tyler Badger assisted.

Although the Coyotes were outshot 17-12 in the second period, they seemed energized and often kept the pressure on Breitkreuz.

But the Coyotes are still having trouble staying out of the penalty box, and this is hurting them.

A scuffle late in the second period saw Slade Desharnais take roughing and crosschecking penalties as he gave Summerland’s Dawson Jenner a few good shoves.

The linesmen managed to pry the two apart, and referee Lyle Hinds also gave Jenner a crosschecking penalty. He gave the Coyotes a team penalty.

Summerland now faced Osoyoos with five attackers to three. The Coyotes fought valiantly to defend Monteith from the Steam firing squad, but with seven seconds remaining in the period, Summerland’s Everett Scherger fired the puck into the net from the side.

Late in the third period, Peter Michailides put the Coyotes ahead again. Ryan MacDonald assisted.

But with just over a minute left, Cairo Rogers of Summerland tied the score.

The teams played two five-minute periods of overtime, but it ended in a draw.

Saturday’s game in Nelson dampened for now any hopes of a Coyote comeback.

Nelson scored once in the first period and twice in the second to give the Leafs a 3-0 lead and they badly outshot the Coyotes in both periods.

A power play goal in the first minute of the third period put Nelson ahead 4-0.

Finally, halfway through the third period, Milo Labonte scored for the Coyotes on a power play, assisted by Blake Astorino.

Then with less than three minutes remaining, Labonte scored another one, also assisted by Astorino, as well as by Daelen Der. All three players, like most of the team, are rookies.

Any hopes of a late comeback were dashed 21 seconds later when Nelson scored a fifth goal.

The Coyotes are scheduled to travel to Kelowna Tuesday night, but the outcome of that game wasn’t available when the Osoyoos Times went to press.

On Friday, they travel to Sicamous before returning home to host the Columbia Valley Rockets, who now lead the Eddie Mountain Division.

With one win in their opening game and Friday’s tie, the Coyotes now have three points, leaving them at the bottom of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

Brandon Della Paolera stood out in Friday’s game against Summerland. Though he only scored one goal, he had many more close ones like this attack in the first period. (Richard McGuire photo)

Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz ventured far from the net to head off an attack by Brandon Della Paolere in the first period. (Richard McGuire photo)

Brandon Della Paolera skated in on a drive-by shooting, slipping the puck into the side of the net past Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz. This first goal of the game was scored early in the second period. (Richard McGuire photo)

Coyotes celebrate as they skate to the bench after Brandon Della Paolera (right) scored early in the second period to put the Coyotes ahead 1-0. Assists went to Brax Klassen (left) and Tyler Badger third from left). (Richard McGuire photo)

Bailey Monteith, in net for Osoyoos, played a strong game under a lot of pressure. He was picked as the home star of the game. Sometimes the space around his net was a crowded place as Coyotes moved in to challenge Summerland attackers. (Richard McGuire photo)

Bailey Monteith, in net for Osoyoos, played a strong game under a lot of pressure. He was picked as the home star of the game. Sometimes the space around his net was a crowded place as Coyotes moved in to challenge Summerland attackers. (Richard McGuire photo)

Brandon Della Paolera got another breakaway with three and a half minutes left in the second period. Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz stopped him this time. Ethan Grover of Summerland tries to catch up. (Richard McGuire photo)

Brax Klassen moves in for the reboud a second after Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz thwarted Brandon Della Paolera. (Richard McGuire photo)

As Brax Klassen (right) goes for a rebound, Summerland goalie Jared Breitkreuz grabs the puck, while Milo Labonte (left) moves in with hopes of hitting in a lose puck. (Richard McGuire photo)

Slade Desharnais (24) shoves Dawson Jenner of Summerland while referee Lyle Hinds (left) calls a penalty. When all was settled, the Coyotes were down to three attackers while Summerland had all five on the ice. (Richard McGuire photo)

Slade Desharnais (24) shoves Dawson Jenner of Summerland while linesmen Josh Tyk and Ian Walker try to separate them. When all was settled, the Coyotes were down to three attackers while Summerland had all five on the ice. (Richard McGuire photo)

Linesmen Josh Tyk and Ian Walker separate Slade Desharnais (24) and Dawson Jenner of Summerland. When all was settled, the Coyotes were down to three attackers while Summerland had all five on the ice. (Richard McGuire photo)

With Osoyoos playing two men short, the remaining three Coyote forwards move in to protect goalie Bailey Monteith. This shot failed, but three seconds later, the puck was in the net, tying the game at 1-1 with just seven seconds left in the second period. (Richard McGuire photo)

Everett Scherger (right) fires the puck past Coyote goalie Bailey Monteith with seven seconds left in the second period. The power play goal was scored while the Coyotes were two players short. (Richard McGuire photo)

Coyote goalie Bailey Monteith played a strong game Friday night, facing 45 shots in 70 minutes, including two periods of overtime. This Summerland power play goal with seven seconds remaining in the second period, while the Coyotes were two men short, ended any hopes Monteith might have had for a shutout. (Richard McGuire photo)