Osoyoos Coyotes goaltender Lawrence Langan celebrated his 19th birthday in grand style this past Saturday evening at the Sun Bowl Arena as he led the Coyotes to a convincing 5-0 victory over the North Okanagan Knights in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action. The Coyotes had defeated the Kelowna Chiefs Friday night in Kelowna. The Coyotes are hoping to wrap up the league’s regular season championship this coming weekend as they play in Princeton Friday night before returning home to host Kelowna Saturday night. For more information about Saturday’s contest, see Page 18.
The number ‘60’ stood out heading into Saturday’s Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game between the visiting North Okanagan Knights and the Osoyoos Coyotes.
When hockey fans filed into Sun Bowl Arena Saturday evening and paused to peer up at the KIJHL scoreboard located on the wall above the concession stand, they would have noticed both the Coyotes and Knights sport similar numbers.
Osoyoos had 37 wins and only six losses as its two main numbers, while North Okanagan had only six victories and 36 losses with the regular season scheduled to wrap up later this week.
These teams are at opposite ends of the spectrum in the KIJHL – and Okanagan Division standings.
The difference?
Yes, 60 points.
And the major difference in the standings – and in talent on the ice – was very noticeable with Osoyoos outshooting North Okanagan 17-3 in the first period, 45-19 overall, and totally dominating the Knights in a 5-0 victory.
“North Okanagan is always a hard team to play against. They are down at the bottom of the standings, but every game they play with enthusiasm and hard work,” said Coyotes’ head coach Ken Law. “However, we always talk about playing our game and not who we are playing. It’s definitely a factor knowing you are a better team on paper. But we don’t want to treat anyone lightly because that can come back to bite you.”
And the Coyotes made sure that didn’t happen Saturday evening.
With the win, the Coyotes improved to a league-best 38-6-2-0-1, good for 79 points.
With the loss, North Okanagan fell to 6-37-1-0-4, and just 17 points.
Osoyoos has a goal differential of plus 114, North Okanagan is a minus 122.
However, despite that 17-3 difference in first period shots on goal and overall numbers so far this season, it wasn’t a blowout early as the Coyotes only led 1-0 halfway through the game.
Osoyoos took a 1-0 first period lead with just 4:13 remaining as the result of a goalmouth meltdown for the Knights.
Colin Bell put it past a scrambling goalie Mitch Profeit and the 390 fans in attendance let out a collective sigh of relief.
It took until the halfway mark of the second period for the Coyotes to strike again.
Bell potted his second of the night, taking a feed from Ryan Roseboom and beating Profeit with a high wrist shot.
Aaron Azevedo’s shorthanded goal at 14:57 pretty much put the game out of reach and Bailey Shaver’s tally with just four seconds left in the second period put the dagger in the Knights.
Blake Holowaty’s goal in the third sealed the deal.
Bell added an assist for a three-point night, while Roseboom finished with a pair of helpers.
Lawrence Langan stopped all 19 pucks directed his way for the shutout. It was his league-leading fifth shutout, and 25th win of the season, another category he tops.
“It was nice to see Lawrence record a shutout on his 19th birthday,” added Law. “I thought we did a good job creating scoring chances, got the job done on the scoreboard and recording the shutout, and took care of things in our own end.”
Azevedo’s goal gave him 22, and 61 points, good for second place in the league scoring race, and just a point behind Fernie’s Doan Smith.
Troy Maclise of the Coyotes was held pointless Saturday, but remained fourth in league scoring with 56 points. Azevedo continues to be in the running for the league scoring title as he has 61 points, just one behind the league leader.
The victory over North Okanagan made for a perfect Coyotes weekend.
On Friday, Osoyoos travelled to Kelowna and beat the Chiefs 3-1 at Rutland Arena.
Azevedo scored twice and added one assist for the Game Star award, with Judd Repole also scoring a goal. Langan stopped 34 shots in net.
With less than two weeks to go in the regular season, the Coyotes are already assured of finishing first in their division and conference, and hold an eight-point advantage over Fernie in the fight for first overall with five games remaining.
Osoyoos will host either Princeton or Kelowna in the first round of the division playoffs.
For Law, the final five games will still be important heading into the playoffs, set to begin Feb. 20 at the Sun Bowl Arena.
“We want to see some consistency,” said Law. “We are trying to move some guys around and give some guys more time on the ice, so when it does come down to it in the playoffs, they will be ready to go.”
The Coyotes are back on the ice Friday in Princeton and will host Kelowna Saturday at Sun Bowl Arena. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
DALE CORY
Special to the Times
