Members of the Kamloops Storm decided to engage in some team bonding last Thursday morning as they jumped into their swim trunks and decided to go for a swim in Osoyoos Lake near the Walnut Beach Hotel on Lakeshore Drive. After losing game one in their KIJHL conference final series to the Osoyoos Coyotes, the Storm captured game two last Thursday night 4-3 in overtime. The Storm then returned home and won both games this past weekend to take a 3-1 series lead heading into Tuesday’s game in Osoyoos. If the Coyotes won Tuesday, game five would be played Wednesday night in Kamloops. If a seventh-and-deciding game is needed, it would be played Thursday night in Osoyoos. (Photo supplied)
The Osoyoos Coyotes had run out of options when they took to the ice at the Sun Bowl Arena Tuesday night.
After winning game one in their best-of-seven Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) conference final series against the Kamloops Storm, the Coyotes lost three-straight games and were facing elimination Tuesday night.
If the Coyotes managed to win game five Tuesday night, game six is set for Wednesday evening in Kamloops.
If a seventh-and-deciding game is needed, it would be played Thursday night at the Sun Bowl Arena.
Ironically, the Coyotes did not lose three games in a row throughout the entire KIJHL regular season as they waltzed to the regular season title.
The Storm beat the Coyotes in last year’s KIJHL conference final series in five games.
The league championship series is scheduled to begin this weekend.
If the Coyotes managed to complete an impressive comeback against Kamloops, it’s believed the KIJHL championship series would commence Friday night in Osoyoos.
The Kimberly Dynamiters held a 3-1 series lead against the defending KIJHL champion Beaver Valley Nighthawks heading into game five Tuesday night in Fruitvale, where the Nighthawks play their home games.
This past Sunday afternoon in Kamloops, the Coyotes fired 63 shots on Storm goaltender Jacob Mullen, but Mullen was simply sensational as he allowed a power-play goal with only seven minutes left in regulation time after Kamloops had stormed out to a 3-0 lead after two periods of play.
Jackson DeMatos scored the lone goal for the Coyotes with an assist from Rainer Glimpel.
The Coyotes fired 21 shots on net in the first period and 23 more in the final 20 minutes, but couldn’t solve Mullen.
On Saturday night, the Storm scored three unanswered goals in the first period and never trailed on their way to a 6-3 victory.
Troy Maclise scored in the first minute of the second period to cut the lead to 3-1, but Kamloops responded three minutes later.
Aaron Azevedo and Brew Jewell, with an unassisted marker, scored a minute apart late in the second period, to close the gap to 4-3.
However, a goal with less than two minutes remaining in the second period extended the Storm lead to 5-3.
Kamloops scored the only goal of the third period to take the win and take a lead in the series 2-1.
The Coyotes lost home-ice advantage last Thursday evening when they lost 4-3 in double overtime.
DeMatos sent the crowd of 300 into a frenzy when he scored with only eight seconds left in the third period to send the game into overtime.
The teams exchanged quality scoring chances in the first overtime period.
Ryan Roseboom scored the only goal of the first period to give the Coyotes a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.
After Kamloops tied the contest five minutes into the second period, Maclise scored a power play goal two minutes later to restore the lead for the Coyotes.
Kamloops responded quickly scoring three minutes later to tie the game 2-2 after 40 minutes.
After Kamloops took their first lead of the series with 12 minutes remaining in the third period, DeMatos knocked in a rebound in the final seconds to set the stage for the thrilling overtime.
Head coach and general manager Ken Law and his players have lost in the KIJHL conference finals the past two seasons and were the favourites to win the series against Kamloops as they finished almost 20 points ahead of them in the regular season standings.
The results of this series will be updated daily on the Osoyoos Times website at www.osoyoostimes.com.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
