Austin Cleaver (No. 12) scored the fifth goal for the Osoyoos Coyotes on a power play in the third period of Friday night’s game against the Princeton Posse. In the space of just over two minutes, Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop allowed two more goaks, resulting in a 7-1 Coyote victory. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Osoyoos Coyotes won both home games on the weekend to continue their dominance in the Okanagan Division of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).
They skated in circles around the hapless Princeton Posse on Friday night, whipping them 7-1. Princeton currently has seven players off with injuries, some of them serious.
Then on Sunday, the Coyotes narrowly defeated the North Okanagan Knights 2-1.
The two victories keep the Coyotes five points ahead of the second-place Summerland Steam in division standings.
In Friday’s lopsided win over Princeton, the Coyotes opened the scoring in the first period on a goal by Carter Shannon, with an assist from Steele Anderson.
A few minutes later, Princeton got its only goal, tying the game.
As the period wound down, Braeden Tuck scored twice to end the period with the Coyotes up 3-1.
Tuck’s first goal was on a power play from Ryan Morrell and Rainer Glimpel and his second goal was assisted by Bobby LaRue and by Glimpel again.
The second period saw just one goal with Carter Shannon scoring on a power play. Glimpel got his third of four assists and the other assist went to Austin Cleaver.
Near the midway mark of the third period, Cleaver scored on a power play to put the Coyotes ahead of the fading Posse by 5-1. Daniel Stone and Morrell got assists.
This was followed by two more Coyote goals in quick succession – Reid Wilson from Morrell and Colton Rhodes and Bobby LaRue from Glimpel and Tuck.
By the time of the seventh Coyote goal, Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop was put out of his misery and was replaced by backup goalie Chandler Billinghurst, who managed to stop all seven shots he faced.
If the score showed how unevenly the teams were matched, the shots on goal further underline this. The Coyotes took 59 shots on goal while the Posse only managed 21. In the second period, the Coyotes outshot the Posse 18-4, as Princeton rarely made it out of their end.
Although the North Okanagan Knights are only two points ahead of the last-place Posse in division standings, Sunday’s game was much tighter.
Jackson Glimpel opened the scoring five minutes into the first period, assisted by Mackenzie Wiens and Anderson.
Seven minutes later, North Okanagan scored on a power play to even the game.
The two teams remained in a 1-1 tie through the scoreless second period.
Finally, early in the third period, Tuck broke the tie with a power play goal assisted by Rainer Glimpel and LaRue.
During the final minute, North Okanagan pulled goalie Daniel Paul for a sixth attacker, but with no luck. The game ended 2-1 for Osoyoos.
The Coyotes next go on the road, playing in Castlegar Friday, in Nelson Saturday and in Princeton on Friday, Dec. 18.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop brings down his stick just in time to stop a loose puck from going into his net Friday evening. Despite this one save, Heslop allowed seven Coyote goals before being replaced by the backup goalie midway through the third period. He took 59 shots on goal as the Coyotes skated in circles around the Posse to win the game 7-1. (Richard McGuire photo)
As Austin Cleaver (No. 12) moved in to screen the Princeton goalie, teammate Carter Shannon (No. 19) hit the puck through the mass of legs to score the Coyotes’ fourth goal in the second period Friday night. The Coyotes took an easy win over the hapless Posse, who were missing some key players with injuries. (Richard McGuire photo)
Carter Shannon brought the puck right to the doorstep of Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop, but he didn’t manage to score that time. It didn’t matters as Shannon scored two goals in the Coyotes’ lopsided 7-1 victory Friday night. (Richard McGuire photo)
Reid Wilson (No. 10) fires a shot on Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop, which Heslop managed to stop. The beleaguered goalie faced 59 Coyote shots during Friday night’s game, allowing seven goals in the 7-1 Osoyoos win. (Richard McGuire photo)
Carter Shannon brought the puck right to the doorstep of Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop, but he didn’t manage to score that time. It didn’t matters as Shannon scored two goals in the Coyotes’ lopsided 7-1 victory Friday night. (Richard McGuire photo)
Austin Cleaver (No. 12) scored the fifth goal for the Osoyoos Coyotes on a power play in the third period of Friday night’s game against the Princeton Posse. In the space of just over two minutes, Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop allowed two more goaks, resulting in a 7-1 Coyote victory. (Richard McGuire photo)
Reid Wilson flips the puck past beleaguered Princeton goalie Stephen Heslop to score the sixth goal for the Osoyoos Coyotes at the halfway mark of the third period. Less than a minute later, Heslop allowed another Coyote goal and was promptly pulled from the net to be replaced by backup goalie Chandler Billinghurst. (Richard McGuire photo)
Coyote Bobby LaRue (behind goalie) scores the seventh goal for Osoyoos in a lopsided 7-1 victory over Princeton. Goalie Stephen Heslop faced a Coyote onslaught of 59 shots on goal, while Princeton only managed 21 shots on the Coyotes. (Richard McGuire photo0
Coyote Jackson Glimpel (No. 13) advances with the puck late in Friday night’s game against the Princeton Posse. Osoyoos easily won the game 7-1. (Richard McGuire photo)
