Osoyoos Coyotes’ co-captain and leading scorer Aaron Azevedo attempts to deflect a shot in front of Kelowna Chiefs goaltender Chris Turner during second-period action Saturday night at the Sun Bowl Arena. Azevedo scored the game winner late in the second period as the Coyotes beat Kelowna 3-1. Keith Lacey Photo
With only seven games remaining in the regular season, the Osoyoos Coyotes have all but assured themselves of claiming the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) regular season championship.
After another pair of victories last week (not including Tuesday night’s road game in Summerland) – 5-3 on the road in Armstrong against the North Okanagan Knights on Wednesday and 3-1 on home ice against Kelowna Saturday evening – the Coyotes hold a comfortable seven-point lead over Fernie Ghostriders for the overall league lead.
The Ghostriders have only eight games remaining in the regular season to try and catch the Coyotes for the regular season points championship.
The Coyotes have lost only six of 44 contests heading into Tuesday’s game in Summerland.
Last Wednesday in Armstrong, North Okanagan opened the scoring with a power-play goal four minutes into the game, but the Coyotes responded 45 seconds later with Colten Braid scoring his own power-play marker, with assists going to Aaron Azevedo and Daniel Stone.
The Coyotes took the lead for good only 20 seconds later as Brett Jewell scored, with assists from Rainer Glimpel and Tyler Ostrom.
The Coyotes extended their lead to 3-1 early in the second period when Azevedo scored.
The Knights cut the lead to a single goal three minutes later. However, Cody Allen restored the two-goal lead in the final seconds of the second period netting another power-play marker, with assists going to Coyotes’ co-captains Troy Maclise and Azevedo.
Braid increased the lead to 5-2 with yet another power-play goal halfway through the third period.
In front of one of the largest crowds of the season Saturday night at the Sun Bowl Arena, the Coyotes and Chiefs battled in a hard-fought and fast-paced contest.
Kelowna scored the only goal of the first period. The Coyotes tied things up with a shorthanded goal by Rainer Glimpel six minutes into the second period and Azevedo scored what would turn out to be the game winner late in the second period on the power play.
Maclise put things away with another power-play marker early in the third period. Azevedo continued his scoring exploits with another assist.
The Coyotes will play in Kelowna on Friday evening before returning home on Saturday night to host the North Okanagan Knights. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at the Sun Bowl Arena.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
