Several players with the Osoyoos Coyotes get into a skirmish with players from the Golden Rockets during the Coyotes’ home game at the Sun Bowl Arena on Saturday night. The Coyotes trounced the visitors 10-2. Above, Luc Gradisar (left) gets into a dust-up with a Rocket. In the background is Coyotes’ forward Judd Repole (No. 18) on one knee and Rainer Glimpel (No. 14) staring down another Rocket. The Coyotes led this contest 3-2 after the first period, but exploded for seven unanswered goals, including four in the second period and three in the final 20 minutes. The Coyotes now sport an impressive record of 18-3-1. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
The Osoyoos Coyotes continue to score goals with ease and keep racking up wins as they remain the class of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) with the regular season approaching the halfway mark.
The Coyotes scored 17 times and allowed only three goals in racking up a pair of lopsided victories this past weekend as they went into Revelstoke and whipped the hometown Grizzlies 7-1 Friday night and then returned home and laid a dominating 10-2 thrashing against the Golden Rockets Saturday night at the Sun Bowl Arena.
The pair of impressive wins gives the Coyotes a sparkling record of 18-3-1 after 22 games and 37 points, which gives them the best record and most points in the entire KIJHL.
Seven different players scored for the Coyotes in the road victory against Revelstoke.
Rainer Glimpel gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the contest as he scored a power play goal. The lead was increased to 2-0 a couple of minutes later as Rory Near scored. Co-captain Aaron Azevedo assisted on both goals.
The Coyotes blew things open early in the second period as they scored four-consecutive goals. The goal scorers were Luc Gradisar, Ryan Roseboom, Azevedo and Colten Braid.
Revelstoke finally hit the scoreboard with a goal in the final minute of the second period, however, the Coyotes restored their six-goal lead as Jackson Glimpel scored with only six seconds remaining in the second period.
The third period was scoreless.
Azevedo finished the contest with one goal and four assists.
Against Golden, the Coyotes were led by Azevedo and co-captain Troy Maclise, who both scored hat tricks and added three assists apiece for sensational six-point games.
That gave Azevedo 11 points in two games.
Maclise opened the scored just over one minute into the contest, before Golden replied with two quick goals.
Azevedo tied things up and Brett Jewell scored a power play goal in the final minute of the opening frame to give the Coyotes a 3-2 lead.
The Coyotes took total control in the second and third period by scoring seven unanswered goals, including four-consecutive goals in the second period.
Goal scorers in the second frame included Gradisar, Azevedo, Maclise and Braid.
Azevedo, Rainer Glimpel and Maclise added single markers in the final frame.
Rainer Glimpel has moved into second place in league scoring with 12 goals and 22 assists in 22 games, while Azevedo’s productive weekend moved him all the way up to a tie for third place with 10 goals and 23 assists in 21 games.
The Coyotes hoped to continue their winning ways when they travelled to Kelowna Tuesday evening to take on the Chiefs and then Wednesday night during a visit to Princeton to take on the Posse. The Coyotes play their next home game Sunday evening at the Sun Bowl Arena against Princeton.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
