Coyote Jackson Glimpel fell to his knees, but he managed to fire a shot that sailed just over the pad of Knights goalie Daniel Paul. The goal late in the second period of Wednesday night’s game put the Coyotes ahead 3-2. Both teams got a goal each in the final period giving the Coyotes a 4-3 win. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Osoyoos Coyotes’ march towards a league championship will continue.
The Coyotes eliminated the North Okanagan Knights in four straight games following victories in Armstrong Friday and Saturday.
The Coyotes now have to cool their heels until the playoff series between the Summerland Steam and the Kelowna Chiefs concludes. Summerland was leading the series 3-2 as of Monday night, with games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday if necessary.
On Friday night, the Coyotes took a commanding 3-0 series lead as they beat the Knights with a score of 4-3.
But the score is misleading – the Coyotes dominated play throughout the game, outshooting the Knights by 47 to 14.
On Saturday, the Coyotes wrapped up the series and moved on to the next round winning by a more decisive score of 4-1.
The two weekend victories followed wins in Osoyoos by the scores of 5-2 and 4-3 last Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively,.
The first two goals in Saturday’s game went to Carter Shannon. The first goal scored in the middle of the first period was assisted by Carter Robinson and the second, on a power play early in the second period, was assisted by Colin Bell.
The Coyotes scored two more goals – one Rainer Glimpel late in the second period and Hunter Johnson late in the third.
Braeden Tuck and Bobby LaRue assisted on Glimpel’s goal and Colton Rhodes and Cody Allen got the assists on Johnson’s goal.
With only two and a half minutes remaining in the game, Austin Fournier scored the lone Knights goal to ruin Osoyoos goalie Stephen Heslop’s shutout.
Friday’s game actually saw the Knights take the lead for much of the second period, after a first-period Osoyoos goal by Drew Carter midway through the period. The assist went to Judd Repole.
The Knights scored late in the first period on a power play and then took the lead early in the second.
Finally, late in the second period, Rhodes scored on a power play, assisted by Glimpel, to tie the game going into the third period.
The Coyotes pulled into the lead on goals by Carter and Robinson, who scored on a power play.
Rhodes and Jackson Glimpel assisted on Carter’s goal and Daniel Stone and Ryan Morrell assisted on Robinson’s.
With a minute and a half left, North Okanagan scored again, but it was too little, too late, and the game ended 4-3.
In last Wednesday’s game in Osoyoos, Rhodes opened the scoring early in the first period, assisted by Stone and Repole.
Two minutes later, the Knights scored on a power play to tie the game. Then, with just over a minute remaining in the first period, the Knights pulled into the lead.
Osoyoos tied the game just before the halfway mark in the second period with Rhodes getting his second goal of the game on a power play. Assists went to Shannon and Allen.
Late in the period, Jackson Glimpel fell to his knees, but managed to flip the puck just over the pads of Knights’ goalie Daniel Paul. Carter and Repole got the assists.
North Okanagan again tied the score late in the third period, but a minute later Tuck put the Coyotes ahead, assisted by Rainer Glimpel and Repole.
The Knights pulled goalie Paul for an extra attacker in the dying minute, but neither team managed to score and the game ended 4-3.
In last Tuesday’s 5-2 Coyote victory in the series opener, Rhodes opened the scoring early in the game, assisted by LaRue and Rainer Glimpel.
The Knights quickly responded with two goals of their own less than two minutes apart, the second on a power play.
Late in the first period, LaRue tied the score, also on a power play, with Rainer Glimpel and Morrell getting assists.
The only goal of the second period, by Shannon, put the Coyotes in the lead once again. Robinson and Bell assisted.
LaRue got his second goal of the night early in the third period on a power play, with Rainer Glimpel and Tuck assisting.
Finally, Johnson scored the fifth Osoyoos goal in the second half of the third period to give the Coyotes their 5-2 victory. Reid Wilson and Austin Cleaver assisted.
The Coyotes are expected to start their next playoff round on Saturday, March 5 in Osoyoos against the winner of the Summerland-Kelowna series.
In the past two years, the Coyotes have been eliminated by the Kamloops Storm in the conference final.
That won’t happen this year as the Chase Heat eliminated Kamloops Monday night in overtime, taking that series 4-1.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Colten Rhodes (right) celebrates after scoring his second goal Wednesday, which was also the Coyotes’ second in a 4-3 victory over the North Okanagan Knights. The Coyotes went on to win games on Friday and Saturday in Armstrong, sweeping the series in just four games. (Richard McGuire photo)
It took five North Okanagan Knights to thwart an attack by Coyote Bobby LaRue (left) in last Wednesday’s game. Teammate Rainer Glimpel watches as he skates behind the net. The Coyotes eliminated the Knights in four straight games. (Richard McGuire photo)
