Carter Robinson of the Coyotes saw an opening and skated in on North Okanagan goalie Daniel Paul to score the first goal of Wednesday night’s game. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Osoyoos Coyotes picked up two resounding weekend wins on the road after an unexpected 3-2 loss last Wednesday on home ice.
On Friday, the Coyotes easily beat the Sicamous Eagles 5-1. The next night, they pounded Revelstoke 7-2.
The two weekend wins and overtime loss last Wednesday give the Coyotes five more points, keeping them in first place in the Okanagan Division of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. They are now two points ahead of archrivals the Summerland Steam.
In last Wednesday’s game, the Coyotes blew a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to the North Okanagan Knights in overtime.
The Coyotes played well in the first two periods, but their luck turned in the third. In the space of less than two minutes near the end of the third period, the Knights scored two quick goals and the Coyote lead evaporated.
Carter Robinson scored the first Coyote goal of the game halfway through the first period when he saw an opening and skated in to put the puck past North Okanagan goalie Daniel Paul. Colton Rhodes got the assist.
This was the occasion for the Christmas Toy Toss, and stuffed tows were showered onto the ice by fans as the Coyotes celebrated their lead.
Early in the second period, Judd Repole scored on a power play assisted by Daniel Stone and Colin Bell.
The Coyotes also outshot the Knights – 20-16 in the first period and 15-6 in the second.
But something happened in the third and the Knights gained control of the puck, outshooting the Coyotes 12-9.
The Coyote power play was less effective than usual, with only one power play goal in six chances.
With just over five minutes remaining in the third period, Layne Greene scored for North Okanagan. Less than two minutes later, Brady Marzocco tied the score.
Just a minute and 15 seconds into the first overtime period, Dean Whitcomb of the Knights scored the game winner.
It was a very different game Friday when the Coyotes won 5-1 over the badly mismatched Sicamous Eagles, who are in a distant last place in the Doug Birks Division.
Hunter Johnson scored early in the first period, his first of two goals. The assists went to Sam Reinbolt and Cody Allen.
In the second period, Ryan Roseboom scored two power play goals and Johnson picked up his second goal of the night. Assists went to Bell, Austin Steger, Connor Onstein, Stone and Repole.
The Coyotes led 4-0.
Close to the end of the second period, Sicamous ruined any chance for a shutout by Liam Aitken, who played in net for the Coyotes on both weekend games.
The only goal of the third period came in the second minute when Repole scored, assisted by Bryson Cecconi and Bell.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies are nine points ahead of Sicamous in the Doug Birks Division, second from the bottom, but they did no better against the wily Coyotes.
Once again, the Coyote power play was deadly as Osoyoos scored four times in 13 power play opportunities.
The Coyotes dominated play throughout the game, outshooting the Grizzlies 53-27.
Roseboom picked up the first goal of the game on a power play late in the first period, assisted by Bell and Stone.
Revelstoke tied the score with just four seconds left in the first period.
In the second period, Repole and Rhodes both picked up goals with Rhodes, Bell and Allen getting assists.
The Coyotes were ahead 3-1 before Revelstoke got their second goal of the game late in the second period.
The third period was something of a turkey shoot for the Coyotes, who scored four goals, three of them on power plays. They also outshot the Grizzlies 24-9.
Rhodes got his second goal of the night on a power play assisted by Bell and Allen.
Roseboom scored, assisted by Glimpel and Stone.
Then, in the final minute of the game, Onstein scored two goals just nine seconds apart to give the Coyotes their 7-2 victory. Johnson assisted on both, while Cecconi assisted on one of the two.
The Coyotes have just one more game before Christmas when they play Wednesday in Princeton. Their next home game isn’t until Dec. 28, when they host the Kelowna Chiefs at the Sun Bowl Arena.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
When Carter Robinson scored the Coyotes’ first goal midway through the first period of Wednesday night’s game, many fans threw toys onto the ice. It was all part of the Christmas Toy Toss. (Richard McGuire photo)
