Osoyoos Coyotes’ rookie forward Ryan Roseboom had a good scoring chance in the first period of a game against the Chase Heat in September, but Chase goalie Michael Byer managed to fend off the attack. The Coyotes picked up five of eight points during a busy four-game stretch last week. They play in Revelstoke Friday before returning home Saturday to host Golden at the Sun Bowl Arena. Game time is 7:35 p.m. (Richard McGuire file photo)
The Osoyoos Coyotes enjoyed an exceptionally busy, but very productive week where they picked up five out of a possible eight points to maintain their status as one of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s (KIJHL) elite teams.
After eking out an entertaining 5-4 victory on home ice against Summerland Steam last Wednesday evening, the Coyotes headed out on a very difficult three-game road trip this past weekend.
They started the road trip in fine form, shutting out the hometown Kimberley Dynamiters 4-0. On Saturday night in Fernie, the Coyotes came up on the short end of a 4-3 overtime decision to the hometown Ghostriders.
Playing their third game in less than 60 hours on Sunday afternoon, the Coyotes’ still had plenty left in the tank against the Creston Valley Thunder Cats. Despite outshooting the home squad 48-31, the Coyotes lost the game 8-4.
The Coyotes still possess the best record in the league as they have 16 wins, three losses and the overtime loss to Fernie after 20 games.
Against Summerland, rookie Ryan Rosebloom continued his outstanding play scoring the only goal of the first period.
After Summerland scored two early goals in the second period, Luc Gradisar and Aaron Azevedo scored less than a minute apart to put the Coyotes up 3-2.
After Summerland tied things up late in the second period, the Coyotes got goals from Gradisar and Colin Bell in the third period to give them a 5-3 lead. Summerland scored a goal with only eight seconds remaining to close the gap to a single goal.
In Kimberley, Lawrence Langan was rock solid and stopped all 19 shots to lead the Coyotes to the shutout victory.
Colten Braid scored early in the second period to give the Coyotes a lead and Jackson DeMatos, Bell and Azevedo added goals in the third period for the Coyotes.
Against Fernie, the Coyotes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals coming from DeMatos and Gradisar, but they couldn’t hang on.
Fernie tied things up at 2-2 in the second period, before Gradisar scored late in the frame to give the Coyotes a lead heading into the third period.
Fernie tied the contest very early in the third and there wasn’t any more scoring until Josh McCulloch scored an unassisted winner early in the second overtime on a penalty shot.
In Creston Valley, the home squad led 2-1 after 20 minutes with Gradisar continuing his productive weekend with the lone goal for the Coyotes.
Creston Valley scored four times in the second period, while the Coyotes only scored two to trail 6-3 after 40 minutes. Rainer Glimpel and Azevedo scored for Osoyoos.
After Glimpel cut the lead to 6-4 early in the third period, the Thunder Cats put the game out of reach with two late goals.
The Coyotes return to the ice Friday night in Revelstoke where they take on the Grizzlies. They return home on Saturday evening to host the Golden Rockets with game time at 7:35 p.m. at the Sun Bowl Arena.
The Coyotes will travel to Kelowna to battle the chiefs on Tuesday, Nov. 11 and then travel to Princeton to take on the Posse the following night.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
