Austin Cleaver scored the Coyotes’ second goal on a power play early in the second period Saturday against Chase. It wasn’t the winning goal, but it started the team on a comeback leading to a 6-4 victory. (Richard McGuire photo)

The Osoyoos Coyotes overcame a bad start to the weekend by beating the Chase Heat 6-4 on Saturday night at the Sun Bowl Arena.

The win puts the Coyotes five points ahead of second-place Summerland. Both teams have now clinched playoff spots.

Saturday’s win followed a disappointing 4-1 loss in Armstrong Friday night to the North Okanagan Knights, who are in distant last place in the Okanagan Division of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.

After the first period Saturday, which finished at 3-1 for Chase, it appeared the Coyotes might suffer a second loss in a row.

Colin Bell scored an unassisted goal for the Coyotes in the second minute of the game, but Chase responded with two quick ones.

Then, late in the first period, Tyler Collens of Chase got a breakaway and skated in on Osoyoos goalie Liam Aitken to make it 3-1.

At that point, backup goalie Daniel Paul replaced Aitken.

Whether Head Coach Ken Law read the riot act to the Coyotes during the break or whether they downed bowls of Wheaties, whatever happened worked. In the second period, the Coyotes were their old selves again.

They scored three times and out-shot the Heat 16-8 as they kept Chase hemmed in their own end.

First Austin Cleaver scored on a power play, set up by Bell and Hunter Johnson.

Less than two minutes later, Jackson Barrett scored unassisted to tie the game at 3-3.

Then, late in the second period, Seth Kriese scored for the Coyotes to put them ahead 4-3. Carter Robinson and Barrett assisted.

The Coyotes continued to dominate in the third period, adding two more goals.

Robinson scored in the first half of the period, assisted by Bell.

Then, with 6:20 remaining, Bell scored his second goal of the night on a power play to make it 6-3. Cleaver and Barrett assisted.

Finally, Chase scored on a power play late in the period, but it was too late for them.

Friday’s game in Armstrong was probably one the Coyotes would rather forget. It didn’t help that they were missing numerous players.

Brandon Onstein got the first goal of the game near the halfway mark of the first period, with Levi Lambert and Jack McNamara assisted.

It went downhill from there.

The Knights added two goals to end the first period with North Okanagan ahead 2-1.

In the second period, Osoyoos outshot North Okanagan 14-5, but neither team managed to score.

The third period didn’t go well for the Coyotes as the Knights scored two goals, one on a power play. The Coyotes took four penalties compared to one for the Knights. And the Knights outshot the Coyotes 14-8.

The Coyotes play Wednesday night in Princeton and then on Friday they go to Summerland to face their rivals, the Steam.

Their only home game in the next week is Saturday, Jan. 27 when they host the Sicamous Eagles, who are stuck in the bottom of the Doug Birks Division with just 13 points, and 30 losses in 38 games.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times