Coyotes score nine, grab two wins before holiday break

Blake Astorino scores the game winner against the Chase Heat on Dec. 13. Photo: Jen Jensen Photography

After pulling out a one-goal win against the Chase Heat, the Osoyoos Coyotes put up a season-best nine goals to trounce the Beaver Valley Nitehawks at home as they head into the holidays.

The Coyotes put up seven unanswered goals at the Sun Bowl Arena on Dec. 14 before the Nitehawks answered back on the power play with 1:22 left in the second period.

Osoyoos forward Michael Greenwood started the scoring spree, followed by Ryan Bester, Jack Henderson, Bryson Garska, Owen Lee and Brandon Della Paolera before Greenwood scored again putting the Coyotes up 7-0 before the Nitehawks answered back. The Nitehawks could not catch up though as Seth Kriese scored for the Coyotes in the third followed by Ryan Bester putting in his second goal of the night on the power play.

Osoyoos defence man Ryan MacDonald made the “Hot in the KI” three stars for the week of Dec. 9 to 15. The Nakusp native earned the third star with the primary assist on the game-winning goals for the Coyotes against the Heat and the Nitehawks.

MacDonald set up Blake Astorino’s winner on the power play with 3:23 remaining in regulation against the Heat, and set up Bryan Garska’s eventual winner on the power play when the Coyotes went up by four in the first period against the Nitehawks.

“I felt like I played really well,” MacDonald told KIJHL media. “I felt confined in everything I was doing, from the decisions I made without the puck and the plays I made with the puck.”

“It felt great to be able to contribute offensively and help the guys get a win against two top teams in the league and get us that much closer to a playoff spot,” MacDonald said.

MacDonald is second in defenceman scoring with three goals and 15 points in 26 games.

The back-to-back wins put the Coyotes at 6-20-1 as they head into a bit of a holiday break. After Christmas, Osoyoos has back-to-back games against the Kelowna Chiefs, first in Kelowna on Friday, Dec. 27 and again at home on Dec. 28 when the Chiefs come down to Sun Bowl Arena.