Coyote Judd Repole sprays Nelson goalie Joseph Barton with ice as he zooms in to attack in the second period Saturday night, but Barton managed to catch the puck. (Richard McGuire photo)
One down. Twenty five more to go.
The Osoyoos Coyotes shut out the Nelson Leafs 4-0 on Saturday evening to claim victory in their Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) home opener at the Sun Bowl Arena.
The win gives the Coyotes a total of five points, tying them in last place in their division with the North Okanagan Knights, but the Coyotes have played fewer games than the other teams.
There are five teams in the Okanagan Division of the KIJHL, but at this early stage only three points separate the Coyotes from the division-leading Summerland Steam and Princeton Posse.
Saturday’s game saw two goals by rookie Ryan Morrell as a crop of rookies are finding their places in a lineup that looks very different from last year’s all-star team.
Brett Soles, back in goal this year for the Coyotes, played a solid game, stopping 30 shots on goal, earning his first shutout of the season and being named first star of the game.
The game was scoreless for much of the first period before Bobby LaRue scored for the Coyotes late in the period, assisted by Braeden Tuck and Rainer Glimpel.
Less than four minutes later, Morrell scored his first goal of the game and first of the season to end the first period 2-0 for the Coyotes. Colin Bell and Jackson Glimpel got the assists.
The Coyotes made it 3-0 early in the second period on a goal by Daniel Stone, assisted by rookies Evan Loura and Reid Wilson.
Late in the period, the Coyotes tipped the puck into the net again, lighting the red goal light, but the goal was disallowed and instead Carter Shannon was handed a penalty for interference.
It didn’t matter though. The Coyotes scored their fourth and final goal of the game, Morrell’s second, on a power play just before the half-way point in the third period. Assists went to Cody Allen and Tuck, his second of the night.
The Coyotes play the Posse in Princeton Wednesday night, before hosting the Kelowna Chiefs Friday night at the Sun Bowl Arena.
They then travel to Sicamous to play the Eagles on Saturday.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Bobby LaRue (left) celebrates after scoring the first goal of Saturday night’s game against the Nelson Leafs at the Sun Bowl Arena. Rainer Glimpel (centre) got one of the assists, the other going to Braden Tuck. Nelson player Dashiel Thompson (right) looks deeply disappointed. The Coyotes went on to score three more goals, shutting out Nelson 4-0. (Richard McGuire photo)
Rainer Glimpel had a chance to score for the Coyotes in the first period of Saturday night’s game, but Nelson Leafs goalie Joseph Barton was able to deflect the puck. (Richard McGuire photo)
Reid Wilson is in the face of Nelson goalie Joseph Barton, ready to knock in any rebounds. He didn’t have to as the puck shot by Daniel Stone went into the net to score the Coyotes’ third goal of Saturday night’s game. Wilson and Evan Loura (back at left) got assists. (Richard McGuire photo)
Bobby LaRue (right) fires a shot for the Coyotes in the second period Saturday night, as Davis Andrews (left) of the Nelson Leafs tries to stop him. Goalie Joseph Barton managed to block the puck. (Richard McGuire photo)
The puck went in the net and the red light went on, but what would have been the Coyotes’ fourth goal late in the second period was disallowed. Instead Carter Shannon (No. 19) got an interference penalty. (Richard McGuire photo)
The puck went in the net and the red light went on, but referee Layne Richardson signals “no goal.” Instead, Carter Shannon of the Coyotes got an interference penalty. (Richard McGuire photo)
