Ryan Roseboom (right), pictured scoring in a recent home game against Summerland, picked up two more goals in Summerland Friday night. (Richard McGuire file photo)
A 4-1 victory over the Summerland Steam Friday night has all but guaranteed the Osoyoos Coyotes a first-place finish in the Okanagan Division of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
If the Coyotes win one more game or if the Steam loses a game, the Osoyoos team will finish first. The two teams face each other again in Summerland on Monday afternoon, B.C. Family Day.
The Coyotes currently have a nine-point lead over Summerland with 71-62 points. Osoyoos has four games remaining, while Summerland has five. Summerland would need to win all five to surpass the Coyotes’ 71-point total, and that’s assuming Osoyoos adds no more points.
A first-place finish for the Coyotes would mean they play the bottom-place playoff contender in the opening series of the playoffs.
Currently the North Okanagan Knights and the Princeton Posse are in a tight battle for a playoff spot, with the two teams tied at the bottom of the division with 30 points each. The Knights have a game in hand.
In Friday’s game at the Summerland Arena, the Coyotes made it 3-0 before Summerland finally managed to score against Adam Jones late in the second period.
The Steam took an early gamble, pulling goalie Matthew Huber several minutes before the end of the game. The move backfired when Hunter Johnson scored on the empty net with 2:14 remaining. Colton Rhodes got the assist.
Ryan Roseboom once again led the Coyote scoring with two second-period goals less than a minute apart in the second period. His second goal was on a power play.
Assists on Roseboom’s goals went to Kaleb Comishin, Carter Robinson, Judd Repole and Colin Bell.
The other Coyote goal was scored by Reid Wilson late in the first period, with Robinson and Jackson Glimpel assisting.
The Coyotes face the Kelowna Chiefs tonight (Saturday) at the Sun Bowl Arena and game time is at 7:30 p.m.
The regular season wraps up for the Coyotes next weekend when they play the Knights in Armstrong next Friday and host the Chiefs again next Saturday.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
