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North Okanagan Knights losing streak continues with shootout loss to Osoyoos

The Knights lost 5-4 in a shootout to the top team in the KIJHL Tuesday night
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Osoyoos Coyotes defenseman Ethan Floris carries the puck in a game versus the North Okanagan Knights Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. (Jen Jensen Photography)

The North Okanagan Knights brought the top team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League to a shootout Tuesday night, but the Osoyoos Coyotes secured the win at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Centre.

The Coyotes outshot the Knights by a whopping 59-24 margin on Dec. 7, forcing Knights goalie Jake Dubinsky to make 54 saves in the shootout loss.

Osoyoos got off to an early lead thanks a pair of Ethans. Ethan McKinley scored his fifth of the season just under three minutes into the game, while Ethan O’Rourke notched his 15th goal past the midway point of the first period.

Kaleb Kremp increased the Coyotes lead early in the second with his 16th goal of the season. Then on the powerplay, the Knights got on the board as Matthew Johnston beat goaltender Kenny Gerow, assisted by Luke Rishaug and Kyle Bax.

Gaols from Devin Jameson and Bax towards the end of the second period got the Knights back to even, and the teams headed to the final frame tied 3-3.

In the third, Ty McNaughton gave the Knights their first lead of the game with a goal assisted by Jesse Lee. The Knights held onto the lead for most of the period, but with less than a minute to go, Kremp scored his second goal of the game to send the teams to overtime.

With overtime deciding nothing, the teams went to a shootout where Kremp was again the hero, scoring the deciding goal.

The Coyotes improved to a league-best 35 points in 21 games played, while the Kights dropped their sixth game in a row and fell to a 6-10-3-1-0 record and sit fourth out of five in the Bill Ohlhausen Division.

The Knights will be back in action Friday, Dec. 10 versus a devision rival, the Kelowna Chiefs at home.

READ MORE: North Okanagan Knights battle division leaders

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Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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