Two days of local hockey for the home team Atom Development players brought some excitement to town. On Saturday, Princeton was up against one of the toughest teams in the league. The game was pretty even with both teams racing up and down the ice looking for a break in the other goalies armour. Shot after shot bounced off goalies Jett Larsen and Jayden Simon.
Larsen played the first half of the game and Simon the second half. They caught blocked and brushed aside one puck after another. They looked solid. Frustration grew for the North Okanagan team.
One highlight for Princeton came in the beginning of the third period when #2 Marcus Brodie fought the puck out of the home team’s end and muscled his was up ice making a nice pass to #13 Ausin O’Neil. O’Neil swooped in at the net and blasted off a shot. The North Ok goalie was ready, but not ready enough. #18 Liam Zieske skated in hard behind and snapped the rebound up and over as he headed to the ice. North Ok tied the game at 10:45. Then at 9:29 they pulled ahead. At 6:04, #10 Mason O’Neil sent a beauty pass right onto the ready stick of # Nathan Silbernagel. Silbernagel did not waste his shot and just like that the game was tied. North Ok came back at 2:43. Then the wheels fell off the bus. At 2:30 North Ok scored again. With 30 seconds left an open netter finished Princeton off. North Ok won the game.
The Sunday game was against Westside. It started off at a fast pace and never let up. #13 Austin O’Neil passed to #4 Case Brodie who passed to #2 brother Marcus to start the scoring at 14:23 in the first period. Then, at 6:13 #17 Carsen Thibert stretched for the puck and sent a backhanded present to his awaiting teammate. #10 Mason O’Neil was out front and made no mistakes.
The score was 2-0 Princeton as the second period started. At 13:16 brother Mason passed to Austin. Austin flicked the puck up and over the Westside goalie. Westside was soon to stage a comeback. They finally found the net at 4:01 in the second.
Princeton finished the game strong. Austin O’Neil raced in for one last goal at 1:46 in the third and popped one by. In spite of seven penalties and over 15 minutes of short-handed play, Princeton celebrated victory. Westside had only two penaltie