There’s still fight in the Knights.
The North Okanagan Knights scored six unanswered goals over the final 43 minutes and 14 seconds to thump the Princeton Posse 7-2 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Teck Cup playoff action Tuesday, March 7, at Armstrong’s Nor-Val Sports Centre in front of 343 fans.
The Knights staved off elimination with the win, and handed the Posse their first loss of the post-season.
Princeton leads the best-of-seven Bill Ohlhausen Division Final three games to one. Game 5 is Friday, March 10, in Princeton. Game 6, if needed, would be back in Armstrong Saturday, March 11.
North Okanagan captain KT Walters snapped a 2-2 tie after the opening period with a goal at 5:25 of the second period that turned out to be the game-winner.
Devin Jameson had three goals for the Knights, who led 5-2 after 40 minutes. Walters had two goals and singles went to Lian Gayfer, on the powerplay, and Ethan O’Rourke, who opened the game’s scoring.
Brayden Bablitz and Dayton Nelson scored goals 56 seconds apart at 9:46 and 10:42 of the first to give Princeton its only lead of the contest.
North Okanagan peppered Princeton goalie Nate Glenn with 55 shots on the night while Josh Hager made 38 saves to pick up the win.
The winner of this series will face the defending Teck Cup champion Revelstoke Grizzlies in the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference final.
The Grizzlies beat the Sicamous Eagles 2-1 in overtime to sweep their best-of-seven series. Jake Wallace scored at 1:19 of overtime to give Revelstoke the win. Wallace forced OT with a goal at 16:15 of the third period, less than four minutes after Reid Tisdale’s powerplay goal had given the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
In the Kootenay Conference Tuesday, the hometown Creston Valley Thunder Cats scored three unanswered goals to beat the Beaver Valley Nitehawks 3-2. Creston Valley leads the series two games to one.
In Fernie, the Kimberley Dynamiters stayed alive with an 8-2 win over the Ghostriders. Fernie leads the series 3-1.
READ MORE: Princeton Posse put North Okanagan on brink of elimination
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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