The first rematch of the new Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season goes to the division champs.
The visiting Princeton Posse scored the first three goals of the game and rolled to a 4-2 win over the North Okanagan Knights Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong.
It was the first meeting since the two teams squared off in the 2023 post-season’s Bill Ohlhausen Division final, won by the Posse in five games.
The two teams meet again Friday, Oct. 13, at the Princeton and District Arena.
The win extended Princeton’s early season lead atop the division. The Posse are 5-1 for 10 points, four up on the Knights (3-6), Summerland Steam (3-2) and Kelowna Chiefs (2-4-2).
Sidney Brill opened the scoring for the defending Okanagan Conference champions with the only goal of the first period. Dayton Nelson – with his seventh of the year – made it 2-0 Posse in the middle frame, and Justice Loewen scored 23 seconds after the second intermission ice clean to make it 3-0 visitors.
Andrew Teare got the Knights on the board at 8:26 of the third before Vinay Junek restored Princeton’s three-goal advantage at 13:35.
Laszio Istvanffy rounded out the scoring for North Okanagan at 14:32.
Gabe Osmond made 27 saves in goal for the win, and took over the league lead amongst goalies in save percent at .948. Michael Malinowski made 40 saves for North Okanagan.
Nelson is tied for second in goals scored in the league with Hayden Evans of the Sicamous Eagles. Luke Chakrabarti of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats has fired in a league-leading 10 goals.
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