Coyotes stop Steam to finish home & home weekend series

This Sunday afternoon the Steam welcomed the division rival Osoyoos Coyotes to the Summerland Arena. These two teams played their second game in as many days against one another to complete a home and home series. They started the weekend separated by just two points in the Okanagan Division, and after an overtime win by the Steam in Osoyoos Saturday night, the Coyotes came to Summerland looking for revenge. 

On Saturday night Colin Chmelka opened the scoring for the Coyotes before Summerland came back with 2 goals from Daylan Robertson and Dylan Burton. Chmelka then tied the game to send it to overtime before the Steam's Jordan Boultbee ended it in overtime to win the game 3-2. Brett Huber picked up the win for the Steam on Saturday holding his team in the game for long stretches of time, while Darren Hogg started Sunday. 

In front of one of their best crowds of the season on Sunday the Steam opened the scoring thanks to Riley Hunt, who scored on a breakaway in the 1st period. They carried much of the play in the period, and outshot the Coyotes 8-4.

The second period was a far different story for the Steam as they let the Coyotes carry most of the play and Osoyoos scored on a powerplay thanks to Colin Chmelka who had a puck bounce in off his pants off a shot from the point. The Coyotes mustered 20 shots in the 2nd period while the Steam were only able to put 7 in the direction of Coyotes' goaltender Nathan Alalouf.

In the third the Coyotes came out with purpose, and Rainer Glimpel gave his team a 2-1 lead before Rory Neary was able to extend the lead to 3-1 a few minutes later. The Steam did pick up one late goal from Josh Dacosta on the powerplay but we're not able to find a way to tie the game, giving the Coyotes a 3-2 victory and their 3 point lead back in the standings.

Darren Hogg was sensational on Sunday, as was Brett Huber on Saturday night in Osoyoos. Both have been very good all season long and will look to continue strong play to push the Steam up the standings in the Okanagan Division. They currently sit 3rd, 3 points behind the Coyotes.

The Steam will resume play again on Friday, January 3, when the Princeton Posse come to town for a 7:30 start at the Summerland Arena. Be sure to come out and support local kids playing local hockey as the playoff race heats up in the Okanagan Division!

STEAM WIN FIRST LEG, WELCOME COYOTES' FOR BACK END OF HOME AND HOME

It took extra time, but the Summerland Steam got the W when they entered the Coyotes' den last night. The Steam came off the holiday break to play a home and home with the Coyotes, and in the first of the two games they were certainly in tough.

GAME RECAP - DECEMBER 28 @ OSOYOOS

After a very even first period that saw both goalies shine with 13 saves each, the period ended as it started, 0-0, heading to the second period. In the second period Colin Chmelka opened the scoring for the Coyotes before Steam captain Daylan Robertson tied the game just over a minute later. Dylan Burton also scored at the tail end of the second period on a powerplay to give the Steam a 2-1 lead heading to the third.

In the final frame the Steam held onto the lead until there were just six minutes to go in the game when Colin Chmelka put one past Steam goaltender Brett Huber to tie the game at 2. It also rounded out the scoring, which meant the Steam were off to overtime for the second game in a row.

It only took a little under a minute of extra time for the game to be decided, and it was Jordan Boultbee for the Steam who managed to slide one into the Coyotes' net, past goaltender Lawrence Langan. Although the boxscore has credited the goal to Riley Hunt, it was definitely Boultbee who sealed the deal for the Summerland Steam.

GAME PREVIEW - DECEMBER 29 VS. OSOYOOS

What needs to be said that hasn't been said already? These two teams don't like each other, plain and simple. They play each other extremely hard each and every time they meet and on the back end of a home and home series, that's not likely to change.

Former Coyote Darren Hogg gets the start for the Steam against his former club, while I would expect Nathan Alalouf would go for Osoyoos after Lawrence Langan played last night. The Steam will still be without forward Kendell Wilson, who began skating full speed on Friday and will look to return from a knee injury on January 3rd. They will most likely, however, get Reid Brown back into their lineup which adds even more scoring punch.

You're not going to want to miss this hockey game, as it will be a barn burner at the Summerland Arena. Puck drop is at 2PM and if you can't make it to the rink, we've got all the action on the KIJHL webcast with myself and Dave starting just before puck drop.

STEAM ENTER THE COYOTES' DEN

Tonight the Summerland Steam will travel to Osoyoos to face the Coyotes at the Sun Bowl Arena. They come off a holiday break that saw them take 5 full days off before returning to practice on Friday. The Steam were a team that deserved a break after really turning their season around and gaining at least a point in 16 of their past 18 games through November and December.

 In their last game they saw a 3-2 lead slip away in the second period against Kelowna before clawing back to tie the game 5-5 sending it to overtime. In OT they saw Levi Johnson score for Kelowna on the powerplay to give the Chiefs a 6-5 OT victory. In that game the Steam drew even at the end of the first before taking the lead early in the second. In the latter half of the second they had some defensive lapses in behind their own net that they couldn't get away with, and the situation will be the same against the Coyotes tonight.

It will be the 5th meeting of the season between these two teams, each team having won two games previously. These two teams head into a home & home this weekend separated by only 2 points in the Okanagan Division, with Summerland holding a game in hand on the Coyotes.

Games against these teams are always fast and physical, and it's no secret that once they get on the ice they don't enjoy one another's company all that much. 3 of the first 4 matches between these teams so far this season have been decided by 2 goals or less. The only anomaly being the season opener which was a 4-0 win for the Summerland Steam. Needless to say the game tonight at the Sun Bowl will be a can't miss hockey game that is sure to see some great hockey and has potential for lots of offense.

The key contributors for both teams will have to be just that in order for one team to come out with a win. For the Steam that means their top line of Daylan Robertson, Kienan Scott, and Paulsen Lautard will have to outplay the top line for Osoyoos which is made up of Aaron Azevedo, Colin Chmelka, and Troy Maclise. They'll really have to watch Troy Maclise in this hockey game, as he is considered one of the fastest players in the KIJHL.

He will be rivaled in the speed department by Summerland's Riley Hunt, who has looked good since joining the Steam early in December. He's played predominately with the likes of Reid Brown and Jordan Boultbee on one of Summerlands top 3 scoring lines and has created good chemistry with his teammates in the short time he's been with the team. Look for a big game from him tonight using his speed to create opportunities for himself and his linemates against a very stingy Osoyoos Coyotes D-core led by Cameron Dobransky and Wyatt Trumbley.

Starting goaltenders tonight will likely be Brett Huber for Summerland and Lawrence Langan for Osoyoos. Huber has played 3 out of 4 games against Osoyoos so far this season, winning 2 of 3, including one goose egg.


The puck drops at 7:35 at the Sun Bowl in Osoyoos and it'll surely be a barn burner. If you can't make it to the rink in Osoyoos, join Tom Shields and the crew from Osoyoos

STEAM LOOK TO CONTINUE ROLLING POST HOLIDAY BREAK

The Summerland Steam return to practice on Friday night before they travel to Osoyoos to take on the Coyotes in the first half of a home&home Saturday/Sunday showdown. They'll have to come off the break as hot as they went in, as it only gets tougher from here. Today we're going to have a look at the season to this point as we've reached the "halfway point" to this KIJHL season.

THE RECORD

The Steam got off to a slow start to this KIJHL season even though they won their first 2 contests. They proceeded to lose 5 straight before winning two more. Those two wins at the start of October would be their only 2 wins of the month, as they began a 7 game losing skid that saw them lose 2 key divisional games to the Osoyoos Coyotes and 1 to the Kelowna Chiefs. During this 7 game skid they also fell to 100 Mile House, Chase in OT, and the league-leading (at the time) Nelson Leafs. 

The tables started to turn for the Steam after a 3-2 home loss to the Sicamous Eagles. In that game their play was not indicative of the final score as they outplayed the Eagles by a wide margin but could not get the win they so sorely needed. After the loss to the Eagles, things quickly turned around for the Steam. Their play tightened considerably in their defensive zone and it showed in the standings as the Steam rattled off 7 wins in a row. Some of these wins were key divisional wins over the likes of the Osoyoos Coyotes, the Princeton Posse, and the Kelowna Chiefs.

Every team has a catalyst when it comes to a winning streak, and on the 7 game point streak that saw the Steam climb back up the Okanagan Division it was goaltender Brett Huber. He gave the team solid minutes each and every night that allowed them to push offense, knowing he would be there if they were to give the puck up. He and goaltending partner Darren Hogg have been critical in the success of the Steam since the start of November, with Huber maintaining most of the workload due to a lower body injury to Hogg that saw him sidelined nearly seven weeks. Since his return he's been solid, and he and Huber continue to give the team solid minutes and a chance to win each and every night. 

The Steam have turned things around severely since the calendar turned from October to November, and now into December their record over the past 18 games is an impressive 13-2-1-2, gaining points in 16 of 18 games. Their only two losses over that stretch of games have both come on home ice to the North Okanagan Knights on November 19th and December 3rd.

THE PERSONNEL 

The Steam will need to keep up the strong play, because even though they have points in 16 of 18 games, the division is keeping pace and only getting tougher to play against. The Steam are led in scoring by their top line of Kienan Scott (21G, 15A = 36 PTS), team captain Daylan Robertson (13G, 15A = 28PTS) and Paulsen Lautard (11G, 17A = 28PTS), but it truly is a team effort. The Steam possess 4 forward lines that can play strong defensively as well as put up offense at any time. Their D core is led by veteran Josh Dacosta (6G, 21A = 27PTS) and are very mobile and move the puck out of the defensive zone quickly. They've shown significant improvement over the course of the season under coach John Depourcq and hope to continue their strong play into the later part of the season. The Steam will need all six guys on D to be solid every single night in order to gain some more ground on the Osoyoos Coyotes and the Kelowna Chiefs above them in the standings in the Okanagan Division. 

When the Steam do break down defensively, they've got 2 of the best goaltenders in the KIJHL to back them up. Brett Huber went into the Christmas break holding down 5th overall among KIJHL goaltenders with 11 wins and a 2.60 GAA and a .920 SV% over 24 games played. Darren Hogg has looked sharp since returning from injury and carries a 5-5 record into the second half of this KIJHL season. 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

As mentioned, the Steam return to action Saturday night when they travel to Osoyoos to take on the Coyotes. They will return home for a Sunday afternoon Matinee at 2PM with those same Coyotes to finish off the weekend home and home. If you can't make it to either game, make sure to catch the call on KIJHL.ca with Tom Shields and the crew in Osoyoos on Saturday night, and myself and Dave on Sunday afternoon!

STEAM WIN 2, LOSE 1 IN OT HEADING INTO HOLIDAY BREAK

The week started early for the Summerland Steam this week as they started with a Wednesday night matchup with the North Okanagan Knights in Armstrong. Kienan Scott powered the Steam to a 3-1 victory scoring all three Steam goals, while goaltender Darren Hogg made 37 saves to get the victory. The Steam and the Knights had played each other three times in 31 days including their game on Wednesday and it showed, as both teams were certainly not pleased to see the other.

On Friday night the Steam returned home to faceoff against the Chase Heat. These teams had played once previously, that game being a 4-3 Chase win in overtime on October 19th in Chase. This meeting was not nearly as pleasant to the Chase Heat, as the Steam exploded for 6 goals in the third period to blow a 3-3 game wide open and give them a 9-3 victory. They got two goal performances from Kienan Scott and Sam Nigg, while Michael Winnitoy, Daylan Robertson, Braden Saretsky, and Jordan Boultbee each tallied 1 goal and 1 assist. Brett Huber made 22 saves in the Steam net and was solid when called upon to pick up the win.

Saturday night brought a much tougher test to the Summerland Arena for the Steam as the Kelowna Chiefs paid them a visit. The Chiefs are the leaders of the Okanagan Division and their leading scorer, Nick Josephs, also led the KIJHL in points with 70 going into the contest. Josephs opened the scoring in the first period before a hard-nosed effort from the Steam's Olli Dickson tied the score at one near the end of the first period.

In the second period the teams exchanged goals until Summerland had a 3-2 lead. The lead, however, did not last long, as Nick Josephs took control of the hockey game and led his team to 3 goals in a little under 5 minutes that saw a 3-2 deficit turn to a 5-3 lead going to the third period.

In the third the Steam came out with a purpose. They were helped by the Chiefs taking consecutive major penalties from Jordan Salahor and Austin Fisher to put the Steam on the powerplay for a whole 10 minutes. On the first 5 minutes the Steam weren't able to generate more than one shot, but on the second 5 minute penalty they were able to score twice. The goals came from team captain Daylan Robertson and Braden Saretsky to tie the game at 5. The score would stay the same all the way into overtime, when with :59 seconds remaining on the clock the Steam took a delay of game penalty that sent Kelowna to a 4-on-3 powerplay. On that powerplay it was Nick Josephs once again setting things up for Levi Johnson, who moved out from behind the net with the puck and roofed one on goaltender Brett Huber to lift the Chiefs over victory.

Josephs finished with 5 points on the night (3 Goals, 2 Assists) to bring his KIJHL leading point total to a staggering 75 in just 33 games played.

The Steam will take a 7 day break to spend the holidays with their families before coming back together next Saturday to travel to Osoyoos to take on the Coyotes. They will then return home for a Sunday matinee at 2PM against those same Coyotes to finish off a home and home series. Make sure to come out and support JR hockey in your community as the season goes on and the race in the KIJHL's Okanagan Division gets tighter and tighter. If you can't be at the rink be sure to join us on KIJHL.ca and watch live every home game, or visit our blog (Summerlandsteam.blogspot.ca) for pre-game and post-game comments!

STEAM DERAILED BY JOSEPHS & THE CHIEFS

On Saturday night the Summerland Steam hosted the Kelowna Chiefs in an Okanagan Division showdown. It was their 4th meeting of the season, and Kelowna managed to get their 3rd win of the season series with a 6-5 win on a powerplay in overtime. It was an incredible, almost unbelievable hockey game that saw the two teams play each other fast, hard, and even through the first 30 minutes of hockey. In the final ten minutes of the second period though, KIJHL scoring leader Nick Josephs took control. 

GAME RECAP

The hockey game began with an extremely fast, physical pace and the Steam proved early that they were not going to go away easily against a Kelowna team that has had it's way with most of the rest of the KIJHL. The Chiefs opened the scoring at the 13:38 mark of the 1st period when Nick Josephs flew down the right wing and took a sharp angle shot that beat Steam goaltender Darren Hogg to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. Despite the goal from Kelowna, the period remained very even, and with 2:54 remaining in the period the Steam's emotional leader, Olli Dickson, managed to take a pass from Dylan Burton on front as he was streaking to the net to tie the game at 1. 

The second period brought a whole lot of scoring and a whole bunch of early powerplays for both teams. First it was Paulsen Lautard at the 18:45 mark of the period on the powerplay when he took a pass from Easton Bodeaux and had the patience to spin the puck around Chiefs goaltender Tyler O'Donnell. Soon after that, at 15:41 of the second Nick Headrick tied the game on a powerplay. The Steam came straight back, however, as team captain Daylan Robertson gave them the lead again at the 12:53 mark on the powerplay once again. 

Once the Steam took the lead though, the Chiefs pushed back. Unfortunately, the Steam could not handle it and started making some bad puck management decisions in their own zone that led to three goals in a little over 4 minutes to bring Kelowna back in front 5-3. All three goals, (One from Matt Naka and two from Nick Josephs) came off of Summerland turnovers behind their own net. Two of those three goals came directly off the stick of a Steam defender onto the stick of one of the Chiefs and were tucked into the net while Darren Hogg was waiting for the puck to come out the other side. 

That would spell the end for Darren Hogg as Brett Huber would come in to replace him at the 6:08 mark of the second period. 

Whatever Steam coach John Depourcq said to his team during the second intermission stuck with them heading into the third as they carried the play for the entire period trying to get the time back. They were helped early in the period at the 19:21 mark when Jordan Salahor took a 5 minute major for fighting that was unmatched by the Steam. A scrum had ensued  beside the Kelowna net and as guys were rustling around Salahor came in with his mitts off and started swinging at Olli Dickson. Dickson did not bite, however, as he didn't drop his gloves. Instead he fended off the punches from Salahor until he could put him in a bear hug to tie up his arms and wait for the linesman to come over to retrieve an angry Jordan Salahor. He was escorted off the ice and the penalties came out to 2 minutes for Dickson while Salahor received 2 minutes for being the Agressor, 5 Minutes for fighting and a game misconduct. This left the Steam with a full 5 minute powerplay but unfortunately they were unable to convert. 

In an extremely rare scenario that this broadcaster has never seen before, referee Dustin Minty called the same penalty on Austin Fisher just a minute after Salahor's penalty was over. The Steam's Cooper Holick was being assessed a penalty for cross checking when the Chiefs' Austin Fisher came in with his gloves off and started swinging, much like Salahor just a few minutes earlier. Holick, like Dickson, didn't bite and wouldn't drop the gloves. Fisher received the same penalty as Salahor, 2 for the Agressor, 5 for fighting, and a game misconduct while Cooper Holick was assessed his 2 minute minor for cross checking. This left Summerland once again with a full 5 minute powerplay to try to climb back in the game. 

It wasn't looking good for the Steam as they had trouble getting organized on the powerplay, but they managed to get organized in the final couple of minutes. The Steam managed to climb within one goal at the 9:46 mark of the period when a shot from the point by Riley Hunt was tipped in by captain Daylan Robertson. Not long after Robertson's goal, Braden Saretsky managed to tie the game on the powerplay once again. This leveled the score at 5 and rounded out the scoring for the first 3 periods, sending these two teams to overtime with a point each. 

 In the extra frame the Steam carried the play until there were :59 seconds left on the clock. Rylan Sideroff, while trying to clear the puck out of the Steam zone off the glass, put it over the glass and put his team shorthanded. They almost got out of the first overtime as Brett Huber was sensational on the 4-on-3 Kelowna powerplay, but with 3 seconds left on the clock the puck was worked to the side of the net by Nick Josephs. Once there, AP Levi Johnson stepped out from behind the net with the puck and roofed it short side on Brett Huber, sending the Steam home with one less point than they wanted. 


All in all it was a good week for the Steam leading into the Christmas break as they secured 5 out of a possible 6 points in three games. They'll now take a week off to enjoy the holidays with their families and they're back to action on Saturday, December 28th as they travel south to face the Osoyoos Coyotes. They return home on December 29 for a 2PM Matinee against those same Coyotes in the back end of a home and home series. 

CHIEFS INVADE 'THE STATION'

On Saturday night the Summerland Steam will host the Kelowna Chiefs. The Steam are coming off a big third period outburst that saw them score six goals to down the Chase Heat 9-3. Their big offensive threats were once again prominent as Kienan Scott and Sam Nigg both scored twice and Daylan Robertson, Jordan Boultbee, Reid Brown, Braden Saretsky and Michael Winnitoy each added a goal to the total.

Tonight the Steam will be without Reid Brown and Jordan Boultbee, so the offensive mountain might be a little more difficult to climb. Getting a win tonight against a high-powered Kelowna Chiefs team will require limiting defensive mistakes, discipline, and a strong goaltending performance from projected starter Darren Hogg.

Brett Huber started last night for the Steam and performed admirably stopping 22 of 25 shots to get the win. He was not tested all that often against the Heat, but when he was he was sharp. One of the Chase goals came on a 5on3 powerplay and the other two came in quick succession in the second period, both shots that were deflected by Summerland defenders. Huber was especially good in the first period when his team got into some penalty trouble and he was forced to be the Steam's best penalty killer.

Tonight Darren Hogg will take the net when the puck drops against the Chiefs. He's been solid since returning from a lower body injury that saw him miss nearly seven weeks of action, especially in his last start on Wednesday night against the North Okanagan Knights where he made 37 saves in a 3-1 victory.

It will take nothing short of a complete 60 minute team effort for Summerland to get a win in their last game before the Christmas break, and they'll surely be looking to go home with 2 points at the end of the night.

THE OPPONENT:  KELOWNA CHIEFS

The Chiefs come into Summerland for tonight's contest having beat the Princeton Posse on Friday night by a score of 5-3. They went 3 for 4 on the powerplay, and they've proven that they can flex their offensive muscles with more than just the line of Nick Josephs, Jagger Bowles, and Jordan Salahor. For instance, in last night's win over the Posse they got a hat trick from Nicholas Kovacik and one each from Brady Mende and Chase Astorino.

The Chiefs play tight defensive hockey and have an explosive offense that put up shot totals in the 40's just about every night. When the do have a defensive lapse, they've got the goaltending to back it up in Tyler O'Donnell and former Steam goaltender Connor DeMelo. DeMelo started last night against Princeton, which would lead to believe that Summerland will see Tyler O'Donnell for the first time this season.

The puck drops at 7:30PM and Nester's Market is our game night sponsor. They will be presenting Turkey Bowling tonight, so make sure you get out and support the local community and this great hockey team! If you can't make it out, as for every home game, we'll have all the action streaming live on KIJHL.ca starting just before puck drop.

STEAM SCORE IN BUNCHES TO DOWN THE HEAT

On Friday night the Summerland Steam hosted the Chase Heat at the Summerland Arena. Both teams came in after each registering a 3-1 victory on Wednesday evening against the North Okanagan Knights and the Sicamous Eagles, respectively. The Steam were greeted by a familiar face on the opposing team as former Steam forward Austin Lee was in the starting lineup for the Chase Heat. The Steam were looking to continue their strong play as they were looking to get at least a point in their 6th straight game. In this hockey game it did not take long for these two teams to renew acquaintances from their October 19th meeting, and the boxscore showed just how much these two teams dislike each other. The penalties started early, as did the scoring, and the game was tight until the third when the Steam exploded for six goals to take the game by a final score of 9-3.

GAME RECAP

There were 11 penalties handed out in the first period, including a Checking From Behind penalty and a game misconduct to Chase defenseman Connor Harding who drove Riley Hunt into the corner boards late in the period. The only goal of the period came off the stick of Chase d-man Buddy Summers, who ripped a shot high over the glove of Steam goaltender Brett Huber to give his team a 1-0 lead on a 5on3 Powerplay.

The scoring and the parade to the penalty box both started early in the second period on the powerplay as the Steam evened the score at 1 on a shot from Sam Nigg off the right wing boards. The Steam got 2 more goals in quick succession as Reid Brown scored just 24 seconds later as he moved around a Heat defender and made a beautiful move around Chase goaltender Jacob Mattes to give the Steam a 2-1 lead. Just over 2 minutes later, Kienan Scott got in on the action as Daylan Robertson fed him a beautiful pass on the far post that he was able to deposit into the yawning cage to extend the lead to 3-1. The lead, however, would not last long as just under 5 minutes later the Heat got goals from Kaleb Boyle and Connor Venne just 56 seconds apart. This leveled the score at 3-3 to end the second period and head to a third that would decide who would go home with the two points.

The Steam came out the hungrier team in the third period, and it started early with the captain, Daylan Robertson swinging off the wall and rifling a shot over the glove of Jacob Mattes. Robertson's goal was followed in quick succession by a goal from Jordan Boultbee just 38 seconds later. 1:49 later a sharp angle shot from Michael Winnitoy went off the side of the Heat goaltender to bring the Steam lead to 6-3. Kienan Scott then added another, his fifth goal in two games. It was an absolute beauty as he came down the right wing with speed and beat a defenseman to the wide side before pulling the puck around a sprawling Mattes to extend the lead to 7-3. That would be it for Jacob Mattes as Josh Shank came in in relief.

He was met with a rude welcome as Braden Saretsky potted the Steam's 8th goal of the night with a shot from the right circle that snuck through his 5-hole. The final nail in the coffin came with just a second left on the clock as off a faceoff a shot from Josh Dacosta was stopped by Shank before Sam Nigg was able to pot the rebound for his second of the night to round out the scoring at 9-3 in favor of the Steam.

Former Steam forward Austin Lee saw first line minutes in his return to Summerland and finished the night with a couple of minor penalties. With just over 10 minutes left in the hockey game he challenged Steam defenseman and former teammate Michael Winnitoy to a scrap and got the best of him as both guys punched their ticket to an early shower.

The Steam were solid in the win against the Heat, and will look to continue to roll as they host the division leading Kelowna Chiefs tomorrow night. Make sure to join us at the Summerland Arena for what will surely be an extremely entertaining hockey game! If for some reason you can't join us in the rink, make sure to join us on the KIJHL webcast starting just before puck drop at 7:30!

STEAM HOST HEAT

Tonight the Summerland Steam return home to face the Chase Heat. The Steam last played Wednesday night in Armstrong, defeating the North Okanagan Knights by the score of 3-1. Kienan Scott was once again an offensive force to be reckoned with as he scored all three Summerland goals leading to the victory. It was a solid team effort and a positive end result that saw them push past the Knights for sole possession of 3rd in the Okanagan Division while still maintaining 2 games in hand over the Knights and the Kelowna Chiefs. The Steam also hold 3 games in hand over the Osoyoos Coyotes, one of which will be used tonight. 

Tonight the Steam turn their attention to the Chase Heat. The Heat also played on Wednesday evening, hosting the Sicamous Eagles and managing a 3-1 victory. The Steam and the Heat have collided once already this season, that meeting being October 19th in Chase with the Heat prevailing 4-3 in Overtime. In that game the Steam carried a 3-1 lead to the final minute of play before Chase scored twice to tie the game and Chad Wilde won the game for the Heat in overtime. 

This game was one of Summerland's 7 losses in a row early in the season. During this span they had trouble with pucks in their own end of the ice and that led to offensive struggles. The team the Chase Heat will see tonight, however, is an extremely different hockey team than they saw on October 19th. The Steam have simplified their defensive zone play and that has led to more speed through the middle and chances in the offensive zone off of rushes. They'll need to continue the trend of strong play they've shown since the start of November in order to beat a very tough hockey club from Chase. 

The Steam will be without Kendall Wilson once again as he continues to rehab a nagging knee injury that's seen him sidelined since November 15th. The Steam will also be without forward Gordon Walters, who will serve a 1 game suspension for an altercation in the first period of the Wednesday night victory over the North Okanagan Knights. The Steam will have one AP in the lineup tonight as forward Cody Egilson gets the call in favor of the suspended Walters. 

Braden Saretsky and Easton Bodeaux will both be game-time decisions for the Steam, and Brett Huber will make his 23rd appearance and 22nd start of the season between the pipes for Summerland.

Huber has been stellar so far this season, posting a 2.59 GAA and a .921 Sv% through his 22 appearances to date, good for 5th overall among KIJHL goaltenders. He has been a big reason for the Steam's success so far this season, and he'll look to continue to play well against Chase tonight. 

The puck hits the ice just after 7:30 at the Summerland Arena so be sure to come out and support the boys as they look to continue their ascension in the Okanagan Division standings. If for some reason you can't make it out, make sure to join us for all the action on KIJHL.ca and check out the blog after the game!

SCOTT POWERS STEAM ENGINE PAST KNIGHTS

On Wednesday night the Summerland Steam took to the ice in Armstrong at the Nor-Val Center to face-off with the North Okanagan Knights. These two teams have seen a lot of each other as they've played 3 times in 31 days since November 19, and it didn't take long for the blood to start boiling in this hockey game. The Knights won the first two meetings of the season, but that was not the case tonight as the Steam managed to put together a solid 3-1 victory on the road.

GAME RECAP: 

The Steam were a little sluggish early, allowing 11 shots by the Knights in the first 10 minutes of the period. The Knights opened the scoring early in the first period as two Summerland Steam defenders collided, allowing Tanner Cochrane to walk into the slot all by himself and drive a shot past Steam goaltender Darren Hogg to give his team a 1-0 lead. That would be all they would get, however, as Hogg stood tall in the Summerland net stopping 37 of 38 shots he faced in the contest.

Before the Steam managed to tie the game the extracurricular activity got started as Gordon Walters took exception to a hit from behind in the corner to the left of the Summerland goal. This led to a bit of a scuffle that saw 2 fights on the same play. When the dust settled the Steam would be without Walters as well as Cooper Holick for the remainder of the hockey game as both were given major penalties for fighting and game misconducts along with their counterparts Logan Geefs and Blaine Caton. The Steam ended up shorthanded for 4 minutes when the dust settled, but managed to kill it with the help of a penalty by North Okanagan halfway through the four minute powerplay.

When the Steam finally did manage to tie it up, it was Steam leading scorer Kienan Scott who converted to tie the game at 1 heading into the second period.

The second frame was quite a bit more ho-hum than the first. The action was far more fluid due to less penalties, although Michael Winnitoy and TJ Christensen got into it in front of the Steam net after a stoppage, earning them each nothing more than a 10-minute misconduct for their trouble.

It looked as though the period would remain scoreless and the teams would head to the dressing room again tied 1-1. That was until Dylan Burton flew down the left wing and pulled the puck to his backhand before making a highlight real pass to a wide open Kienan Scott at the far post. He deposited the puck past Knights goaltender Zach Dyment to give the Steam a 2-1 lead with :40 seconds remaining in the second, and they headed to the dressing room with the lead.

To the Steam's credit, they did not come out and sit on a lead in the third period. They kept the pace of the game and made sure they had equal number of chances. On the chances they did give up, Darren Hogg was equal to the task, making 14 of his 37 saves in the third period. At the halfway point of the period the Steam got the goal that gave them a two goal lead to make it 3-1 on the powerplay from none other than Kienan Scott to complete his hat trick and round out the scoring in the game.

6 different players managed assists for the Steam on the night as Josh Dacosta, Sam Nigg, Dylan Burton, Daylan Robertson, Riley Hunt, and Paulsen Lautard all chipped in on Scott's goals to help the Steam to victory.

The two points tonight are huge as they allow Summerland to jump ahead of the Knights in the Okanagan Division standings while continuing to hold 2 games in hand. The Steam were also done a favor by the Princeton Posse on this Wedneseday, who shut out the Osoyoos Coyotes by a score of 5-0. The Steam now hold onto sole possession of 3rd place in the Okanagan Division with 35 points, 5 points behind the Coyotes while holding 3 games in hand.

The Steam will look to ride this victory into Friday night when they return home to host the Chase Heat. That one is set for a 7:30 puck drop at 'The Station' (Summerland Arena). We'll have the broadcast for you on KIJHL.ca if you can't make it out to what should be a very entertaining hockey game!

STEAM ROLL INTO KNIGHTS' TERRITORY

On Wednesday night the Summerland Steam will take to the road and pay a visit to the division rival North Okanagan Knights. The two teams have had two very competitive and emotional games against one another so far this season with the Knights coming out on top 5-3 in the first meeting on November 19th, and 3-1 on December 3rd. In their last meeting the Steam mustered very little offense while being frustrated by Knights' goaltender Zach Dyment, who was sensational in the 3-1 win for his team.

The last two meetings between these two teams have come within the confines of the Summerland Arena, and Summerland will look to turn their fortunes around on Wednesday night when they visit the Nor-Val Center in Armstrong for the first time this season.

The Steam head into Armstrong tonight with a 15-12-1-2 record and sit tied with these North Okanagan Knights with 33 points. The Steam do, however, have 2 games in hand on the Knights and will continue to hold that advantage no matter the outcome tonight.

The Steam come into a new week of play after managing to grab 3 out of 4 points in their two games this past weekend against a very tough Kamloops team and a Spokane Braves squad riding a win streak while scoring an absolute ton. They'll surely try to continue the roll as they attempt to climb the standings into a more favorable position.

Their recent record is a direct consequence of much improved defensive play and a sturdy goaltending tandem of Brett Huber and Darren Hogg. Early in the season the Steam struggled to get the puck out of their own zone, but lately they've made minor adjustments that makes life for their defense core and their goaltenders much easier. They've always had the offensive talent up front to put up a lot of offense, and scoring goals has been made much easier lately by clean defensive zone play and minimal turnovers numbers.

The Steam have also driven shots on goal at a much higher rate in the past five games, which has contributed to the offense they've been able to put up against good teams such as Castlegar and Kamloops. That will be a trend that will need to continue in order to come away from the Nor-Val Arena in Armstrong with 2 points against a very good North Okanagan Knights team.

Puck drop is at 7PM! Make sure to catch the call on KIJHL.ca with the North Okanagan Knights Webcast!

Our next broadcast is Friday night as the Chase Heat visit the Summerland Arena for a 7:30 puck drop!

STEAM HALT BRAVES WIN STREAK

This afternoon the Summerland Steam took to home ice against the Spokane Braves. The Braves came into the Summerland Arena riding high off a 7-0 drubbing of the Kelowna Chiefs on Saturday night. They also put the boots to the North Okanagan Knights on Friday night, winning that one 5-3.

The Steam fell in overtime to the Kamloops Storm on Saturday night and came out on this Sunday afternoon with something to prove. They got off to a slow start, however, as Brett Huber had to hold the Steam in the game in the first period facing 17 Braves' shots. Near the end of the period the Braves opened the scoring on a powerplay, as Sean Collins was the benefactor of a bouncing puck that came in from the point. It fell right onto his stick and he put it past a sprawling Brett Huber who was looking for the puck.

That was the only scoring to be had in the first period as the Steam were heartily outshot 17-6. Brett Huber was the story as he was solid throughout the entire game, holding the Braves to two goals on 32 Braves shots in a game that was dominated by the Braves in the early going.

It didn't take long for the Steam to get into penalty trouble in the second period, and at one point the Steam had penalties stacked on top of one another. The Spokane Braves managed one goal on a 5-on-3 man advantage as Kyle Davis found a wide open Dillon Bogart at the side of the net to extend the Braves' lead to 2-0.

When the Steam finally played themselves out of penalty trouble they got a powerplay of their own, and the Steam's leading and most dependable offensive threat, Kienan Scott, pulled them within one with just over 2 minutes to play in the second period.

As the third period started the Steam came out firing on all cylinders. Just three minutes into the period, the Steam's emotional leader, Olli Dickson, pulled the Steam even on a broken play that saw the puck squirt loose to the side of the net for him to poke past Braves goaltender Zach Straza.

The score stayed tied and these two teams were destined for overtime until Dylan Burton was the beneficiary of a bounce at the side of the net which he potted to give the Steam a 3-2 lead. Once the Steam took the lead the Braves really put their foot on the gas pedal. They spent the last 2 minutes of the game in the Summerland end of the ice until with :42 seconds remaining on the clock Kienan Scott got his second of the night, putting a puck into the empty Spokane net from center ice to round)  out the scoring.

3 STARS

3) #1 ZACH STRAZA (SPO)
2) BRETT HUBER (SS)
1) KIENAN SCOTT (SS)

Olli Dickson, Kienan Scott, Paulsen Lautard, and Sam Nigg all contributed to what turned out to be a tidy 4-2 win for the Summerland Steam. The Steam took 3 of a possible 4 points from their 2 games on the weekend and improved their strength in the standings, despite not gaining any ground. By this of course I mean they kept up. The teams above them all played this weekend as well which means they still hold three games in hand on the rest of the division.

They will play a mid week game this week on Wednesday night as they hop on the bus and go to Armstrong to face the North Okanagan Knights, the team directly above them in the standings. They will return home Friday night to face the Chase Heat at the Summerland Arena.

Be sure to jump on KIJHL.ca and follow the team on the road as well as at home on the webcasts!

BRAVES COME TO TOWN

The Summerland Steam return home this afternoon looking for a solid bounce back effort after a 3-2 loss to the Kamloops Storm last night in Kamloops. The Steam held the lead twice in that game before surrendering the winning goal with 1:55 to play in overtime. Michael Winnitoy and Kienan Scott scored the goals for the Steam, and both will look to continue the offensive push this afternoon.

Today the Spokane Braves come to town. They sit 4th in the Neil Murdoch Division, and come in off two big wins this weekend. on Friday night they took down the North Okanagan Knights before laying a beat down on the Kelowna Chiefs 7-0 last night. Their offense is potent at the moment and the Steam will have to be cognizant of that.

I would expect in back to back games with Darren Hogg taking the net last night that it will be Brett Huber between the pipes for the Summerland Steam this afternoon. Huber has been solid in his 21 games played posting a 2.62 GAA and a .921 Save %. He's kept the Steam close in a lot of games this season, and with how powerful the offense has been for Spokane he may have to do the same again today.

Puck drops at 2PM today and our game day sponsor is your hometown proud Summerland IGA. Make sure you come out to the game and take your chance to be involved in the buggy race during the intermission!

If you can't make it out, we'll have all the action live on KIJHL.ca starting just before puck drop at 2PM!

STEAM STOPPED IN OVERTIME BY STORM

The Summerland Steam traveled to Kamloops on Friday night to face one of the top teams in the league in the Kamloops Storm. These teams renewed acquaintances after a Sunday matinee last weekend that saw the Steam sneak out of the Summerland Arena with a 5-4 double overtime victory thanks to a goal from Sam Nigg.

On this night however, six nights later,  the Steam were not so lucky. It started off well for Summerland as they took a 1-0 lead early in the first period on a goal from Michael Winnitoy. They were outshot in the period however, as they allowed 14 shots on net while only managing 9 for themselves. Nearing the tail end of the period the Storm evened the score at 1 when Luke Gordon put a puck past Steam goaltender Darren Hogg.

The second period brought a few scoring chances for each team but no scoring, as the game remained tied after the buzzer went to end the second.

In the third each team managed a goal as Kienan Scott got his 14th of the season and his team leading 28th point to give the Steam a 2-1 lead with 13 minutes to go in the contest. It took just over two minutes for Kamloops to tie the game, however, as Daniel Buchanan took a pass from Luke Gordon to tie the game at two.

Despite a push from both sides, the buzzer went after 60 minutes with the game tied and that sent these two teams to overtime. In the overtime period with just under 2 minutes remaining Max James scored for Kamloops to take the second point and give his team the win.

It's a heartbreaking loss for the Summerland Steam who held the lead twice in the game and unfortunately could not hang on. They will surely look to turn their fortunes around at home tomorrow afternoon against the Spokane Braves. The Braves come in to Summerland for tomorrow's matinee affair after a 7-0 drubbing of the Okanagan Division leading Kelowna Chiefs.

The puck drops at 2PM. Make sure to join us pre-game on the KIJHL website as we get you set for puck drop.

STEAM ROLL INTO A STORM

Tonight the Summerland Steam travel to Kamloops to take on the Kamloops Storm. The two teams met in a thriller of a meeting last Sunday, with the Steam coming from behind to win the game in double overtime. Tonight is sure to be another entertaining match-up as the Steam look to keep pace with the rest of the Okanagan Division. Every team in the division will play tonight as the race gets tighter and tighter. Right now the Steam sit 3 points back of the third place North Okanagan Knights, 6 points back of the Osoyoos Coyotes, and 13 points behind the division leading Kelowna Chiefs. The wild card is that the Steam hold three games in hand, which puts them well within reach of second place in the division heading into play this weekend.

Let's start with the Steam:

The Steam have really turned their fortunes around since the beginning of November after a dismal October that saw a 7 game losing streak hinder their position in the standings. Thankfully, they followed the 7 game slide with a 7 game win streak that brought them back to the middle of the pack in the Okanagan Division Standings. They've followed up a solid November with a great start to December as they look to continue their ascension in the standings.

Recent additions such as Riley Hunt and Dylan Burton have allowed Steam coach John DePourcq to spread his offensive players across all four lines and provide a balanced scoring attack which has led to 22 goals over the past 5 games. They are led by their top line of Daylan Robertson, Paulsen Lautard, and Kienan Scott. Since arriving with the Steam in October, Scott has taken the team lead in scoring and has at least a point in all but two games he's played in a Summerland Steam uniform.

The scorers may get all the glamour, but the heart and soul of the Steam during this solid run of play has been solid play outside the opposition's blue line. They're led defensively by Alex Williams and Michael Winnitoy, who've been solid in their defensive zone from the outset of the season. The rest of the defensive core has followed suit of late, and the Steam seem to be working on giving up less shots and making cleaner zone exits into the neutral zone. One of the most positive things for the Steam has been the play of their forwards in all three zones. Olli Dickson has led the Steam forwards in defensive play of late, and seems to have helped set an example for the rest of the forwards to make sure they're defensively responsible.

Now let's take a quick look at the opponent:

The Opponent: Kamloops Storm

The Storm are a team that is strong defensively, and will prove as a stiff test once again for the Steam's offense. The Steam will need all four lines rolling in sync and a strong defensive effort in order to come out of the McArthur Park Arena with 2 points. The Steam will really have to watch the top end offensive talent that Kamloops possesses in the likes of Daniel Buchanan, Josh Rasmussen, and Brock Balson just to name a few. They also boast strong goaltending in a tandem of Wade Moyles and Liam McLeod, and they will prove a difficult test for the Steam on the road tonight.

Their loss to the Steam last Sunday ended a 12 game winning streak that saw them climb to the top of the league standings. They proved the loss was a minor speed bump on Friday night when they took to the ice and put forth a strong effort in a 5-2 win over the 100 Mile House Wranglers. They'll surely be looking to come out with another good effort on home ice and put the Steam on their heels early.

Game time tonight is a 7PM puck drop. Make sure to jump onto KIJHL.ca and catch the Storm's webcast!

Steam Find Scoring Touch in Win Over Rebels

Tonight the Summerland Steam hosted the Castlegar Rebels, and it was clear from the very get go that these two teams do not like each other. Tension was high from the beginning, and only got worse as the game continued. These two teams met previously just over two weeks ago and skated to a 2-2 draw, but that was far from the story tonight.

The Steam came out firing on all cylinders and newcomer Riley Hunt opened the scoring with a shorthanded thing of beauty just under halfway through the first period. Youngster Carter Rhine picked up his first point in the KIJHL on the play as he sent a cross-ice pass to Michael Winnitoy who then sprung Hunt up the right wing. Hunt was met by a Rebels' defender at the blue line who he promptly stepped around before rifling a perfect shot over the glove side shoulder of goaltender Patrick Zubick and into the top corner. The goal garnered ooh's and aww's from both the fans and his teammates, and more importantly gave his team the 1-0 lead.

Near the end of the period the Rebels tied the game on a power play, however, as Derek Georgopoulos managed to find a puck out of a scrum in front of the Summerland goal and put it into the back of the net.

The Steam bounced back at the start of the second period though, as they exploded for four goals in the period. Jordan Boultbee tipped one home on the power play just under 5 minutes into the period before the Steam added another from captain Daylan Robertson on a 2-on-1 a couple minutes later. Just 1:26 after that Reid Brown potted his first of two on the night on a beautiful cross-ice pass from Riley Hunt. Michael Winnitoy capped the scoring in the second period with 2:47 to go in the period as he took a pass out of the corner from Sam Nigg and deposited it behind Zubick to give the Steam a 5-1 lead.

To start the third the Rebels made a goaltending change as Nate Rabbit came into the game in relief of Patrick Zubick. This seemed to spark the Rebels as they scored two goals just eleven seconds apart, the first from Mike Bhatoa and the second from captain Kody Disher. All of a sudden it was 5-3 and it felt like a much more tense situation for the Steam until just 1:17 later when Sam Nigg walked into the middle of the ice and wired home a wrister to make it 6-3. That goal was followed by another from Daylan Robertson on a beautiful passing play between Lautard, Scott, and Robertson that ended with Robertson sliding the puck through the pads of Rabbit.

Reid Brown added his second of the night before Connor Beauchemin finished off a pass from Matt Reed on a 2-on-1 to make the final score 8-3 in favour of the Summerland Steam. Summerland fired 34 shots on the Castelgar goal while Darren Hogg stopped 34 of 38 shots and also picked himself up an assist on the night.

Michael Winnitoy led the stat sheet with 3 points, while Jordan Boultbee, Riley Hunt, Sam Nigg, Reid Brown, and Daylan Robertson all finished with 2 points each.

The Steam will welcome the streaking Kamloops Storm to the Summerland Arena this Sunday for a 2PM matinee. The Storm have won 11 in a row including their 5-2 win over the Chase Heat on this Friday night. It will be a good tilt between two good teams, so make sure to get out to the rink or join us on the KIJHL webcast starting just before puck drop!

Rebels invade the 'Station'

The Summerland Steam will host the Castlegar Rebels tonight at the Summerland Arena as they look to get back on track with a win. Their last game came Tuesday evening against the division rival North Okanagan Knights, where they were stymied by a hot goalie in Zach Dyment and took a tough 3-1 defeat.

What You Need To Know:

Tonight they turn their attention to the Castlegar Rebels. In one previous meeting this season the two teams found themselves in a 2-2 tie after 65 minutes and each walked away with a point. The Rebels sit third in the Neil Murdoch division with a 14-10-1-3 record and they come into Summerland riding a 3 game win streak with wins over Golden and North Okanagan, with the latest victims being the Spokane Braves.

The Steam come in tonight with an even .500 winning percentage on the season sitting at 12-12-1-1, good enough for fourth place in the Okanagan Division. They will be looking to start another winning streak tonight and try to make up some ground on the teams directly above them, the North Okanagan Knights and the Osoyoos Coyotes.


3 Keys To The Game

1) The Power Play
The Steam have struggled on the power play of late, most noticeably in the final minutes of their last game which saw a failure to convert on 2 full minutes of 5-on-3 man advantage late in a one-goal game. The Neil Murdoch division in which the Rebels play is a much bigger, more physical division that plays a much more hard-nosed brand of hockey. The Steam will look to make an advantage out of that by drawing some penalties tonight and trying to score with the man advantage.

2) Traffic 
The Steam have to be sure to drive traffic to the front of the Castlegar net. When the Steam are at their best they are playing physically below the goal line and driving shots from the points with traffic in front, and they have to make sure they're doing that tonight if they want to come out of the rink with the two points.

3) Tight Defense
The Castlegar Rebels have a high powered attack and their offense is hot at the moment. They've scored 19 goals in their past three games and have a big forward group who will for sure come with some bite. The Steam will have to do a better job than in previous games in their defensive zone making sure to limit turnovers and make a clear off the glass rather than trying to pass the puck out of the zone.



The puck drops at 7:30 at the Summerland Arena and tickets at the door are just $8. Make sure to come out and support local Jr. hockey if you can! If not, we'll have all the action with myself and Dave on the KIJHL Webcast starting just before puck drop at 7:25

STEAM TRAIN STOPPED BY KNIGHTS

The Summerland Steam played host on Tuesday night to the division rival North Okanagan Knights at the Summerland Arena. They were looking to climb over the Knights in the standings but instead took a step back, falling to the Knights by a score of 3-1. It was a very even game with many chances at each end, and both goaltenders were good and gave their teams a chance to win. The difference in the game by far was North Okanagan goaltender Zach Dyment who made 29 saves on 30 Summerland Steam shots to pick up the win and the 2 points for his team. His counterpart, Brett Huber, allowed 2 goals on 23 Knights' shots and was solid despite some sloppy defensive play by his teammates in their own zone.

It started off very well for the Steam as their leading scorer, Kienan Scott, opened the scoring early in the first period with a sharp angle shot that beat Dyment to give his team a 1-0 lead. The lead held until about the 16 minute mark of the period when a shot from Morgan Johnston eluded Brett Huber after finding it's way through a sea of bodies to tie the game at 1.

In the second period both goalie's stood tall as neither team could score while trading power plays throughout the period. The Steam had several opportunities on the power play in the period and failed to get set up on several of them, while the Knights had a couple of shots on their power play but were stifled by a solid penalty kill.

Both teams returned to the ice for the third period desperate to pick up the two points, and after several chances at either end Blake Culbert deposited a puck into the Steam net to give the Knights a 2-1 lead with 6:16 to go in the third period. The Steam had an opportunity with 2:45 left to tie the game when North Okanagan took 2 penalties on the same play, giving them a full 2 minutes of 5-on-3 man advantage. Unfortunately they were met by Zach Dyment in the Knights' crease and were not able to capitalize on the opportunity. With 1 second left on the game clock the Knights managed to ice the win with an empty net goal from Brett Hawrys.

Overall it was a tightly contested hockey game with the difference being the Knights' goaltender. The Steam looked a little unorganized in their own zone and a little disjointed on the power play, but those are two things they will look to work on in practice this week after being out of game action for the past ten days.

3 Stars:

3) #91 Kienan Scott (Summerland Steam)
2) #17 Morgan Johnston (North Okanagan Knights)
1) #30 Zach Dyment (North Okanagan Knights)


The Steam now trail the Knights in the standings by 3 points with one game in hand, and will look to rebound on Friday night when they welcome the Castlegar Rebels into the Summerland Arena. Puck drop will be at 7:30 and we will be on the air for the KIJHL webcast just prior to get you set with everything you need to know!

Knights on the tracks

Tonight the Summerland Steam come off a 10 day break to host the North Okanagan Knights! The puck drops at 7:30 at the Summerland Arena and tickets to the game are just $5!

These two teams last met on November 19th, a meeting which saw Summerland take a 3-2 lead in the third before allowing the Knights to come back and win 5-3. The Steam will have to learn from their mistakes and not allow 2 more points to slip away as the race in the Okanagan Division remains as tight as ever. These two teams are separated by just a point in the middle of the division, and will both be looking to gain some traction and make up some ground on the division leaders. 

Summerland comes into tonight's game off a 10 day break, their last game being a 5-1 win over the Princeton Posse on November 23. The 10 day break couldn't have come at a better time for the team, however, as it allowed a few guys who were banged up a little extra time to work their way back into the lineup. Rylan Sideroff, Jordan Boultbee, and goaltender Darren Hogg are all expected to be back in the lineup tonight after a solid week of practice. Kendall Wilson is still doubtful and is expected to miss a little more time rehabilitating a knee injury that's seen him miss the past 2 games. 

It looks like it will be a battle of two of the top goaltenders in the KIJHL tonight as the projected starters are Brett Huber (19GP, 2.53 GAA, .926 SV%) for the Steam and Mitch Profeit (13GP, 2.50 GAA, .920 SV%) for the Knights. 

Puck drops at 7:30, tickets are just $5, and it will be a great game full of emotion and energy! Make sure you come out and support JR hockey in your community! If you can't make it to the rink, we'll have all the action available to you on KIJHL.CA starting just before puck drop at about 7:25! 

STEAM ROLL OVER POSSE // NOV 23, 2013

The Summerland Steam played host on Saturday night to the visiting Princeton Posse, and came out on top with a 5-1 victory. The Steam came in after losing a close game to the North Okanagan Knights on Tuesday night, and Princeton came in after suffering defeat at the hands of the division leading Kelowna Chiefs on Friday. Both teams were looking to get back on the winning track and gain some ground in a very tough Okanagan Division.

First period action saw the Steam outshoot the Princeton Posse 21-8, and come out with a 1-0 lead on a goal from Paulsen Lautard at the 3:30 mark of the period. A giveaway in front of the Princeton net onto the stick of Daylan Robertson allowed the Steam a second shot opportunity and Lautard made no mistake putting the puck past the outstretched leg of Posse goaltender Scott Legault.

In the second the script was flipped, as Princeton really took it to the Summerland Steam. The Posse managed 12 shots on Steam starter Brett Huber, and just 3 minutes into the period they were able to even the score. A shot from defenseman Kendal Biro rang off the post to the right of the Steam goaltender and right onto the stick of Destin Robinson, who was able to slide it into a yawning cage to tie the game 1-1. Both teams pushed for that second goal to give them the lead, but neither were successful and the period ended in a 1-1 tie.

The third period brought these two Okanagan Division rivals together with 2 points hanging in the balance, and the Summerland Steam were able to capitalize on their opportunity. The game winner came just 2:39 into the third off the stick of Gordon Walters. He was able to shake a defender as he skated down the wing and potted his first career KIJHL goal to give his team the lead early in the 3rd. That goal also marked the first point of the season for Summerland native Nelson Hurry, who made a nice pass to Walters as he came through the neutral zone. That goal made it 2-1, and the Steam rolled on from there. The next tally came off the stick of Reid Brown, who took a shot from the circle that bounced off a Princeton defender and behind Legault to extend the lead to 3-1 with 14:10 to go in the third. Brown tallied again on a shorthanded breakaway into an empty net with 1:28 to go in the third to make it 4-1 before Kienan Scott iced it just 28 later with a goal off a 2on1 with Paulsen Lautard.

It was a tightly contested hockey game that was not indicative of the final score. Princeton came in with bite and played a good road game through two periods, but they were simply outmatched in the third. Brett Huber put in a tidy effort stopping 28 of the 29 Posse shots he saw in the game.

The Steam move on to face the North Okanagan Knights at the Summerland Arena on December 3rd. It's a Tuesday night tilt between two teams fighting for position in the Okanagan Division, so there will be no shortage of emotion in the game.

Come on out and support the great young talent in the KIJHL, and if you can't, join myself and the broadcast team for the game on KIJHL.ca! We've got you covered!

Full BoxScore: http://www.kijhl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=2223&leagueID=5221&gameID=1242143