ALLKINS LAUNCHES ROCKETS TO VICTORY IN OT

A shot from Summerland's Wyatt Gale goes off the post and out in
Overtime during a game on Friday, November 7th.
Photo Credit: Sarah Mayer

It wasn't the result the Summerland Steam were hoping to get on Friday night at home, but the effort was once again there. After a tough first period filled with avoidable penalties, the boys in white got it together and thoroughly took it to the Golden Rockets for the remaining 45 minutes of play.

 The scoring started in the first period when Golden Rockets Forward Spencer Gerth was able to tip a shot from teammate Brennan Fuoco past Steam goaltender Brett Huber to give the Rockets a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after the opening salvo was fired, Summerland got into penalty trouble and were forced back onto their heels for the final 10 minutes of the first period. There were 4 penalties taken in a 3 minute span, and it put the Steam's penalty kill to work for the majority of the last 10 minutes of the first period. Thankfully, Summerland wouldn't be punished for their parade to the penalty box as they were able to kill all the penalties off and get out the period down only 1-0.

In the first minute of the 2nd period it looked as though the Steam were going to turn up the heat on the Rockets. With 3 shots in the first minute it was looking positive for Summerland until Golden got a break against the run of the play. After a pinch by a Summerland defenseman, Tanner Watt was able to take a pass from teammate Cole Mcechney and chip a puck up over the shoulder of Brett Huber to extend their lead to 2-0.

Despite the second Golden goal, Summerland continued to push into the offensive zone, and were finally rewarded midway through the second period. With 15;49 to play in the period Rylan Sideroff was able to hammer home his 3rd of the year from the slot after good work from his linemates, Coleton Fisher and Braden Saretsky. Both would collect assists on the goal, and Summerland immediately went back to work trying to get the game tied.

They thoroughly took it to the Rockets in the latter half of the second period, but came up empty thanks to the efforts of Golden goaltender Magnus Viberg, who was sensational in this hockey game. Fortunately for the Steam, they continued to push in the third and were able to get the game tied thanks to a Cody Egilson shot that beat Viberg short side over the blocker about mid mark of the third period.

The Egilson goal tied the game and Summerland continued the pressure with no luck, sending the game to OT in a 2-2 tie. In overtime, Summerland had 3 or 4 chances to end it in the first couple of minutes, including an odd man rush that resulted in Wyatt Gale ringing a shot off the right post.

With no puck luck coming the Steam's way in overtime, Golden was able to capitalize on the one opportunity they did get. That opportunity came off a shot from Nic Noseworthy from the left point, which was stopped by Brett Huber. Huber then stopped James Gaume twice on the doorstep before Braeden Allkins was able to slam a rebound into the back of the next on the fourth successive shot.

Huber was once again very good in this hockey game, and unfortunately didn't have much help on the OT winner as his defenders were tied up in front of the net. He only faced 24 shots in the hockey game, but many of them were of the quality variety and he probably deserved a better result than an "L" in the column during this game.

At the other end, Viberg was once again sensational, much like he was last time he faced the Steam. He stopped 32 of 34 shots in the hockey game and picks up the win for the Rockets to snap a 4 game losing streak.

Summerland will now take a day to rest and will head to North Okanagan to play the lowly Knights on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop is at 3PM at the Nor-Val Arena in Armstrong and the Steam will look to take 3 of a possible 4 points on the weekend.