WOODLIFFE'S WINNER POWERS STEAM PAST KNIGHTS

In a rare mid-week game on Tuesday night, the Summerland Steam hosted the North Okanagan Knights. This marked the 4th meeting of the season between the two teams and after winning the first three, Summerland wanted to have the same result in meeting # 4. After a quick start with no immediate results, the Steam pounded 12 shots on net in the first period while only allowing 5. North Okanagan goaltender Mitch Profeit was sensational all night long, but particularly in the first period when Summerland was pressing hard.

Compared to Profeit, Spencer Huff had a far easier time in the Summerland goal in the first period, facing only 5 shots and stopping all of them. The scoreless first was a little odd for two teams that usually have a certain disdain for one another, as each team only got one powerplay opportunity in the opening frame. First it was Matthew Halvorson going off for kneeing just 1:17 into the game, and then Nelson Hurry sat for holding with :55 left in the period.

To start the second period the intensity was picked up from both sides. There were several hard hits and lots of trash talk between the two benches, but still no scoring. After nearly 15 minutes of action and still no scoring, Summerland finally broke the goose egg when Cole Woodliffe found himself alone in the slot. He was able to turn with the puck, wind and fire, beating Profeit low to the blocker side. Assists on Woodliffe's 13th of the season would go to Affiliate Player Mitch Torrens, and the Steam would take a 1-0 lead into the second intermission.

In the third period there was a bit of a push from North Okanagan, but really no urgency from either team to put anymore goals on the board. While shorthanded in the final 2 minutes of the game, Tyson Klingspohn dumped a backhand out of the Summerland zone that found it's way into the North Okanagan net to extend the Steam lead to 2. Klingspohn's 23rd of the season would round out the scoring at 2-0 in favour of the home team and bring the shots on goal to 32-21 in favour of the Steam.

Spencer Huff was solid in the win, collecting 21 saves for his first shutout of the season with the Steam. Mitch Profeit was equally good in the net for the Knights, making 30 saves on 31 shots, with 1 shot and 1 goal being charged to the empty net.

Summerland will now take to the practice ice this week to prepare for the Columbia Valley Rockies on Friday night at the Summerland Arena before going to Armstrong to play these same North Okanagan Knights at 3PM at Nor-Val on Sunday afternoon.