YUKON LINE POWERS STEAM TO 4 POINT WEEKEND

After some tough luck and bad results over the past five games, the Summerland Steam headed into this weekend hoping to turn things around. They did just that as they started the weekend on Saturday night with a 3-2 double overtime win in Chase against the Heat. Spencer Huff made 46 saves in the victory while Jack Mills netted his second of the game that stood as the winner in the 3on3 overtime period. Riley Pettitt had the other goal for the Steam and his line, the Yukon line, was the best line for Summerland in the game.

Pettitt and his linemates Jarrett Malchow and Wyatt Gale, all from Whitehorse, YT, looked to carry their momentum forward into Sunday’s game after working to control play and create chances in the game against Chase. They did just that, combining for 6 points in a 7-2 victory over the North Okanagan Knights at home on Sunday night. Gale netted two goals while Malchow and Pettitt each recorded two assists. Rylan Sideroff, Daylan Robertson, Adam Jones, Cole Woodliffe, and Nick Gnazdowsky also hit the goal column for the Steam in the victory while Dustin Vasil and Thomas Pattison replied for the Knights.

Besides all the goals, there wasn't much to speak of as far as action was concerned in this hockey game. Summerland controlled the majority of the play and made Spencer Huff's night very easy, save for the two goals against that they didn't give him much help on. Late in the game, with just over 2:30 to play, Huff was removed from the game after being contacted behind the net by a North Okanagan player. With Brett Huber already out due to injury, AP goaltender Jared Breitkreuz was thrown into duty for the final couple of minutes and was forced to make only one save to nurse home the victory.

With the two wins, Summerland was able to bump their five game losing skid and regain their 10 point advantage on the 3^rd place Princeton Posse. Princeton swung through the Kootenays for the final time this season and picked up 2 of a possible 6 points on the weekend, while Osoyoos was idle. The Coyotes still hold a 17 point cushion on the rest of the Okanagan division with 15 games to play after this weekend’s action.

Summerland will travel to Kelowna to play the Chiefs on Tuesday night before returning home on Friday to once again face the North Okanagan Knights. The Steam and the Chiefs have come together 5 times already this season with Summerland winning all 5 meetings thus far.

Tuesday's meeting might be a little different than the last 5, however. Kelowna welcomed KI superstar Nick Josephs back to the lineup this past weekend and he made an immediate impact, collecting 3 points (2g+1a) in a loss to the Kamloops Storm. The Steam will have to make sure they get a body on him as often as possible and keep him from getting to the net, along with the 19 other Chiefs as well. The puck drops on that game on Tuesday night, 7PM at Rutland Arena. Catch Justin McCartney and the crew from Kelowna on the KIJHL webcast.