Coyotes take bite out of Rebels to grab 2-0 lead in KIJHL final
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Castlegar Rebels came close, but not close enough to knocking off the Osoyoos Coyotes.
The Desert Dogs scored a pair of one-goal wins on home ice to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Kootenay International Junior Hockey Final.
Corey Allen’s goal early in the third period proved to be the winner as the Coyotes edge the Kootenay Conference Champs 3-2 Sunday in the South Okanagan City.
Saturday, C.J. Kort was the hero for the Dogs, scoring midway through the second period to give the home squad a 2-1 win.
Sunday, Castlegar twice owned one-goal leads as power play goals by Spencer Brodt and Taylor Anderson gave the Rebels 1-0 and 2-1 leads.
But Thierry Martine, also on the power play, and Steve Sasyniuk scored to pull the Dogs even before Allen scored the winner.
Osoyoos out shot the Rebels 29-25 making a winner in goal out of Kyle Laslo. Alex Ross was in goal for Castlegar.
Saturday, both teams played their cards close to their chest.
Stefen Jensen gave Osoyoos a 1-0 lead on a power play goal eight minutes into the game.
Stuart Walton tied the game seven minutes later sending the teams into the break knotted at 1-1.
Castlegar out shot the Coyotes 26-25 in the game.
The series now shifts to the Castlegar Complex for games three and four, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. both nights.
BLUELINES: The last time Castlegar won the KIJHL title came in 1995. Meanwhile, the expansion Desert Dogs, previously the Osoyoos Storm before the club was hijacked to Kamloops, last won the crown in 2005. The KIJHL champ advances to the Cyclone Taylor Cup March 31 to April 3 in Fernie. The Ghostriders gain an automatic bye into the four-team final as the host team. . . .Kootenay Ice affiliate player Jesse Knowler was named the game’s second star Sunday.
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