Time might be on the North Okanagan Knights, but it is ticking away.
The Knights dropped their eighth and ninth games in a row in Kootenay Junior Hockey League action Tuesday and Wednesday, losing a pair of 3-1 road decisions to the Princeton Posse – the team they’re trying to catch for the final playoff spot in the Bill Ohlhausen Division – and the Â鶹¾«Ñ¡ Chiefs.
North Okanagan has eight games left including four in a row on the road, and play five of their final eight contests away from the Nor-Val Sports Centre. The Knights (8-19-5-2) are two points behind Princeton (11-20-3-0) and the Posse have three more wins.
After a scoreless first period in Rutland Wednesday, Riley Zdan opened the scoring for North Okanagan at 13:58 of the middle frame, taking a 1-0 lead into the final 20 minutes.
Ben Edwards, on a setup from former Knight Owen Spannier, tied the game for Â鶹¾«Ñ¡ at 7:03, Alex Edwards netted the winner at 11:52 and James Hooton scored the insurance goal at 17:44 for the Chiefs, who are four points ahead of the Summerland Steam in a battle for second place in the Ohlhausen Division.
Gabriel Murrells-Allaway made 41 saves for the Knights while Reed Mclennan picked up the win, stopping 27 shots.
The hometown Posse jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead Tuesday on goals from Daniel Thiessen and Tanner Funk.
Landen Janz got North Okanagan to within a goal at 13:34 of the middle frame, and Funk salted the game away for Princeton with an empty-net goal at 18:34 of the third period.
Peyton Trzaska got the win in goal for Princeton, finishing with 33 stops while Jake Dubinsky made 39 saves for North Okanagan.
The Knights visit Â鶹¾«Ñ¡ Friday and the Revelstoke Grizzlies Saturday.
READ MORE: North Okanagan Knights snap losing skid with overtime win over Sicamous
READ MORE: Butler, Dubinsky lead North Okanagan Knights to three of four points
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