The North Okanagan Knights went a little trigger happy in their final Kootenay International Hockey League tilt before the Christmas break.
The Knights peppered netminder Tyrell Hamer-Jackson with 50 shots and were rewarded with a 5-2 win over the host Kamloops Storm Friday night at McArthur Island Arena.
Nearly half those shots (24) came in a scoreless first period, but the Knights’ perseverance paid off with three unanswered goals in the span of 81 seconds to start the second frame. Derek Andrews started the attack just 20 seconds into the period, followed by consecutive goals by Mat Lambert just eight seconds apart.
Lambert, a Vernon product, took a hard hit shortly after, breaking a took in half, which forced him out of the game. The 21-10-1-2 Knights were already without veterans Tanner Burns, Brett Hawrys and Josh Ellis. Head coach Kris Mallette dressed call-ups Curtis Sexsmith of Vernon, Carson Richards of Enderby, and Cole McCaskill of Kamloops.
“I had guys with every excuse to quit, but we played a very simple game and we just weren’t making a lot of mistakes,” said Mallette.
Third-period snipes by Connor Richards and Andrew completed North Okanagan’s attack.
North Okanagan visits the Chase Heat (7-24-3-1) on New Year’s Eve. The Storm are 13-18-2-4.
