Morning Star Staff
They are past the quarter pole and in serious need of some victories.
The North Okanagan Knights, who have the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s worst offence – 1.78 goals per game – are last overall at 2-13-1 after two weekend losses.
However, the Knights tangle with the Chase Heat tonight and square off with the Kelowna Chiefs Friday night, both games at Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong. The Heat (6-9-1) and Chiefs (6-10-2-1) are both well under .500.
Making his debut tonight for the Knights will be power forward Jordan Passmore, obtained from the Heat in a trade for 5-foot-9 forward Tyler Mork.
“He’s a big body (6-foot-2, 220) and hopefully he’ll create some time and space for some players,” said Knights’ head coach Jim Armstrong, of the Kamloops product, who has relatives in Vernon.
Passmore, 18, has compiled 7-8-15. He attended the Vipers’ main camp and got in some exhibition play. Mork, 18, of St. Albert, had 1-3-4 with the Knights.
The Chiefs held off the Knights 4-1 before 350 fans Saturday night in Rutland.
Josh Kolbekla, Ethan Rusnack, Brandy Mende and former Knight Anthony Ruggiero, into an empty net with 1:53 to play, handled the Kelowna offence.Vernon product Layne Greene, a d-man, was game MVP for the Knights.
Austin Fournier, with his fifth of the season, from Zack Andrusiak, replied for the Knights with 33 seconds left in the second. Brady Lenardon made 45 saves for the Knights, losers of five straight.
The host Sicamous Eagles shut down the Knights 5-0 in a Sunday matinee.
Carter Hansen, Tyson Taylor, Riley Jepson, game MVP Korwin Shewchuk and Nathan Grieve scored for 12-9 Sicamous. who are tied for first in the Doug Birks Division of the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference.
Mitch Profeit turned aside 25 shots to take MVP for the Knights, who trailed 3-0 after 20 minutes and 4-0 after two periods.
