Morning Star Staff
Make a couple of changes by Friday, get into the playoffs and see what happens.
That’s basically the game-plan for head coach Shawn Webb as the youthful North Okanagan Knights head into the home stretch.
The Knights, who are 3-7 in their last 10 games, blew a 2-0 second-period lead and lost 4-2 to the Summerland Steam in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Sunday afternoon at Nor-Val Sports Centre.
The carding deadline is Friday and the Knights have disgruntled leading scorer Mat Lambert awaiting a trade. Webb will either deal for experienced older players or younger talent that could also help the team next year.
“We’re working on a few things,” said Webb, whose club is 16-18-0-1, fourth in the Okanagan Division, five points ahead of the Princeton Posse.
“Our coaching staff is frustrated. We have more than enough skill, but the effort isn’t always there.”
Ryan Kelm, with his sixth of the season, from Matt Halvorson and captain TJ Christensen, gave the Knights a 1-0 first-period lead. Dennon Leibel netted his seventh, shorthanded, from Brett Hawrys and Anthony Ruggiero, to make it 2-0 early in the second.
Knights’ d-man Ryley Booth was assessed a minor for instigating and a major for fighting late in the same period. Booth took a high stick to the mouth from Dylan Burton and Booth dropped his gloves. Burton did not.
Former Viper Riley Hunt counted his fifth of the year early in the ensuing powerplay. Paulsen Lautard equalized four minutes later, on his 12th of the season.
Jordan Boultbee supplied the winner, his sixth, with 55 seconds remaining. Lautard added an empty-netter with 20 seconds left.
“Our first two periods were the best we’ve played in two months,” said Webb. “We were carrying so much of the play until they scored on the powerplay.”
Lautard fooled an otherwise stellar Mitch Profeit on the equalizer, while the Steam scored the winner on a 3-on-2 after a bad line change by a Knights’ d-man.
Summerland outshot North Okanagan 35-31 with Darren Hogg taking the win. The Steam improved to 20-13-1-3 for third place in the Okanagan, one point behind the Osoyoos Coyotes.
Summerland visits the Knights Friday night (7:30).
