Summerland Steam survived a North Okanagan rally and held on to beat the Knights 7-5 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Tuesday in Summerland.
The Steam jumped out to a 3-0 lead 13 minutes into the contest before Chris Pedersen scored his first for the Knights since being acquired after Christmas from the Chase Heat.
After Summerland made it 4-1 with a shorthanded goal 13 minutes into the second, the Knights pulled to within a goal on markers from Cameron Welch, on a powerplay, and Dean Whitcomb.
North Okanagan could never get the equalizer, twice pulling to within one as the teams traded goals in the final period before Riley Pettitt put the game away for the Steam with a powerplay goal with 1:45 left.
Whitcomb, with his 14th of the year, and Welch, with his sixth, scored in the final frame for the Knights (12-23-0-1).
Daniel Paul made 22 saves in the loss while Jared Breitkreuz made 10 saves to get the win.
The Steam (24-7-1-3) moved to within five points of the Okanagan Shuswap Division-leading Osoyoos Coyotes.
North Okanagan, which has lost three straight, remains two points ahead of Princeton in the battle for the final divisional playoff spot with a game in hand heading into a key showdown with the Posse Saturday in Princeton.
Two of the Knights’ three remaining games with the Posse will be in Princeton.
