In 22 games this season with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, Jake Huculak had three points.
In two games since being acquired by the North Okanagan Knights, Huculak has four. And they all came in one game, and nearly in one period.
Huculak, an 18-year-old forward from Jasper, Alta., had four assists to lead the Knights to a 6-5 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League win over the Chiefs in Kelowna Saturday.
Three of Huculak’s assists came in the first period on goals from Tyler Olsen, Carl Main (powerplay) and Dean Whitcomb as the Knights built a 4-3 lead. Whitcomb opened the scoring 27 seconds after the national anthem, and finished the scoring with the only goal of the third period, an unassisted marker with 6:14 remaining.
The Chiefs took the lead in the second period, only to have North Okanagan equalize with Olsen’s second of the game with 2:16 left in the period.
Zach Willms made 23 saves to get the win as the Knights (7-16-3-1) moved to within nine points of fourth-place Kelowna in the Okanagan Division.
A night earlier, at home, the Knights dropped a tough 3-1 decision at home to the division-leading Summerland Steam. Drayton Martin had the only goal for North Okanagan, who host the 100 Mile House Wranglers (second in Doug Birks Division at 15-8-3-0, one point behind Chase Heat) Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Nor-Val Sports Centre.
The game is the Knights’ annual Teddy Bear Toss, where fans are asked to bring a stuffy to the game and throw it on the ice when the Knights score. It’s also Hampers For Hope Day, where fans are asked to bring a non-perishable item for Christmas hampers and get $1 off their game admission price.
