Eric Chore pocketed a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, as the North Okanagan Knights upended the Princeton Posse 4-3 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League play Friday night at Nor-Val Sports Centre.
The Knights, third in the Okanagan Shuswap Conference’s Doug Birks Division at 33-15-0-1, spotted the 26-17-1-4 Posse a three-goal lead before they woke up in the second period.
Devin Grossler (20th goal) opened the scoring for the visitors at 10:03, and Kevin Raimundo (8th) made it 2-0 with a shorthanded effort with five minutes to play in the period.
A powerplay marker by the Posse’s Jaden Janzen (17th) early in the second frame had the Knights reeling before Tanner Burns ignited the North Okanagan offence with his 18th goal at 4:01.
Burns, a Vernon product, finished with four points to earn first star.
Chore pocketed his first of the night, and 20th of the season, with just over a minute to go in the second period to cut Princeton’s lead to one.
Cory Hochhausen (21st) forced OT with just over a minute left in regulation.
Chore’s OT winner with three minutes to play came on the powerplay. North Okanagan’s John Saunders and Chris Gillies, a Vernon forward, recorded assists.
Aaron Brandoli, also of Vernon, recorded 20 stops for his fifth win, while Sky Buller had 23 saves for the Posse.
Princeton’s Spencer Kristensen supplied two helpers and was named third star.
The Knights are in Kamloops today (5 p.m.) to face the 33-9-1-5 Storm. The visit the 34-11-0-3 Revelstoke Grizzlies Friday.
