Time might be on the North Okanagan Knights, but it is ticking away.
The Knights dropped their eighth and ninth games in a row in Kootenay Junior Hockey League action Tuesday and Wednesday, losing a pair of 3-1 road decisions to the Princeton Posse – the team they’re trying to catch for the final playoff spot in the Bill Ohlhausen Division – and the Kelowna Chiefs.
North Okanagan has eight games left including four in a row on the road, and play five of their final eight contests away from the Nor-Val Sports Centre. The Knights (8-19-5-2) are two points behind Princeton (11-20-3-0) and the Posse have three more wins.
After a scoreless first period in Rutland Wednesday, Riley Zdan opened the scoring for North Okanagan at 13:58 of the middle frame, taking a 1-0 lead into the final 20 minutes.
Ben Edwards, on a setup from former Knight Owen Spannier, tied the game for Kelowna at 7:03, Alex Edwards netted the winner at 11:52 and James Hooton scored the insurance goal at 17:44 for the Chiefs, who are four points ahead of the Summerland Steam in a battle for second place in the Ohlhausen Division.
Gabriel Murrells-Allaway made 41 saves for the Knights while Reed Mclennan picked up the win, stopping 27 shots.
The hometown Posse jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead Tuesday on goals from Daniel Thiessen and Tanner Funk.
Landen Janz got North Okanagan to within a goal at 13:34 of the middle frame, and Funk salted the game away for Princeton with an empty-net goal at 18:34 of the third period.
Peyton Trzaska got the win in goal for Princeton, finishing with 33 stops while Jake Dubinsky made 39 saves for North Okanagan.
The Knights visit Kelowna Friday and the Revelstoke Grizzlies Saturday.
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