The North Okanagan Knights ended their triple-header weekend with a massive 5-1 victory over the Nelson Leafs on Sunday afternoon KIJHL action.
Hosted at the Armstrong Nor-Val Centre, the Knights were barraged in the first period, with the Leafs firing 22 shots on net.
Goaltender Josh Hager was stellar between the pipes, letting in just one goal, from Nelson’s Xaiden Bignell, to keep the home team in the game after the opening period.
In the second, the Knights offence, who had just five shots in the first, woke up with four goals in seven minutes.
Laszlo Istvanffy, Dane Dietz, Nolan Kelly and Colton Fleming all got past Leafs Jackson McLeod to turn the game on its head.
Despite a four-minute power play to start the third period for Nelson, Hager continued to shut the door, as he absorbed all 16 shots faced in the final frame. Carter Will would add to the Knights lead midway through the third with an empty net goal, as Nelson went to desperate means to try and get past Hager.
The 54 save win was just the third of the season for Hager, although he is sitting with a sparkly .940 save percentage and a 2.28 goals-against-average this season in nine games played.
North Okanagan’s victory was the second in consecutive games, after defeating the Summerland Steam, 2-1 on Saturday. Gage Parrell and Cash Anderson scored for the Knights while Michael Malinowski grabbed his seventh win of the season, stopping 25 of 26 shots.
The Knights are now two points up on the Kelowna Chiefs for second in the Bill Ohlhausen Division with a 11-16-2-3 record. Next up is a battle with the Chiefs on Friday, Jan. 12 in Armstrong.
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