It’s refreshing to see, despite not making the playoffs, that the Osoyoos Coyotes aren’t just going through the motions. The Coyotes won their second straight, Friday night in Spokane, beating the Braves 6-2.
This was a feisty, physical match between two teams not qualifying for the post season. We’ll get to that shortly.
Kyle Cyr (pictured above) scored twice. Cameron Whitelaw, Mathieu Lessard, Spencer Fleck and Nicholas Vopat added singles. Whitelaw had a three point evening, thanks to a pair of assists. Mason Rudolph and Tyler Seminoff also contributed two helpers apiece.
Osoyoos led 2-0 after the first and 3-2 following 40 minutes, putting the game out of reach with two goals only 16 seconds apart in the first minute of the third period.
Now to the silliness. Just as the second period was coming to an end, there was a skirmish in front of the Coyotes net involving goaltender Russell Newman. Before you know it, Spokane netminder Bronson Pankey skated 180 feet down the ice to instigate a fight against Newman. Both players went at it, the decision going to Newman after taking down Pankey. The two were subsequently ejected, with suspensions no doubt forthcoming. Old school hockey indeed.
The teams registered a combined 94 minutes in penalties, Osoyoos accumulating 44 of those, 22 of which went to Russell Newman alone.
Newman happened to pick up the victory for his two periods of work, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Jaiden Jakubowski was forced into action in the third, turning aside all 20 shots he faced. The final shots-on-goal were 46-42 in favour of the Coyotes.
A first period upper body injury to Ethan Picklyk already left Osoyoos down a man, prior to the Newman incident. Picklyk did not return to the game and is being evaluated.
The Coyotes return to Canada to face the Leafs in Nelson on Saturday night (Feb. 8th).
