The Kelowna Chiefs scored the game winner at the 1:58 mark of three-on-three overtime to defeat the Osoyoos Coyotes 4-3, Wednesday night at the Sun Bowl Arena.
The Coyotes came out flat in the opening period and the Chiefs took advantage, building a 2-0 lead after 20-minutes.
However, Osoyoos rallied with a much better performance in the second period, getting goals from Rylan Konecsni and Asher Makway, the latter on a shorthanded breakaway, to even things at 2-2 headed for the third.
Kelowna tallied on the powerplay just past the 12-minute mark of the third period, only to see Bronson Seymour tie the game 3-3 with 5:46 remaining in regulation time.
The Chiefs earned the victory in sudden death off a bad clearing play as a pair of Coyotes got tangled up in front of goaltender Hunter Arntsen.
Shots were 29-26 in favour of Kelowna, who had the lone puck on net in overtime.
The single point was good enough to put Osoyoos in the playoffs, but the Coyotes have fallen three points behind the third place Chiefs in the Bill Ohlhausen Division.
Osoyoos has just four games left in the regular season, including Friday night’s (Feb. 9th) trip to Summerland. The Coyotes then return home to host North Okanagan on Saturday night (Feb. 10th), getting underway at 7:00 o’clock. Game Sponsor is Tim Hortons.
