With just seven games remaining in the regular season, the Summerland Steam are preparing for a spot in the conference playoffs.
The Junior B hockey team is in second place in the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference: Okanagan Division in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
The team has 31 wins, nine losses, one tie and three overtime losses so far this season.
On the weekend, the team had hoped to surpass the Osoyoos Coyotes to take first place in division standings.
“Osoyoos is a great team, a great rival,” said Mike Rigby, general manager of the Steam. “They have such a potent power play. We have to stay out of the penalty box.”
However, an Osoyoos win in Summerland on Friday evening put Summerland’s chances of a first-place finish out of reach. The Coyotes defeated the Steam 4-1 in that game.
On Monday, the Steam earned a 6-4 win against the Coyotes.
The Steam also defeated the Princeton Posse 4-3 in an away game on Saturday.
Rigby said the Steam, with 66 points, trail the Coyotes by seven points.
However, that lead could shrink next Tuesday when the Steam travel to Armstrong to face the North Okanagan Knights.
The game is rescheduled following a Dec. 2 power failure.
At the time of the failure, with 2:48 remaining in the second period, the Steam led the Knights 4-1.
“The race is closer than the stats indicate,” he said.
The Feb. 21 game would resume from when the power went out.
The playoffs will begin later this month when Summerland will face the Kelowna Chiefs.
The first two games are on Feb. 24 and 25 at the Summerland Arena. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.