A new year, a new start for the Summerland Steam.
The hometown Steam kicked off the 2023 portion of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Tuesday, Jan. 3, rallying from a two-goal deficit to beat the North Okanagan Knights 4-3 in overtime.
The win snapped Summerland’s six-game losing streak to finish off 2022.
Summerland had scored four goals total in its final four games before the Christmas break.
The victory moved the Steam (11-14-2-3) to within four points of the third-place Knights (14-12-2-1) in the Bill Ohlhausen Division.
North Okanagan, losers of three straight, are eight points back of the second-place Osoyoos Coyotes (18-8-3-0), who defeated the division- and league-leading Posse 4-3 in overtime in Princeton Tuesday. The Posse (22-4-2-3) are 10 points up on Osoyoos.
The hometown Steam got the extra point Tuesday thanks to Cole Waldbillig’s goal at 1:29 of overtime.
After a scoreless first period, Kevin-Thomas Walters, on a powerplay, and Ethan O’Rourke staked North Okanagan to a 2-0 lead Tuesday with goals 61 seconds apart midway through the second period.
Tristan Weill, and Ryan Donovan, with the man advantage, scored before the end of the frame to make it 2-2 after 40 minutes.
Donovan scored his second of the game 1:26 after the ice clean to give the Steam a 3-2 lead. Walters’ second of the game at 10:55 forced overtime.
Ben Lewis picked up the win in goal, making 19 saves while Austin Seibel stopped 34 shots for North Okanagan.
North Okanagan visits the Revelstoke Grizzlies Friday, Jan. 6, while the Steam hop the bus to take on the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in Fruitvale Saturday, Jan. 7.
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