GAME #93 -- Kelowna Knights (6) def. Colorado Mammoths (2)

KELOWNA -- It was a countdown to the finish in Kelowna this evening, and not because people were excited to see the end. In fact, the game wasn't even close and the excitement was low as people left the arena early to beat the traffic which inevitably just formed earlier than usual.

No, instead, the Kelowna Knights created their own countdown as they scored three first period goals, two second period goals and one in the third period. By the end of it, the Knights had managed to defeat the Colorado Mammoths 6-2.

The scoring started very early, as Trevor Wilson and Beau Bent connected just over the 90 second mark. Wilson had a steady hand with his rifle of a shot and the marksman hit his target well. His 10th goal of the season put Kelowna up 1-0.

Jacob Renninger potted his fifth of the season to tie it up just past the four minute mark of the period off a good cycle in which Maverick O'Dooley made Jason Aittokallio look silly. O'Dooley had a history with Aittokallio throughout the season, and it continued here as he made Aittokallio focus so intently on him he missed the cutting forward behind him and the goal slid in behind him.

Wilhelm Huber and Beau Bent both scored almost within a minute of one another and just around the 16 minute mark. Bent had his off a rebound after Ty Justice rocketed a slapshot from the point through traffic and Bent used his large frame to locate the barely visible rebound. His instinct showed strong in the moment, and his banger attitude proved valuable.

Evgeny Yakikov managed his second goal of the season exactly 20 seconds after Beau Bent's goal, and the end of the first was 3-2 in favor of the Knights. Kelowna had scored on one in every three shots on goal for the period, while Colorado scored on one in every four. The goaltenders, as can be expected, were unamused.

The second period changed things around, as from that moment forward Jason Aittokallio pitched a shutout and the Mammoth made a change. Alex Light, he of the excitement fame from his first ever goal, scored his fourth goal of the second just under four minutes into the period. It was in that moment the Mammoths made a change, pulling Ekaterina Rudnikova in favor of Curtis Allison.

At the time of her pulling, Rudnikova had stopped 7-of-11 shots on goal, and would accrue the loss in the contest and fall to 8-15-0.

Allison wouldn't fare much better. Ty Justice, with just over two minutes remaining on the period, would smash a one-timer from just outside the face-off circle on a beautiful set-up feed from Cara Hohenberg and pot it behind him. Allison gave up another goal later in the third period as well to Alex Light.

Allison stopped 10-of-12 shots against, proving to be better than Rudnikova, but failing to stop the final nail falling into the wood of the coffin. Aittokallio stopped 16-of-18 shots on goal.

Trevor Wilson was named the first star of the game with his three point effort including a goal on three shots. Alex Light and his two goals on a minimalists dream game with two shots was second star, and Beau Bent with his three points and a goal on four shots was third star.