KIJHL Notebook: Buckley goes from cellar dwellers to defending league champs
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Cole Buckley’s stay with the Grand Forks Border Bruins lasted whopping seven games after the Murdoch Division cellar dwellers traded the Penticton native to the Osoyoos Coyotes earlier this week in a futures deal.
Buckley, 19, was dealt to the defending Kootenay International Junior Hockey League champs Monday in a deal that sees Grand Forks receive future considerations from the Desert Dogs.
In seven games with the Bruins Buckley saw more rubber than Goodyear Tire finishing his stint in the Boundary City with an 8.27 goals against average.
Buckley came to Grand Forks, the only remaining winless team in the entire KIJHL, from Revelstoke Grizzlies in another futures deal.
More goalies on the move
Before acquiring Cole Buckley from Grand Forks, Osoyoos shipped 19-year-old Montrose native Alex Ross to Summerland Steam for you guessed it, future considerations.
Earlier in the day the Desert Dogs farmed goalie Jordan Gluck to Castlegar Rebels to get Ross.
The Coyotes now have Cole Buckley and former Nelson Leaf backstop Darren Hogg as their two netminders.
The Leafs hot no more
It wasn’t that long ago the Nelson Leafs was one of the hottest teams in the KIJHL, coasting along atop the Murdoch Division.
That was before a five game losing streak and a record of 3-6-0-1 on the last ten games.
A big part of the Leafs demise could be directly related to former leading scorer Patrick Martens heading to Langley Rivermen of the BCHL.
Since Martens left the Heritage City Nelson is 2-1-0-1 in the four games.
However, one reason why Nelson has dropped into third in the Murdoch Division — another it the Leafs are 1-3 against Beaver Valley — is the Nitehawks and Castlegar Rebels have posted respective 8-2 and 7-3 records to pass Nelson in the standings.
The Leafs return to action this weekend with a trip Friday to the Lilac City to meet the Spokane Braves in the first of a home-and-home series.
Saturday, the teams return to the NDCC Arena for the rematch.
Game time is 7 p.m.
No dancing for Leaf captain
Leaf captain Tyler Parfeniuk was seen in a walking cast last week during Nelson’s game against Penticton.
The Kelowna native has been out of the lineup since twisting an ankle during a game in his hometown against the Chiefs.
The loss of the team captain has been greatly felt on the Nelson blueline where the lead-by-example Parfeniuk was a solid force during the first 20-plus games.
Parfeniuk is hopeful to be back in the lineup by Christmas.
Edwards still leading the KIJHL pack
Trail native Ryan Edwards continues to lead the KIJHL in scoring with 53 points.
The slick skating forward, with 19 goals and 34 assists, holds a slim two-point advantage over Colten DeFrias and three points ahead of Tyler Jackson — both players of the Kamloops Storm.
Two Beaver Valley players, Chris Derochie and Craig Martin, are fourth and fifth, respectively.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
