Hawks sweep Leafs, edge Green and White in another one-goal nail biter Sunday in Fruitvale
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Leafs have played very well for most of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League seasons.
Unfortunately, very well won’t get the Green and White to the top of the Neil Murdoch standings.
The Leafs saw its losing streak climb to four games after Beaver Valley Nitehawks – the Murdoch Division leaders — edged Nelson 4-3 Sunday afternoon in Frutivale.
Beaver Valley, winning Friday in Nelson by the identical 4-3 margin, has won five of six games this season against the Leafs.
Nelson also lost 6-4 to Castlegar Saturday in the Sunflower City.
“It was a tough weekend for the boys but I think it was a good learning weekend,” Leaf head coach Frank Maida said Sunday.
“Our team got a good eye opener to where we need to be on a consistent basis against two good teams in our division.”
Craig Martin’s second-period power play goal, the fourth of the game for the odds-on favourite to win the KIJHL’s rookie of the year award, proved to be the winner as the Hawks escaped with its fourth one-goal victory over Nelson in six attempts.
Twice Beaver Valley rallied from one-goal deficits.
Nelson led as Nelson 2-1 in the first period on goals by Linden Horswill and Dallon Stoddart.
After Martin tied the game at the end of the first 20 minutes, Max Mois busted out of a four-game goalless streak to give the Leafs a short-lived 3-2 advantage in the middle frame.
Martin then scored twice on the power play, the winner coming with 6:38 remaining in the second.
Beaver Valley out shot the Leafs 33-26 in the game as Mike Vlanich out dueled Nelson rookie goalie Patrick Defoe in the nets. The game was Defoe’s first start in a few games and the Leaf rookie did not disappoint the coaches.
“Patrick played very well,” Maida exclaimed. “He played solid and steady and make some timely big saves when we needed them. I was very happy with Patrick’s performance after not having played for a few games.”
The weekend sweep increases Beaver Valley’s lead in the Murdoch to 14 points over the Leafs.
The Hawks hold a five-point advantage over Castlegar Rebels, the team Beaver Valley meets in a home-and-home series when the teams return from the Christmas break, Dec. 29 in the Sunflower City.
“We feel finishing first in the division is very important,” said Beaver Valley head coach Terry Jones when asked about the weekend series against the Leafs.
“We really hate to have to play (Nelson or Castlegar) in the first round (of the playoffs). Over the past few years that’s what we had to do . . . which means you have to go through to tough rounds to get out of the division.”
WEEKEND NOTES: The win for Beaver Valley, 27-5, runs their unbeaten streak to 13 games. . . .Craig Martin has been a Leaf killer this season. During the six games the Beaver Valley winger has 11 goals and three assists. Two games Martin has scored four and three goals. . . .Friday, Scott Morriseau scored three times and rookie Brenden Heinrich added a pair to lead Castlegar past the Leafs. Daylen Pearson and Tyler Jones each had three assists as Castlegar finally defeated former teammate Andrew Walton. Four Leafs — Nick Newman, Matti Jmaeff, Cameron Dobransky and J.J. Beitel — replied for Nelson. . . .Nelson had three affiliate players in the lineup this weekend — defenceman Cole Arcuri Friday, forward Colton Dawson Saturday and defenceman Andrew Miller Sunday. . . .The four-goal performance by Martin lifts the Beaver Valley sniper into second spot in goals behind Creston’s Brandon Formosa. The Thunder Cat forward has scored 30 times. Martin is fifth in league scoring, nine points behind KLIJHL leader and teammate Ryan Edwards.
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