Special teams success for Beaver Valley helps Hawks double Riders 4-2 to regain Kootenay Conference lead
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks had the power play motoring on all cylinders in Game three of the Kootenay Conference Finals.
The Hawks scored three power play markers to double the Ghostriders 4-2 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff action Tuesday in Fernie.
Beaver Valley takes a 2-1 lead, and regains home ice advantage, in the best-of-seven series.
Game four is Wednesday back at the Memorial Arena in Fernie. The series shifts back to Fruitvale Friday for Game five.
The Riders had taken over home ice advantage after gaining a split in the two opening games in Beaver Valley.
After the teams traded first period goals, Christian Johnson and Tyler Collins sandwiched power play goals around a Fernie marker by Derek Georgopoulos to take a 3-2 advantage after 40 minutes.
The Hawks then rode the 14-save performance of Zach Perehudoff in the third period to steal the narrow win.
Fernie had plenty of opportunity to tie the game in the third, including a two-man advantage for the full two minutes, but could not beat Perehudoff.
Dallas Calvin and Mason Spear, into an empty net, also scored for Beaver Valley.
Connor McLaughlin, with his fourth goal of the series, scored in the first period for Fernie.
The Riders out shot Beaver Valley by a wide 36-20 margin, including 27-12 in the final two periods.
Starter Chris Solecki and Fraser Abdallah shared the netminding duties for the Ghostriders.
The winner of the series meets the Okanagan Conference Champ between Sicamous and Kelowna.
The Chiefs own a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after scoring a narrow 5-4 win Tuesday in Sicamous. Kelowna can clinch a trip to the KIJHL final with a win Wednesday in Game four back in Sicamous.
SERIES NOTES: Mason Spear and Chris Derochie each finished the game with two points for the Hawks. . . .Derek Georgopoulos, who played 29 games for the Riders this season, is a graudate from the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League with the Kootenay Ice. A Rider teammate of Georgopoulos, Matthew Carr of Nelson, also is a graduate of the Kootenay Ice.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
