Hawks sweep past Chiefs to KIJHL title, double Kelowna 4-2 Sunday
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The brooms came out in the Central Okanagan Sunday.
Craig Martin made his final Junior B game a memorable one as the rookie sniper scored twice sparking the Beaver Valley Nitehawks to a 4-2 the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Championship victory over the hometown Chiefs in Rutland.
The Hawks swept the best-of-seven series 4-0, out scoring the Chiefs 20-9.
Trying to bounce back from Saturday’s heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss, the Chiefs struck first as defenceman Braeden Hikichi scored an unassisted marker past Beaver Valley starter Zach Perehudoff following a scoreless first period.
However, Josh Peters tied the game for Beaver Valley short handed before Martin struck for a pair of goals — the first coming 74 seconds after the tying tally.
Martin, rumored to be playing in the B.C. Hockey Tier II League next season, increased the lead to 3-1 before the period ended.
Matt Hill pulled Kelowna to within a goal midway through the third period.
But Dallas Calvin, the odds-on favourite to win the MVP in the series after finishing the four games with 14 points, halted any chance of a comeback with an empty net marker in the final minute.
Calvin finished the series against Kelowna by scoring seven goals.
Kelowna out shot the Hawks 29-24, including 11-7 in the final period.
Beaver Valley now advances to the Cyclone Taylor Cup April 12-15 in Abbotsford.
Vancouver Island winner Victoria Cougars and Delta Ice Hawks, champs of the Pacific International Hockey League, join host team, Abbotsford Pilots and Beaver Valley.
Beaver Valley won the Cyclone Taylor Cup in 2001 with current head coach Terry Jones at the helm.
The KIJHL crown ends an eight-year drought for Beaver Valley.
The last time the Hawks won the KIJHL crown came in 2004.
The title is the first for a Murdoch Division team since Nelson Leafs won the top prize in 2009.
