Leafs dump Castlegar Rebels 6-2 in Sunflower City
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Travis Wellman continues to hold the hot hand for the Nelson Leafs.
The Calgary native increased his consecutive point streak to 10 games sparking the Nelson Leafs to a 6-2 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League victory over the hometown Castlegar Rebels Thursday night in the Sunflower City.
Wellman, finishing the game with four points, scored in the first and second periods as Nelson held period leads of 2-1 and 5-1.
Brandon Sookro, Troy Petrich, Robson Cramer and rookie Nolan Percival also scored for the Leafs.
Wellman and Cramer scored on the power play and shorthanded, respectively.
Chase Reddin scored an unassisted marker in the first period past surprise starter Adam Maida. Matt Reed scored the other Castlegar goal in the third period.
Maida, a Nelson Minor Hockey grad, has been out of the lineup since September with a knee injury.
The teams conclude the home-and-home series Friday at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
The game is the final encounter for the Leafs, who begin a nine-day Christmas break.
Nelson returns to action December 29 in Fruitvale against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
Tuesday, December 31 Nelson host the Hawks in the traditional New Year’s Eve contest.
BLUELINES: The win increases Nelson’s Murdoch Division lead to three points over idle Beaver Valley. The Hawks had closed to within a point of the Leafs after pummelling Grand Forks 6-0 Tuesday. Sheldon Hubbard scored twice to lead the Hawks. Brett Clark posted the shutout in goal. Beaver Valley has won five straight games. . . . After scoring four times Saturday against Golden Rockets, Leafs Jamie Vlanich was kept off the scoresheet by his former team. . . . The Leafs, riddled with injuries, had Kootenay Ice Major Midgets Sam Weber and Austin Tambellini in the lineup. . . . There were three fights in the game as the Murdoch Division rivalry heats up between the two teams. . . . Nelson outshot the Rebels 43-40. . . . Robson Cramer and Brandon Sookro each finished the game with two points.
