Leafs hold off Rebels to edge Sunflower City squad 4-3
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs continue to struggle to put together 60 minutes of hockey.
The Green and White held off a late charge to edge the Castlegar Rebels 4-3 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Saturday night at the NDCC Arena.
Dale Howell scored twice while Jack Karran and David Lenzin added singles as the Leafs built a 4-0 lead after two periods.
However, the roof, almost, fell in on the Leafs as Castlegar struck for three goals in six minutes of play to erase the four-goal margin.
Castlegar out shot the Leafs 34-32, including a 14-11 margin in the third period.
Logan Styler, with a pair of markers, and Jesse Reeds replied for a Rebels team that has lost four consecutive games.
Devin Allen won for the second time in the Leafs net while Jason Mailhoit took the loss between the pipes for Castlegar.
Nelson, which lost 5-2 Friday against Beaver Valley, keeps pace with the Nitehawks in Murdoch Division standings.
Beaver Valley, after winning a pair of games during the weekend, leapfrogs past Grand Forks Border Bruins into top spot in the division.
The Hawks 6-3-1-0-1 record is one point better than the Bruins.
Grand Forks dropped its first game in five games, losing 4-3 in overtime to Fernie Ghostriders.
Justin Peers scored his second of the game in double overtime period to lift the Riders past the Bruins.
Grand Forks had tied the game with one second remaining on the power play. Logan Klatt beat Brandon Butler in the Fernie nets.
Yoan Rodrigue and Connor Brennan also scored for the Bruins.
Fernie out shot the Border Bruins 43-38 in the contest.
BLUELINES: Leafs Dale Howell leads the team in scoring, one point in front of teammate Sawyer Hunt. Howell has seven goals and seven assists in 10 games. . . . Leafs continue to look for the right fit in goal as Josh Bolding got the start Friday in Fruitvale. . . .The Leafs staged its annual parent weekend. Player’s parents attended both games as well as an afternoon banquet Saturday at the Hume Hotel.
