Bogart sparks Braves to 5-2 win in back half of home-and-home weekend series
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Spokane Braves got some payback in the back half of a home-and-home weekend series against the Nelson Leafs.
Dillon Bogart scored twice as Spokane stuffed the Leafs 5-2 in penalty-filled Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game Sunday afternoon in the Lilac City.
The win made up for a 5-1 loss Saturday night in Nelson.
Both goals by Bogart came on the power play.
Danton Oliver, Jonny Marzec and Paxton Malone also scored for Spokane, which held period leads of 2-1 and 4-1.
Darnel St. Pierre scored twice for Nelson, which played the game with only 15 skaters.
Trevor Dilauro stopped 32 of 34 shots to register the win in goal for Spokane, which knocked off the top two teams in the Murdoch Division at home during the weekend.
The Braves edged Beaver Valley 2-1 Friday.
Adam Maida, suffering his fourth loss in five games, was in goal for Nelson.
The game concluded with a host of misconduct penalties after tempers flared during the final seconds of the game.
Before the BC Hockey roster deadline Saturday (January 10) at midnight, The Nelson Daily has learned that Leaf coach Dave McLellan reinstated defenceman Brendan Smith to the lineup and acquired a defenceman from the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League.
Smith has been out of the lineup since November being suspended by the team for missing curfew.
Nelson, 22-11-2-1, is now tied for second spot in the Murdoch Division with the Castlegar Rebels.
However, Castlegar has played one more game than the Leafs.
Nelson, expected to get some injured bodies back in the lineup for the next games, takes to the East Kootenay this weekend when the Leafs travels to face Eddie Mountain Divisional opponents Columbia Valley (Friday) and Fernie (Saturday).
Next home date for Nelson is Friday, January 23 against Creston Valley Thunder Cats.
