BV Nitehawks blast Nelson Leafs
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The loud bang heard last night coming from Fruitvale was the Nelson Leafs crashing down to earth.
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks put a good old fashion whipping on the boys in Green and White, blasting the Leafs 9-3 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action at the Fruitvale Memorial Arena.
The defending KIJHL champs scored early, and often, to send the Leafs to their third straight defeat.
Two power play goals by Tommy McConnachie, the first coming less than two minutes into the game, and Dylan Kent, gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead midway through the opening frame.
Eight-four seconds later, Aidan Browell made it 3-0 before Bradley Ross scored unassisted to increase the margin to 4-0.
Goals by Michael LeNoury and Nicholas Wihak stopped the bleeding before the period ended, and gave the visitors some life only trailing 4-2 after 20 minutes of play.
But the Hawks outscored the Leafs 4-1 in the second period to erase all doubts of a hometown collapse.
Dylan Heppler, scored twice, Nolan Percival, Erick Bocale and Sam Swanson completed the scoring for Beaver Valley.
Wihak scored his second of the game to complete the scoring for Nelson.
Heppler and Percival each finished the game with five points while Kent has four points.
Sawyer Hunt and Jack Karran each had two points for Nelson.
Beaver Valley outshot the Leafs 31-18 in the game as Owen Sikkes outdueled Josh Williams in the battle of the top KIJHL goalies.
Williams was pulled after 40 minutes, replaced by Sam Burford.
The loss cuts Nelson Murdoch Division lead to two points over Castlegar Rebels and six in front of Beaver Valley.
Castlegar won for the seventh consecutive time 3-1 at home against Grand Forks.
Nelson has a chance to halt the three-game slide as the Leafs host Grand Forks Saturday at the NDCC Arena.
