Leafs get back in win column by stopping Braves 5-3
By The Nelson Daily Sports
After seeing its five-game win streak snapped Saturday at home by the Kimberley Dynamiters, Nelson assistant captain Carsen Willans gave his teammates a bit of a blast following the loss when he said, “we’re the best team in the league and we have to prove it to everyone.”
The Leafs started another winning streak Wednesday night in Spokane as Nelson outlasted the pesky Braves 5-3 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action.
The win gives Nelson a five-point cushion in Murdoch Division standings ahead of second-place Castlegar Rebels.
The two teams meet Wednesday, December 19 in Nelson.
Spokane took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission as Alex Peltram put the puck past Leaf goalie Cody Boeckman.
Nelson rallied back in the second, outscoring the Braves 3-1 on goals by Aaron Dunlap, Jacob Boyczuk and Linden Horswill.
Sean Collins scored the lone goal for the home side.
The Leafs out shot the Braves 16-7 in the period.
Nelson continued to dominate play and got a boost early in the third when Willans scored a shorthanded goal to give the Leafs a 4-2 lead.
But Brycen Fisher, Spokane’s leading scorer, cut the margin to 4-3 with his 12th goal of the season.
Matt MacDonald ended any hopes of a Spokane comeback with an insurance goal in the final two minutes of the game.
Nelson finished the game out shooting the Braves 37-19 and making a winner out of Boeckman.
The Leafs return to action Friday when the club hosts Creston Thunder Cats at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
Nelson won the first meeting between the two teams 3-1 on September 22 in the East Kootenay City.
LEAF NOTES: Linden Horswill finished the game with three points while Carsen Willans and team captain Colton Schell each added a pair. Schell’s two points pulled the KIJHL player of the month for November into a first place tie in league scoring with Jordan Salahor of Kelowna Chiefs.
