Leafs ride netminder Marcus Beesley to 1-0 win over Rockies
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Marcus Beesley deal is paying instant dividends to the Nelson Leafs.
The Prince George native stopped 15 shots to backstop the Leafs to a 1-0 victory over the Columbia Valley Rockies in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Friday night at the NDCC Arena.
The win allowed Nelson to regain the lead in Murdoch Division standings. Nelson leads the Castlegar Rebels by two points and is three in front of the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
Castlegar did not play Friday but is back on the ice Saturday hosting the same Rockies.
Beaver Valley outlasted Spokane Braves 9-4 Friday in Fruitvale.
Beesley, who came to the Leafs in cash deal from the Kamloops Storm, had very little work to do in a game that was over in record time — the Zamboni hit the NDCC Arena ice for the second-period cleaning a little more than an hour after the 7 p.m. opening face-off.
However, the former Leaf goalie came up big when he had to in frustrating the Rockies shooters.
The only goal of the game came from an unlikely source as Kyler Wilkinson beat Columbia Valley netminder Stewart Pratt midway throughout the second period.
Nelson finished the game out shooting Columbia Valley 29-15.
The Leafs return to action Sunday in Spokane.
Big guns continue to fill net for Hawks
Ryan Edwards continues to fill the net for the Hawks after returning to play hockey after serving a suspension by the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Edwards finished with five points while Dallas Calvin added four points to power the Hawks past the Braves 9-4 in Fruitvale.
Edwards had 13 points in three games for the Hawks.
Calvin has also been on fire, currently riding a 13-game scoring streak. During that span the Trail native has accumulated 40 points.
Spokane and Beaver Valley play the back half of the home-and-home series Saturday in the Lilac City.
