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Leafs snap losing skid in a big way with rout of Border Bruins

The Nelson Daily Sports
By The Nelson Daily Sports
January 20th, 2020

The Nelson Leafs snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way.

The Leafs scored multiple times in all three periods to rout the Grand Forks Border Bruins 10-4 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Sunday in the Boundary City.

The victory, avenging an earlier week 4-3 loss to the Bruins, also allowed the Green and White to escape from a weekend on a positive note following losses Friday, to Kimberley Dynamiters, and Princeton Posse, Saturday.

Friday, Nelson played the best team in the KIJHL even for more than 60 minutes before dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to the Nitros at the NDCC Arena.

Saturday, a slow start proved costly as the Leafs lost 6-3 to the Posse in Princeton.

Sunday, Nelson came out flying, scoring four times to jump out to a 4-0 lead.

Joe Davidson, his first of three in the contest, Shawn Campbell, with a pair and Brady Miller staked the Leafs to the 4-0 advantage 17 minutes into the game.

Kyle Bailey gave the home side some life, scoring a shorthanded tally in the final minutes of the period.

Nelson kept up the pressure in the second period with leading scorer Reid Wilson, Davidson and Lane Goodwin scoring.

August Demaere and Elvis Slack replied for Grand Forks.

In the third, Slack scored early the Bruins before Davidson, Adam Diotte and Wilson completed the onslaught for the Leafs.

Nelson outshot the Bruins 60-55 with Tenzin Mint registering the win in goal with two minutes of relief from backup Anderson Violette.

Friday’s game was a nail biter between two teams looking for long playoff runs.

Kimberley scored first as Brock Palmer not only gave the visitors the lead, but also set a new franchise scoring record with the point.

The goal was shared by the entire team as Nitros players left the bench to congratulate the Coaldale, AB., native.

Nelson tied the game later in the opening frame when rookie Joe Davidson pounced on a rebound, beating Blake Pilon in the Kimberley nets.

Davidson scored his second of the game on the power play midway through the second period.

However, that lead was short lived as Erik Delaire and Jett Saharchuk scored less than a minute apart to give the Dynamiters a 3-2 advantage after 40 minutes.

Shawn Campbell tied the game up with a powerplay goal for Nelson late in the third period before Nitros Captain Cam Russell beat Anderson Violette in the Nelson nets for the game-winner in overtime.

Kimberley outshot the Leafs 35-22 including a 17-11 advantage in the third period.

Saturday, the host Posse got the jump on the Leafs scoring three times in just over two minutes to grab a 3-0 advantage.

Aubrey Macleod, with a pair, and Trevor Gulenchyn on the power play, scored for the Posse.

Logan MacDonald stopped the onslaught, scoring a power play marker with 61 seconds remining in the opening period.

Campbell and Justin Fochuck exchanged second period goals before Davidson scored another powerplay goal to pull Nelson to within a goal.

But Tyler Stinchcombe scored a power play marker with seven minutes remaining in the third period to basically put the game away Princeton.

Noah Brusse added an empty net goal to complete the scoring.

Princeton outshot the Leafs in the game 43-37.

Violette, dropping his second straight game during the weekend, was in goal for Nelson.

BLUELINES: Kimberley won both games during its Murdoch Division swing, scoring two overtime wins against Nelson and Beaver Valley. . . . Brock Palmer, who leads the KIJHL in scoring with 77 points, now has 216 points in three seasons with the Nitros. . . . Nelson players on the bench also rushed the ice in the first period of Friday’s game against Kimberley after Joe Davidson scored. . . . Reid Wilson and Lane Goodwin each finished Sunday’s game with five points. Wilson now has 62 points, good for second behind Palmer in KIJHL scoring. Shawn Campbell finished the Grand Forks game with four points while Davidson had three to complete the three-game weekend with eight points, including six goals. Adam Diotte, Brady Miller and Alek Erichuk each had two points. . . . Leafs allstar defenceman Kaleb Comishin missed both games against Princeton and Grand Forks after suffering an injury Friday against Kimberley. . . .Nelson’s weird schedule continues with the Leafs on the road until the first week in February. Nelson travels to Spokane Friday, January 24th, Osoyoos Saturday, January 25th and Castlegar Friday, January 31st before returning to the NDCC Arena for a game against the Rebels. The Leafs finish the season playing five of six games at home in February.

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