Thunder Cats shutout Nelson Leafs
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs concluded the month of October on a bit of a sour note, falling 3-0 to the Creston Valley Thunder Cats in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Saturday night in the East Kootenay City.
Frustrated by two earlier losses to the Leafs this season, the Cats jumped all over the Leafs in the first period. The home side outshot the visitors 17-5 and were rewarded when Justen James beat Nelson netminder Josh Williams to give the Cats the 1-0 lead.
Nelson tried to push back in the second period, however, penalties opened the door for the Thunder Cats to add some insurance.
Ronnie Wilkie and Carson Small scored power play markers to complete the scoring.
The Cats then rode the shutout netminding of Levi Mitchell to secure the victory.
Creston finished the game out shooting the Leafs 37-30.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for 12-3-1-1 Leafs.
Nelson remains in top stop in the Murdoch Division as Beaver Valley, winners of nine consecutive games, was idle.
The Leafs have played one more game than the Nitehawks.
Nelson returns home to face the Spokane Braves in a two-game weekend series beginning Friday at the NDCC Arena.
Saturday, the series shifts to the Lilac City at the Eagles Ice-A-Rena.
LEAF NOTES: The loss was only the second of the season for Leafs Josh Williams in goal. Williams continues to be one of the top goalies in the KIJHL, tied for the lead with Liam McGarva of Revelstoke Grizzlies. . . .Nelson finished the month of October with a 6-2-0-1 record. . . .Nelson posted two wins over Creston in September — 6-3 September 23 in Creston and 3-2 September 30 in Nelson. . . . Saturday’s goalless performance snapped a six-game scoring streak for the Leafs Sawyer Hunt. Nelson’s leading scorer has points in 11 of the team’s 17 games this season.
