Summerland has enough Steam to upset Murdoch Division leaders 6-5 in Sunday KIJHL action at the NDCC Arena
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Daily Sports
It doesn’t really matter who the Leafs play — a heavyweight contender like the Fernie Ghostriders or a struggling 6-9 team like Summerland — if Nelson plays anything like the team that was on the ice Sunday, there’s little chance of winning.
Summerland Steam took advantage of a lackluster showing by the home side scoring three times in the third period — two goals coming on special teams in a span of two minutes to erase a 5-3 deficit — to stun the Leafs 6-5 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League play at the NDCC Arena.
The game was a far cry from last week’s 9-2 pasting Nelson dealt the Steam in the South Okanagan City.
“I think we just fell apart (in the third),” Leaf center Matthew Naka told The Nelson Daily following the tough loss. “I think we got a little cocky after we got up in the third.”
The win by Summerland was a big “character builder” by a Steam franchise that is desperately searching for an identity six weeks in the KIJHL season.
“We have not been playing well,” Summerland head coach Gord Gamble said from outside the team bus.
“Not to take anything away from Nelson because they’re a very good hockey club but we just haven’t had the bodies. We have seven or eight guys out and we just haven’t played well.”
“So there’s no payback here,” Gamble added. “If we would have played like this in Summerland, that would have been a close game as well.”
Despite being blown out by seven goals in the first meeting and having less than half the points of the Leafs in league standings, it was the Steam holding their own Sunday.
Backed by the fine netminder of Sam Bass, facing 27 shots through two periods, Summerland was all even entering the third at 3-3.
And when Nelson struck for two goals in three minutes into the period to go up 5-3, the Steam never gave up.
Colin Minardi scooped up the puck after Leaf defenceman Jonathon Petrash made a meal of at the Steam blueline, busting past the Nelson defenders before beating Patrick Defoe in the Nelson nets.
The goal came with Summerland playing shorthanded.
The Steam tied the game two minutes later, once again after a lackluster clearing attempt by the Leafs killing a checking from behind penalty to James Sorrey.
Brock McDonald corralled the puck before beating Defoe high to the glove side.
The Leafs had several chances to regain the lead. But Bass was equal to the task, allowing Taylor Spankie to score the game winner eight minutes from time.
“We had a couple of real tough losses that got into their (players) psychy a little bit,” Gamble said. “But we should be okay.”
Josh Spence led the Steam attack with two goals while Jordan McCallum, one of five players on Summerland to finish the game with two points, also scored for the Steam.
Nik Newman scored twice to lead the Nelson attack. Colton Schell, Patrick Martens and Sorrey also scored for the Leafs.
The loss was first in five games for the Leafs and leaves Nelson with a record of 12-4-0-1 in 17 games — first in the Murdoch Division, three points ahead of Beaver Valley and six in front of Castlegar.
Summerland improves to 6-9 good enough for fourth in the Okanagan Division but only one point behind second place Princeton Posse.
Nelson out shot the Steam 38-28.
The Leafs venture out on the road after spending most of the early part of the KIJHL season at home, beginning a six-game road trip Friday in Creston.
The next home game for Nelson is Saturday, November 12 when Grand Forks Border Bruins visit the NDCC Arena.
LEAF NOTES: Colton Malmsten scored three times as Nelson blasted winless Columbia Valley Rockies 7-2 Saturday at the NDCC Arena. Carsen Willans, affiliate player Cole Arcuri, Patrick Martens and Nik Newman also scored for the Leafs. . . . Malmsten did not play Sunday along with three defencemen — Riley Henderson, Blake Arcuri, Walker Sidoni — and two forwards — Brett Norman and Matti Jmaeff. All five players were missing due to injury. The injuries forced the Leafs to call up two players from the Okanagan Hockey Association, Cole Arcuri and Jordan Davie. . . Leaf forward Dustin Reimer finally made his way back into the lineup after more than a month on the injury list. Reimer, from Vanderhoof, was injured during the first game of the season in Castlegar. . . . Patrick Martens maintained a two-point lead over Ryan Edwards of Beaver Valley. Martens accumulated four points during the weekend to continue his game streak to 12. The Maritime native has registered multiple points in nine of the 12 games. . . . Leaf fans got a taste of the Green and White in the team’s new jerseys. A mix up in ordering forced the Leafs to play the first month with an older set.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
