Quick start powers Knights to 6-4 victory over Leafs
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Three first period goals, including one by former Leaf Tanner Burns, sparked the North Okanagan Knights to a 6-4 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League victory over the Nelson Leafs Friday at the NDCC Arena.
The Knights, leaders of the Doug Birks Division with a 9-2-0-1 record, scored a power play goal four minutes into the contest and never looked back.
Marty Saharchuk, scoring with the man advantage, Steven Pantazopoulos and Burns, with seven seconds left in the opening frame, gave the Knights a lead Okanagan squad would not relinquish.
Down 3-0 after one, Nelson tried to fight back, outscoring the Knights 3-2 in the second on two goals by captain Colton Schell and a single from Bryce Nielsen.
However, the early hole was took big to climb out as the Knights matched the Leafs goal for goal.
Owen Barker, Derek Andrews and Mat Lambert also scored for North Okanagan.
Matthew Naka, finishing the game with two points, had the other Nelson goal. Schell led Nelson with three points.
The Leafs peppered Knights goalie Dustin Nikkel with 30 shots while Cody Boeckman faced 21 in a losing cause.
Nelson, losers of two straight, will try to bounce back Saturday as the Leafs host the lowly Grand Forks Border Bruins at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
The Bruins have one win in 14 games.
Sunday, the Leafs travel to Spokane to meet the Braves.
Nelson defeated Spokane in the only previous meeting between the two clubs, a 7-4 win October 6 at home.
