UPDATED: It was all Leafs in a 7-0 romp over Chase Heat
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Playing one of the “most complete” games of the season the Nelson Leafs ended the road swing through the Kootenays for the Chase Heat on a sour note by blasting the Doug Birks Division squad 7-0 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action Sunday afternoon at the NDCC Arena.
“Ya it was,” Leaf coach Frank Maida said when asked about the Sunday performance.
“It was a full 60 minutes and stuck to our game plan the entire game.”
Colton McCarthy and Seth Schmidt led the offence, each netting a pair of goals as Nelson held period leads of 2-0 and 4-0.
The goals for McCarthy, who now has nine for the season, stopped a brief two-game goalless streak.
Schmidt also added two assists.
Cody Boeckman faced a handful of tests in the Leafs net, registering the shutout.
Nelson opened the three-game home weekend losing 5-3 to Fernie Ghostriders.
Nelson held a 2-1 lead after the first frame before the Riders got their skating legs after the long bus ride from the East Kootenay to outscore Nelson 4-1 en route to the win.
Brandon Burge led Fernie with four points, including two goals.
The Leafs outshot the Riders 34-27 but could not beat Chris Solecki in the Fernie nets.
Saturday Nelson put 55 shots on two Spokane netminders to outlast the Braves 7-4.
Team captain Colton Schell led the attack with three points, including two goals.
Carsen Willans, Matt McDonald, Jacob Boyczuk, J.J. Beitel and Bryce Nielsen also scored for Nelson.
Brent Soles stopped face only 17 shots in the Nelson goal.
“We’re very happy to get the two wins . . . unfortunately we were looking for three but it didn’t work out for us,” Maida confessed. “But overall I was happy with the effort in all three games.”
Injuries continue to plague the Nelson defence.
The Leafs lost Cole Arcuri Friday against Fernie. Defensive teammate Cam Weir returned to the lineup Saturday but left the game midway through with a reoccurring upper body injury.
Both players will be reassessed Tuesday.
Maida used forward Linden Horswill on the blueline in all three games.
“Linden did a great job moving back to defence for us,” Maida said. “He did a great job for us playing defence and working on the power play and had a great weekend.”
The two wins keep Nelson within striking distance of division leader Castlegar.
The Rebels lead the Murdoch Division with 13 points, one in front of Beaver Valley and two ahead of Nelson.
The two Murdoch rivals meet in a home and home series beginning Friday in Nelson.
LEAF BANTER: Nelson welcomed back center Matti Jmaeff back to the lineup. Jmaeff was playing in Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Earlier story:
Leafs win twice on home ice during three game weekend stand
At the Meat Loaf song goes, “two out of three aint bad.”
Nelson Leafs won for the second time in three home games but blasting the Chase Heat 7-0 Sunday afternoon in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action at the NDCC Arena.
The Leafs opened the weekend losing 5-3 to Fernie before rebounding Saturday against Murdoch Division rival Spokane Braves, blasting the American-based team 7-4.
Nelson, 5-3-1, kept pace with the Castlegar Rebels and Beaver Valley Nitehawks in the Murdoch Division standings.
Castlegar continues to lead the division with 13 points, one ahead of Beaver Valley and two in front of the Leafs.
The two Murdoch rivals hook up in a divisional showdown beginning Friday in Nelson.
Friday’s game concludes a four-game homestand for the Leafs.
The back-half of the series goes Saturday in Castlegar.
