Kootenay suffers meltdown, drops heartbreaking 5-4 loss to North Island
By The Nelson Daily Sports
It was a collapse of major proportion.
Leading 4-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Kootenay Ice watched as the North Island Silvertips scored five unanswered goals to steal a 5-4 BC Hockey Major Midget League victory Sunday at the NDCC Arena.
The win allowed the Silvertips to sweep the BCMML series after opening with a 4-1 win Saturday in Nelson.
Five different players — Owen Hardy, Jack Long, Sage Lim, Brett Stapley and Tyler Topping, with the winner with time running out — scored for North Island.
Three of the goals came in the final 85 seconds with the Silvertips net empty for two of the markers.
“We played great for 50 minutes,” said an Ice coach after the game.
Kootenay held a 1-0 lead after one period on a goal by Luke Madge of Castlegar.
Blake Sidoni of Trail, Shawn Campbell of Castlegar and Korbyn Chabot of Cranbrook increased the lead to 4-0 after 40 minutes.
Solomon Burk of Castlegar was in goal for Kootenay.
Saturday, North Island scored three times in the third period to break open a close game.
Kootenay, 5-26-5, travels to Abbotsford this weekend for a two-game set against the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.
The Ice host Vancouver Northwest Giants in Nelson February 28 and March 1 during the final regular season weekend.
