Bruins add to Leafs dreadful season, edge Green and White 3-2
By The Nelson Daily Sports
It doesn’t seem to matter who the Nelson Leafs meet on the ice in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League these days, the result is the same — another loss.
The Grand Forks Border Bruins added to the woes of the Green and White as the Boundary franchise edged the Leafs 3-2 Saturday night in KIJHL action at the NDCC Arena.
Connor Brennan registered two points to lead the Bruins past the Leafs.
The loss was the 10th in 11 games for the Heritage City franchise, which is slowly, but surely, falling out of the race in the Murdoch Division.
Despite out shooting the Bruins 13-8 in the opening frame, it was Grand Forks taking a 1-0 lead as Colin MacDonald beat Jason Sandhu in the Leafs nets late in the frame.
Grand Forks maintained the advantage until Eamonn Miller tied the game for Nelson in the third.
However, with the Leafs pushing to take the lead, Dylan Haney scored the winning goal with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
Chad Grambo added an empty net marker for Grand Forks before Mason Mullaney scored the final tally of the game with time running out.
Nelson, like the team has done on many occasions this season, outshot the opposition 26-20 but could not get the offence going as Tyler Loura came up with big stops on Leafs forwards.
Sandhu took the loss in goal for the Leafs.
Nelson, falling to 9-14-0-0-2, trails the third-place Bruins by six points in Murdoch standings and division leading Beaver Valley by 18 points.
The Nitehawks completed a successful swing through the Eddie Mountain Division by posting wins over Golden Rockets (10-3) and Columbia Valley Rockies (3-2).
The Leafs host Spokane Braves Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
The Braves, losers of three straight games, only have 12 points to sit last in the Murdoch Division.
Grand Forks travels to Spokane Sunday to meet the Braves.
