Leafs back on winning track
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Nelson Leafs snapped a four-game winless streak Saturday in 100 Mile House by stopping the hometown Wranglers 3-1 in Kootenay International Junior Hockey League action.
Friday, in Chase, Nelson played the Heat to a 5-5 tie.
The three-point road trip keeps Nelson on top of the Murdoch Division, eight points ahead of second-place Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
Easton Jolie scored twice for the Leafs while Reid Vulcano, an affiliate call-up from Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, added a single.
Hunter Young, playing his second game with the Leafs, lost a shutout bid late in the third period when Harley Bootsma scored on the power play. Nelson outshot the Wranglers 36-30. Young earned Nelson’s Firefighter of the Game honour.
The Leafs played Saturday’s game minus a few players. Missing from the roster were Ryan Piva, Kaleb Comishin, Shawn Campbell, Dylan Rantucci, Scott Lancaster, Tyson Soobotin, Brady Miller and Caiden Kreitz.
Friday, in Chase, the Leafs failed to hold a 5-3 lead as the Heat scored twice in the third period to force overtime.
Shawn Campbell, Kalem Hanlon, Tyler Nypower, Easton Jolie and David Sanchez scored for Nelson. Logan Wullum added two assists for Nelson.
Evan Vinterlik led Chase with a pair of goals with singles going to Cam Watson, Cody Allen and Gavin Mattey.
Chase outshot Nelson 43-39.
Nelson returns to the NDCC Arena Saturday to host the Fernie Ghostriders at 7 p.m.
Nitehawks skipper Terry Jones closes in on 1,000 wins
Beaver Valley head coach Terry Jones, closing in 1,000 wins in the KIJHL, is going to have to wait a few more games to reach the milestone.
The 52-year-old skipper, with 998 wins — 759 regular season and 239 playoff victories — saw the Hawks lost 2-1 to Kimberley Friday before playing Castlegar to a 3-3 tie Saturday.
Beaver Valley hosts Spokane Tuesday at the Hawks’ Nest and Grand Forks Saturday.
Under the guidance of Jones, the Beaver Valley teams have won 11 Neil Murdoch Division titles, eight KIJHL championships, four Cyclone Taylor Cups, and a Keystone Cup.
